Recommendations for “rust browning”

[northerngos]

Hi all,
One thing that has always interested me is having a revolver built with a rust browned barrel.  I have a Bowen project coming up that would be a great fit.   Does anybody have a good vendor in mind for nice rust brown treatment?
I appreciate any help!

[blacktailslayer]

I rust blued (browned) a complete revolver a few years ago and it turned-out great. Took a long time and not a lot of specialized equipment to do if you would like to try it yourself. I can't remember the acid solution that I used, I remember that I got it from Brownells. Also need a vessel to boil water and the parts in and a carding wheel on a drill press. Requires a time commitment and some patience. It took me over a week to apply 18 coats. Be sure to plug both ends of the barrel so the acid and water do not get inside and rusts the rifling.

I have a thread that showed some pictures of the gun when it was complete here on the forum a few years ago, I think it is in the gallery section likely 15+ pages in by now - My #5 Quest - or something like that if you would like to take a look at how it came out.

I went and looked it up, page 16 so I guessed close, here is the link: singleactions.proboards.com/thread/27523/5-quest?page=1



Don D.

[bigbore5]

There's a few videos on YouTube on how to do it. Or you can send it to one of the smiths you see on there to do it for you. I'm doing my own.

[northerngos]

Thanks guys for the help! It seems do-able. I guess there must not be shops that specialize in it like there are overseas?
I’d love to do it myself, I can’t see any reason not to experiment with it before sending the barrel off for the initial work.

[northerngos]

Dec 12, 2023 15:05:06 GMT -5 blacktailslayer said:

I rust blued (browned) a complete revolver a few years ago and it turned-out great. Took a long time and not a lot of specialized equipment to do if you would like to try it yourself. I can't remember the acid solution that I used, I remember that I got it from Brownells. Also need a vessel to boil water and the parts in and a carding wheel on a drill press. Requires a time commitment and some patience. It took me over a week to apply 18 coats. Be sure to plug both ends of the barrel so the acid and water do not get inside and rusts the rifling.

I have a thread that showed some pictures of the gun when it was complete here on the forum a few years ago, I think it is in the gallery section likely 15+ pages in by now - My #5 Quest - or something like that if you would like to take a look at how it came out.

I went and looked it up, page 16 so I guessed close, here is the link: singleactions.proboards.com/thread/27523/5-quest?page=1



Don D.

Thanks for that! What a sweet revolver, must have been very satisfying to do the work yourself.
Did you have to boil the rust brown portions? Or just the portions that were blued?

[bigbore5]

Basically you treat the bare metal with the bluing solution, place it into an enclosed steam/humidity chamber and let it get a coat of oxidation. Remove it and boil it.

The boiling causes the rust to give up a oxygen molecule, transforming it into bluing. That's very basic, but it's how bluing works in a nutshell.

[northerngos]

Ok that’s what I thought, for clarification that’s for rust bluing? But for browning you just use the humidity chamber (heated) and card and repeat etc, then neutralize. No boiling unless you want it to “blue”?

[leadhound]

Dec 12, 2023 21:36:05 GMT -5 northerngos said:

Ok that’s what I thought, for clarification that’s for rust bluing? But for browning you just use the humidity chamber (heated) and card and repeat etc, then neutralize. No boiling unless you want it to “blue”?

Basically yes, I have this same project in mind, well, for at least 20 years now, just haven't gotten there. Have read many things about it. Have seen a lot of recommendations for Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution and degreaser, from the muzzleloader side of the community. So when the time comes that’s what I was planning to use. There is also a book from the 30's I just found out about, suppose to have a couple hundred recipes for bluing/browning finishes.

"Firearm Blueing and Browning"
by R.H. Angier

My idea was that it would make the perfect "camouflage" on a hunting piece. I also wouldn't be afraid of scratching it up.

Laurel Mountain doesn't require heat, the Birchwood Casey does.

[hunter01]

Dec 12, 2023 15:05:06 GMT -5 blacktailslayer said:

I rust blued (browned) a complete revolver a few years ago and it turned-out great. Took a long time and not a lot of specialized equipment to do if you would like to try it yourself. I can't remember the acid solution that I used, I remember that I got it from Brownells. Also need a vessel to boil water and the parts in and a carding wheel on a drill press. Requires a time commitment and some patience. It took me over a week to apply 18 coats. Be sure to plug both ends of the barrel so the acid and water do not get inside and rusts the rifling.

I have a thread that showed some pictures of the gun when it was complete here on the forum a few years ago, I think it is in the gallery section likely 15+ pages in by now - My #5 Quest - or something like that if you would like to take a look at how it came out.

I went and looked it up, page 16 so I guessed close, here is the link: singleactions.proboards.com/thread/27523/5-quest?page=1



Don D.

You did an incredible job sir! Though the process is very simple to rust brown or blue, you still have to do it right.

[Gunny268]

OP, I used Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution when I rebrowned two blackpowder muzzle loaders. The process was simple, they came out looking great, and the browning has been extremely durable.

[nicholst55]

Take a look at Track of the Wolf; they have Laurel Mountain's browning reagent, as well as their own, traditional rust brown reagent. They could probably also provide some technical assistance if needed.

[blacktailslayer]

I believe Laurel Mountain is what I used on my #5, Ill take a look when I get home tonight and give an update. It comes with instructions on how to use it, all good stuff.

FYI, I didn't use a humidity cabinet, just the regular humid western Oregon air in my shop. The first few coats I only let hang for a few hours before carding and it was longer and longer as more coats were applied. The last half or so of them they hung all day as I was carding and re-applying before I left for work and again when I got home 12 hours later. Eventually there was no more to card away and I called it quits. The parts were all done individually, the gun was completely disassembled. Boiling in water was required for the browning process. The blue or brown color comes with the type of acid solution that is applied to the metal.


Don D.

[northerngos]

Dec 12, 2023 16:07:20 GMT -5 bigbore5 said:

There's a few videos on YouTube on how to do it. Or you can send it to one of the smiths you see on there to do it for you. I'm doing my own.

Do you mind if I ask what kind of project you are browning?

[northerngos]

Dec 13, 2023 10:19:28 GMT -5 Gunny268 said:

OP, I used Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution when I rebrowned two blackpowder muzzle loaders. The process was simple, they came out looking great, and the browning has been extremely durable.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about that product. Did you have trouble getting it to stop browning?

[northerngos]

Dec 13, 2023 14:42:04 GMT -5 blacktailslayer said:

I believe Laurel Mountain is what I used on my #5, Ill take a look when I get home tonight and give an update. It comes with instructions on how to use it, all good stuff.

FYI, I didn't use a humidity cabinet, just the regular humid western Oregon air in my shop. The first few coats I only let hang for a few hours before carding and it was longer and longer as more coats were applied. The last half or so of them they hung all day as I was carding and re-applying before I left for work and again when I got home 12 hours later. Eventually there was no more to card away and I called it quits. The parts were all done individually, the gun was completely disassembled. Boiling in water was required for the browning process. The blue or brown color comes with the type of acid solution that is applied to the metal.


Don D.

That makes sense. I can imagine it taking longer to oxidize through the previous treatments. That project turned out just awesome. I appreciate the details! Do you find it holds up well in the field in that Oregon humidity?