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Booshway
Picture of Iche Iia
posted
Working with the same .36 barrel as mentioned before. While the brass is off being engraved, I am refinishing the stock and I want to brown the barrel but is there anyway to get a "gloss" browning at home. I have a Pedersoli (sp) here that has a beautiful gloss browning on the barrel and I would like to try to duplicate that, just don't know if it can be done "at home".


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I have done it. You have to apply the browning solution twice a day and you must keep after the carding with fine steel wool. It must have just enough carding to keep the finish smooth as it builds up, but not so much that it doesn't build up. A little tricky. Give it a try.


pistuo deo lalo
 
Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I've done it too. You must start with polished steel, especially if you do the lock to match. Quite often the barrels still have milling marks, AND the locks have casting marks and a rough finish from being cast. So these need to be polished.

It's best to polish by hand, but this is time consuming. You should still have the nice edges on the octagon barrel, and mechanical polishing often rounds these.


Then I used Birchwood Casey Plum Brown. It's a hot treatment, not a slow, cold brown, and the trick is getting an even heating..., very tough to do with a torch. The best way to get an even heating is to lay a strip of foil on the ground in the back yard about 12" longer than the barrel and the tang. Lay a line of charcoal briquettes on top of the foil. About 3 briquettes wide and about 2 - 3 deep, and light them up. When the starter fluid is done burning, and you have no more flames, heat your barrel.

What I did was to use a couple of small, wooden tripods, and a chain with an S hook for each. One hook went into the muzzle and the other held the barrel at the tang. The barrel was suspended over the coals, a few inches high, and when water danced on the metal like it does when testing a griddle for pancakes...., I applied the browning solution.

I used goggles, gloves, and a wad of cotton cloth held by a hemostat. I applied the solution back and forth lengthwise, and avoided breathing the steam or getting it in my eyes. It will brown on contact, and you do the whole barrel. I repeated the process several times to get a very dark brown.

When I had done about four coats, I removed the barrel from the heat and rinsed with hot water. Then I doused two rags with 30 weight motor oil, and while the barrel was still hot and while I was wearing the gloves, I rubbed the barrel with the oiled rags. I kept up the rubbing, and added a few extra drops of oil every few moments, until the barrel was cooled enough for me to hold it with my bare hands. Then I set it aside to cool down completely.

When cooled, I cleaned out the bore, applied a rust preventative, and installed the barrel back on my gun.

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I have been working on the barrel for a while now. I'm going to Lowe's or NAPA and get some 300 grit wet/dry paper, jumping right to 600 was to much of a move at one time and it's not getting out the fine scratches as I need it to. I will see how that goes but I will probably end up with 800 and/or 100. I have all that from my knife making. And I agree, it has to be done my hand errrrrr.

Other than the polishing, everything else that you described is a standard browning operation, although I do like the charcoal bed idea, I've never tried that. So is polishing the barrel all it takes to get a gloss finish? I would have thought there would have been more to it then that.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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volatpluvia - I agree with the steel wool between coats and with the hot browning, it may be quicker that you suggest. I will have to see how it goes with just polishing the barrel first. It may not be necessary to card it. It will all be a learning process here.

Thanks for the reply.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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LD - Forgot to mention. Now you have gone and thrown a wrench into the works. I never considered browning the lock too. That sure would add to it though. ..... I'm not sure I like you anymore LOL !!!!!


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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I have done rust bluing for years in a professional shop going beyond 240 grit will be a mistake and take forever.

I rust blue with Laurel Mountain browning and boil between applications if wanting black finish for brown no boil, after wet carding with de greased steel wool. For the brown polished finish DO Not use any hot water to card or before applying the next application. 6-7 coats should be looking good but if not dark enough go a few more before applying any oil.
 
Posts: 109 | Location: NH | Registered: 05 July 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I'm listening to all of you and picking up good information. I will hopefully finish all the prep work this week (been side tracked by another project) and will start the browning process. Thanks to all of you for sharing information.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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On my first build I went to 400 grit on the parts before I browned them not knowing better. The finish came out really slick but an odd color, I used LMF



On my last build I stopped at 220 and got a deep, dark brown color with LMF that I liked much more.

 
Posts: 47 | Registered: 04 March 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I used cold brown from Waukan Bay.


pistuo deo lalo
 
Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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ERRRRRRR. I got around, at last, to browning the barrel. dug a slight trench, lined it with aluminum foul, fill it with charcoal and hung the barrel over it. All was going well and it was coming out really nice until I ran out of Plum Brown and still had some streaks to get out! I really thought I had more in the bottle.

Of course no one around here sells the stuff and I remember that I had to order it before. So, here I sit with a streaky barrel in spots waiting for the new stuff to get here.

The one good thing is, what did come out is exactly what I was looking for. A nice shiny, dark brown. So I, at least, know I am on the right track. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

By the way, I used 320 grit paper. And LD, I am still considering the lock LOL


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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No more excuses, the Plum Brown came in this morning.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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OK! Final method and results:

First off, I appreciate all the comments and suggestions. First step was to sand the barrel. I went a little further than most of you suggested except for L.D. I took it down with 220, went to 320 then a final buff with 600. Yes it was a lot of work but there were no scratches that I can tell so far.

Then I dug a shallow ditch about 6 inches longer than the barrel and 6 inches wide. Lined that with tin foil to reflect the heat. filled it with charcoal and let it off. By the time I installed the hangers the charcoal was ready. I had two small Camel Hooks for hanging small plants in the yard. I hung wire on them and using a dowel pin in the business end I suspended the barrel about 5 - 6 inches off of the coals. That was the best even heat I have ever had for this purpose.

Before hanging, I wiped the barrel down with Denatured Alcohol twice, then one more time for good measure.

Once a drop of water would sizzle on it I began to wipe it down with the browning. I'm not sure how many coats I used but I wanted a dark finish. Not sure if it was necessary but I rubbed it down with 0000 steel wool about halve way through.

I let it cool for a while then put a heavy coat of motor oil on it and as it kept cooling i kept rubbing on more motor oil and wah lah, there's my gloss browning. PERFECT, exactly what I was looking for. You can almost see your face in it and it's a really dark rust color. I'm very well pleased with the results.

Now, on to doing the same with the lock. If it comes out as good as the barrel, I will be happy L.D. brought it up.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I never thought of a trench with charcoal. Bravo that it worked so well!


pistuo deo lalo
 
Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I have to give credit to L.D. for that one. I hadn't thought of it either. Something so simple that works so well and only cost six bucks for a small bag of charcoal and very little labor.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I'm having trouble picturing the hanging method for the barrel.....?


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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The way I did it is not important. The main thing is to find your own way to suspend it 5-6 inches over the coals to get even heat.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Hmmm.....


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Is there any way to upload pictures without using photobucket? I hate that thing.


Iche Iia

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight, he'll just kill you."
 
Posts: 379 | Location: Prince George, Virginia | Registered: 04 April 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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I've never figured it out.....


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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