Zinc dust-coated steel ligatures

A steel strapping having adherently coated thereon a flexible film having a thickness between about 0.3 and 0.6 mils and comprising from about 83 to about 95 weight percent of finely divided zinc particles having an average particle size no greater than about 4 microns and about 5 to about 17 parts by weight of a binder material, said binder material comprising from about 30 to about 40 weight percent of a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product having an average molecular weight in the range of about 800 to about 2000 and about 60 to about 70 weight percent of a condensation product of epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A having average molecular weight in the range between about 1200 and about 5000.

A method of making a corrosion resistant steel ligature which comprises applying to a steel ligature a liquid composition containg from about 20 to about 40 weight percent of solvents and 80 to about 60 weight percent of solids, said solid comprising from about 80 to about 96 weight percent of finely divided zinc particles and from about 4 to about 20 weight percent by a binder material comprising from about 8 to about 65 weight percent of phenol-formaldehyde resin and from about 35 to about 92 weight percent of a low molecular weight of epoxy resin, and thereafter heating said coated ligature to at least drive off said solvent and leave a solid coherent coating on said ligature.