Rust bluing blues,- please post pictures of close ups of rust blued barrels.

[Rolf]

Since no one sells rust bluing solutions in Norway, I've been trying to make my own.
I've been trying them out on scraps of mild steel, polished to 400 grit. The parts are rusted for 3 hours before boiling for 15 minutes. The picture shows the best result so far. It's had 8 applications of a ferric chloride tincture.

So far, I've only been able to get a dark grey color, not the blue/black color I want.
The surface of the parts are not exactly pitted, but a lot ruffer than the original 400 grit finish. I'll post more pictures when I'm finished with the test rounds.

I have never seen a rustblue barrel close up and I've started wondering if it's possible to get the finish I want with this metode.  Please could someone post close ups of rust blued barrels?

I also would like to thank everyone who responded to my last post on rust bluing.
Your input is a big help.

Best regards
Rolfkt

[Pete G.]

I don't have any experience producing rust blue, but I have seen guns that were rust blued, and none were rough (think English shotguns). Perhaps your solution is a little too agressive to leave on as long as you are. Try diluting some or don't wait as long between carding.

Good Luck, and keep us posted.

[sz]

These all have rust blued barrels.  I am not a very good photographer, so the color and hue is not perfect, but you will still get a good idea of what it looks like.

[Dave B]

Rolfkt,
Here are a couple shots of a California Rifle I built years ago I did a rust blue on. I used a solution made by Laurel Mountain Forge. Its a combination degreaser and browning solution. I only boiled my parts for a couple of minutes maybe 3-5 or so. I polished down to 320 W/D paper, and  buffed out using a Tycro wheel (Green).
I used a soft (fine) wire wheel from Brownells to do my carding. I also used a damp box to make sure my blume was the best it could be. I kept the box at about 90 degrees and 80% humidity.

[Acer Saccharum]

Rust blue from Wahkon Bay. Carded off with a fine stainless wire wheel from Brownell's. Boiled in between applications, allowed to rust, then carded. Apply solution again, allow to rust, card, boil. Six or more applications. A lot of work. I can't imagine what a commercial shop would have to charge for this kind of work. But we get to do it for minimum wage.

[Rolf]

Thank you all for the pictures. They all show the black/blue finish I'm trying to reproduce. Guess I'll just have to keep experimenting. Acer, I love the finish your gun. What grit did you polish it with? How long did you let it rust before boiling?

Best regards

Rolfkt

[Dphariss]

Thank you all for the pictures. They all show the black/blue finish I'm trying to reproduce. Guess I'll just have to keep experimenting. Acer, I love the finish your gun. What grit did you polish it with? How long did you let it rust before boiling?

Best regards

Rolfkt

I have 2 photos that show very nicely blued barrels but both look greyer than they are in real life due to the lighting I guess. In reality I can match early 19th century Winchester blue by rusting using a mix of Wahkon Bay cold brown and rust blue or a similar formula I have made. Don't ask how I found this out . Hint when clamping original rapid taper Winchester barrels is a 4 jaw chuck be VERY CAREFUL.
But I find that having some nitric acid in the mix does produce a better blue.
I would try oiling the grey part and see how it looks. Oil usually darkens the blue.

I never go finer than 320 grit for polish and use extra fine steel wool, 0000 in America, degreased with solvent alcohol since steel wool is usually somewhat oily.





In America sometimes nitric and hydrochloric acid can be obtained from High School chemistry teachers .

I let it rust till it looks right. In Montana 2-3 days but its depends on how it looks.
Dan

[wmrike]

FWIW, most after-market professional jobs will be polished out with a 220 grit, and some might get pushed to 320.  I don't know, but suspect that a factory job will be done to about 320.  This seemingly rough surface might have something to do with leaving a bit of tooth in order to get a better distribution of the solution.

As to the gray tint, I haven't a clue.  It has been many years since I've rust blued, but my recolection is that everything was definitely black after about 5 cycles

[Stophel]

I have experimented with Belgian Blue (a "fast" rust blueing process), and get a similar color and finish.

[Acer Saccharum]

Rolfkt, I can't imagine I went over 320 grit. Too shiny and the solution beads up, and you won't get an even finish.

Part of the trick is to COMPLETELY card the rust off the barrel before boiling. 'Carding' is actually, in my case, a 5" diameter STAINLESS wire wheel from Brownell's. Very fine wires. It's an expensive wheel, but don't skimp on it. It won't scratch the work. Don't use a brass brush.

If you happen to leave rust on the surface, any rust at all, it gets hard as a rock after boiling, and starts to develop 'orange peel' texture.

I hope that helps.

Tom

[Joey R]

I also use the carding wheel that Acer mentioned. It works great as long as you don't spin it at high rpm's. I have mine arbored in a cordless drill and it works great. It may be a little pricey but it saves time and work. Good Luck!!

[Captchee]

Acer Saccharum
 
 Something I found useful was to boil  the barrel  in   a log wood bath  that has  ferrous sulfate  added to it . This turns the logwood  bath black  .
 Then I come back and soak the barrel is  a solution  of just  ferrous sulfate for about  2  minutes . .
 Doing that will make the scale just wipe off . If you  let it set to long , it will take all the black off  the surface  and leave a grey finish .
 Literally. Carding even after boiling  is nothing more then  taking a soft  wet cloth and wiping the barrels down  
  I started using this process  after I ran into a set of Damascus barrels that I just could not get to pop  the pattern correctly
  What happens is the ferrous sulfate   removes the  rust from the higher steel areas  more then it does the iron areas





Different subject , I know  .

 So I though MMM? Self ,  those areas  where the rust was removed , is a very nice French grey .
 So I tried it on   steel barrel  again I got a nice gray that was made darker with repeated rusting and  boil baths  . As long as I didn’t let the barrel set to long in the  iron pill bath
 As I said , to long and   all the black will come off
 Here is a link to Tom Flanigans  Tutorial
 The use of  the iron pills completely removes the need for  the wire brush
 now i dont use the etching bath steps on steel barrels  . just the log wood section  for steel barrels .
 try it some time if you get a chance . literly the black iron scale  will just wipe right off

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_194gwgwmqdh

[Meteorman]

220 grit.   LMF browned and boiled blue-black.
my first effort.  could be better !
/mm