Blueing With Sodium Hyposulfite And Lead Acetate

[Joe S]

In Firearm Blueing and Browning, Angier describes a formula for blueing gun barrels with sodium hyposulfite (sodium thiosulfate) and  lead acetate.  He states that this is a particularly durable blueing solution.

Does anybody have any experience with this method?

[Ryan McNabb]

Lots of information came up on Google.  I'm curious how old the process is.  If it's younger than Andrew Jackson, I'll pass.   

[Joe S]

I’m pursuing this question for a friend who, although a fine gunsmith, is more or less computer illiterate.  I have no idea how old the process is.  I have found several similar recipes for blueing with lead acetate and sodium hyposulfite on the net, but curiously enough, no reference to it in the ALR archives.  Apparently it is a rather obscure technique.  Both chemicals were available in Andrew Jackson’s time, but I don’t know if anyone used them for blueing guns.