ammonia

[RichG]

saw on a thread regarding laurel mtn. browning solution that some one was using ammonia to stop the rusting process. any particular strength or technique?

[Long Ears]

I bought a jug at the hardware store and it was deluted to the point you could hardly even smell it. It worked fine. Way better than anything else. Bob

[PIKELAKE]

Speaking of ammonia. This is something that I have experienced in the last couple of months. I have used aqua fortis on and off for a longtime. I generally just use baking soda to neutralize and never have had a problem with "after rust" on the barrel or other parts. I purchased a new bottle of AF and added it to some that I've had for quite awhile. I finished up two rifles and put them away. I pulled one of the rifles out and to my surprise the barrel and trigger plate, screws etc. were rusty. Maybe I forgot the baking soda, I forget things, I tore the rifle down and reapplied baking soda. I checked the metal a couple of weeks later and..... rust again. I then went with ammonia and that seemed to work. My thinking is that the new AF was still cookin and I will only use ammonia in the future. Hope this saves someone from extra work.

[Mark Elliott]

Ammonia is also better in that it doesn't wet the stock as much and a lot less messy to apply.

[E.vonAschwege]

You're just trying to neutralize the rusting process that's caused by the acid in the browning solution.  Ammonia is a mild base so it's great for the job.  Just wipe it on with a damp cloth and wipe it off.  I follow up by rinsing everything with cold water afterwards, followed by oiling or wax. 

-Eric

[RichG]

thanks for the info I'll give it a try. I've always used baking soda and sometimes it works better than others.

[RichG]

finished browning my sons barrel and furniture. The ammonia worked great. no rust this morning. I did need to turn on the ceiling fan in the laundry room on as the ammonia is rather hard on the nose. very small room.

[moleeyes36]

Ammonia is also better in that it doesn't wet the stock as much and a lot less messy to apply.

Mark,

To understand your process; you wipe the ammonia onto the stock and don't rinse it off with cold water?  Do you wipe the stock with a wet cloth after applying the ammonia or do you just let it dry? 

Mole Eyes

[David Rase]

I am so confused!  I thought we were talking about killing rust after rust browning or bluing?  How did we transition to wood?  Even out here in Washington state (West of the equator, as Ian Pratt pointed out in an earlier post) wood does not rust. A bit of clarification please.  Happy forth of July.
David

[Bob Roller]

My wife pours a cup full of ammonia into out trash bags and that deters dogs,cats,coons,possums and other night creepers out of the garbage. She's done this for years and it works.
 Bob Roller

[flehto]

Lately have been buying the janitorial strength  ammonia...don't know if it works any better than the household ammonia I previosly used, but it surely does smell stronger. I reuse the ammonia a few times.

For bbls, I suspend the bbl horizontally and use a paint brush to swab for a few minutes. Small parts are fully submerged for a few minutes. The  heat from a  hot rinse nearly dries  the bbl and parts and then a liberal  application of Oxyoke 1000 w/ a light rub w/ 0000 steel wool, a cleanup and it's done.

Never tried ammonia after applying AF to a stock but it should  neutralize well. ......Fred

[bob in the woods]

I was always under the impression that the solution that I use to stain my stocks [ iron resolved in acid] is no longer reactive i.e. the acid is "used up"  I haven't neutralized it on any gun, and so far I haven't had a problem. I don't use commercial bottled "aqua fortis" product so that may be the real issue re the acid ?

[moleeyes36]

I was always under the impression that the solution that I use to stain my stocks [ iron resolved in acid] is no longer reactive i.e. the acid is "used up"  I haven't neutralized it on any gun, and so far I haven't had a problem. I don't use commercial bottled "aqua fortis" product so that may be the real issue re the acid ?

Bob,

I used Ye Colonial AF made by Wahkon Bay Outfitters that I got from MBS on a recent gun I made and found out the hard way that it is far from "used up".  I didn't neutralize it and though initially it looked great, within two months the stock had really darkened, I mean significantly.  Next time I'll neutralize with ammonia.  I learned a lesson from the school of hard knocks about commercial AF products.

Mole Eyes
Mole Eyes