Core77 - Blog • Jan. 12, 2026, 2:51 a.m.

You've probably seen welds, on stainless steel, that have changed the color of the metal around them. That happens because the heat causes a thin layer of chromium-oxide film to form on the surface.

When light passes through this film, the eye sees different colors, depending on how thick the film is. (Same principle as light passing through seemingly clear soap bubbles, yielding multiple colors.) Well, here's some wild news.

Turns out that with certain laser engravers, like this xTool F1 , you can actually dial in the amount of color you'd like, on stainless steel and titanium: That is mind-blowing. (The question for you is, whether that's $1,400's worth of blown mind.)

Related