Dug Up Barrel

[longrifle]

I was given this barrel this past weekend, I thought you guy's might be able to help me out a bit. The barrel was dug up about 40 yrs ago by my friends dad who was a arrowhead hunter. It is full octagon, the bore size is slightly smaller than 45 cal. it was a percussion rifle the nipple is gone. It has a hook breech the tang is still attached, the barrel still has both front and rear sights the rear sight is a big buck horn style, the front sight is a silver blade type sight. The rib is still attached firmly to the barrel with both iron ramrod thimbles present going by the length of the rib under the barrel it looks like it was a half stock rifle. The old barrrel is pitted some but it does not have a great deal of metal loss from flaking the metal is still real solid  the pitting is not as bad as you might think considering it was in the ground no telling how long. The bore is still full of dirt. The dirt has been picked at over the years it is now about 10 inches down the bore you can still see some rifiling in the bore. I have lightly cleaned it up some and there is a name on the top barrel flat J.S. Khroner have anyone heard of him ? What would be the best way to clean it up and to preserve it and to get the rest of the dirt out of the bore. Here are a few photos. they are a bit dark. Thank You

[longrifle]

<a href="http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/redseal/?action=view&current=barrel013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/redseal/barrel013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">[/url]

[Jim Filipski]

Longrife Check your email I took the liberty of brightening up your pics
It is a great find thanks for sharing
Jim

[longrifle]

Thanks You for the photo touch they look much better.

[Jim Filipski]

Your very welcome sir:
Looks like it has a hexagon bore!  how long is the barrel?
Jim

[longrifle]

The barrel is 42 inches long and weight approx. 7 lbs. It also has three astric marks on the breech by the tang but the photo would not pick those up.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Longrifle, photograph the barrel on something other than a reflective white background.  Your camera has underexposed the barrel to get the background correct.  A burlap sack, a grey blanket...

[longrifle]

Thanks for the tip on the photo I'll do that when I do a little bit more cleaning on it. I just came in from outside cleaning the dirt out of the barrel there was 30+ inches of dirt in it but no ball

[smokinbuck]

Longrifle,
Interesting piece, it's to bad they can't talk. One of our members found a barrel being used as a post in a horse shoe pit. It turned out to be an original Ohio rifle barrel. I can't remember who the maker was but the name was still legible.
Mark

[longrifle]

What would be the best way to clean the barrel up and get some of the rust off the surface, and try to stop the rusting and also get the rest of the dirt out of the bore and try to clean the bore up a bit and better preserve the barrel.

[timM]

J.H. Khroner?   If the name is not distinct, which may be a possibility judging from the overall condition...............Hutslar shows a  J.Karsner in Florida Ohio 1866 – 1883?

[longrifle]

It is marked J.S. Khroner it was found about 40 years ago in a 1840's - 1850's period Comanche Indian campsite .

[Levy]

Longrifle:  Here in our lab we clean and preserve archaeologically recovered iron using electrolytic reduction (electrolysis).  All you need is a plastic container that will hold your barrel (-),  a sacrificial anode (+)(stainless steel strips) and some electrolyte (caustic soda or sodium carbonate).  Use a 3-4 amp DC power trickle charger for the power (battery charger).  Dont use the clips on the charger to hook onto the barrel or the anode.  Use stainless steel lockwire and alligator clips instead and keep the DC power source above the treatment tank.  Obviously, the anode and the barrel shouldn't touch or they will short out.  The barrel will give off hydrogen and the anode will give off oxygen (probably best to have some ventilation).  Wear eye protection and gloves.  Take the barrel out occassionally and brush off the loosened rust.  When it gets as clean as you want it to be stop and wash it off thoroughly.  The barrel will want to rust because it is degreased and clean.  Coat heavily with some rust inhibitor and let it soak it in.  That's about it.  Contact me if you need more information about the process.   Caution:  It is possible this method might attack the soft solder joints on the underrib and the ramrod pipes.  If it looks like this is happening, I would stop the treatment.  Don't leave the barrel in the tank when the power is turned off.  The process sounds complicated, but really isn't.

James Levy
Historic Conservator

[JCKelly]

Mr Levy you might want to suggest what he (and I) should use for that sacrificial anode.
Is this to be some metal that corrodes faster/is less noble than iron? And is available in the strip or bar you need?

I have some old cast iron, specifically a fragment of a cast iron 11 inch shell, delivered to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, C.S.A., January 15, 1865 by the Federal fleet under Captain Kidder Randolph Breese. Wouldn't mind trying your process on it. So far I have only rinsed it well in tap water to get rid of some salt, which I presume may be present given the location. 

Electrochemistry never sunk in to me.

[bigsky]

I have used electrolytic rust removal on some car parts and it worked well using rebar as the anodes.  I would be hesitant to use it on an antique barrel because not only will it remove rust, it will also remove bluing, browning, and natural patina.
Kevin

[longrifle]

I had been wondering if it would hurt the barrel in any way such as the patina. As it is right now it is heavy flaky rust that I have been using oil and a brass brush on. It is very slow going, when the flaky rust scales come loose I was very surprised it leaves a smooth almost black brown surface .

[Levy]

Kevin is absolutely right in that the electrolysis will remove or loosen all oxides which include blueing, browning, patina and rust.  It is not to be used on any piece of metal where you want to preserve the remains of the finish or patina.  It pretty much strips the metal of everything, with some brushing.

I did mention that strips of stainless steel can be used for the sacrificial anode (+).  In our lab, we use a platinum plated wire that lasts a long time.  Angle iron or rebar will work, but it will be used up faster and may make more of a mess in the tank as it breaks down.  I hope this helps to clarify somewhat.

James Levy