Taking the shine off brass

[moleeyes36]

I've about gotten my new hunting rifle done but I don't want brass that is very bright on a hunting gun.  While I don't want to blacken the brass, I'd like a little tarnish to take the shine off it.  I thought I'd try a solution of BP dissolved in water and see if the sulfur in it would do the job.  Have any of you tried that or do you have a quick method for tarnishing the brass a little?  Of course if I'd worked a little faster on the rifle I would have had it ready long before hunting season, which was my intention.  But this fellow Murphy with his blasted Murphy's Law kept popping up.

I'm leaving for a 9 day hunt up on the Suwannee River late next week so I don't have time to let the brass just darken over time like I usually do.  I still have to get a day at the range to work up a load and sight it in if the range isn't still flooded.  We've had so much rain here in Central Florida that the alligators are wearing life vests . 

Mole Eyes   

[Daniel]

After shooting and cleaning your gun , use the dirty cleaning patches on the brass.
That should do it.

[EC121]

As Daniel said the burnt BP will do it.  Also, I read somewhere that ketchup will do it.  The vinegar and the acid from the tomatoes will turn the brass.  Never tried it.

[Daniel]

mustard too. Don't use it on your sandwich when you remove it though.

[Don Getz]

Hey Mole.   I know a lot of the guys on the forum don't like ammonia, but, if you want
an over night corrosion on that brass, try it.   I use a big plastic coffee can, with a
smaller one taped on top....this is added because usually the trigger guard is too long
for the.  I usually use a paper towel in the bottom which I pour some ammonia on
(something wrong with that sentence, shouldn't end with the word ON).  You will have
to make  small platform in  the bottom to keep the parts from touching the ammonia.
Usually an overnight stay in the can will give the part a good green color.  I then rub
it with 0000 steel wool, which will shine it up, but it looks great...try it............Don

[Acer Saccharum]

If the brass has a high polish, there is a chance it has residual wax from the polishing process. Or it could be lacquered. Any wax or finish will have to come off before you'll have success with patina. If you do a little spot, and the brass colors right up, you'll know it's natural metal. If it won't change at all, you've got a film of something on the brass.

Fine steel wool or pumice will impart a nice soft look to the brass while taking off the sheen, and it gets the brass ready for coloration.

[moleeyes36]

Hey Mole.   I know a lot of the guys on the forum don't like ammonia, but, if you want
an over night corrosion on that brass, try it.   I use a big plastic coffee can, with a
smaller one taped on top....this is added because usually the trigger guard is too long
for the.  I usually use a paper towel in the bottom which I pour some ammonia on
(something wrong with that sentence, shouldn't end with the word ON).  You will have
to make  small platform in  the bottom to keep the parts from touching the ammonia.
Usually an overnight stay in the can will give the part a good green color.  I then rub
it with 0000 steel wool, which will shine it up, but it looks great...try it............Don

Don,

I'll buff the brass with some 0000 steel wool or rotten stone as Acer suggested and make sure there is no wax or lacquer on it.  Since I had to make the pipes from sheet brass and the butt plate and trigger guard were cast there is only the nose cap and toe plate that might have something on them.  If the buffing doesn't do enough to cut the shine, and it probably will, I'll try your method since I already have a bottle of ammonia on had from neutralizing the aqua fortis after staining.  Thanks.

Mole Eyes

[JTR]

(something wrong with that sentence, shouldn't end with the word ON).  ............Don

Ha, good one Don! I wonder if they even teach those rules in school any longer........ Somehow I doubt it.....

John

[Jerry V Lape]

Don that is your Pennsylvania Dutch coming through.  Put the on before the which and the sentence is correct. 

[E.vonAschwege]

A word of caution with the ammonia - it is what I primarily use for putting patina on my brass parts, but it leaches out the copper and can leave thin parts quite brittle if it is overdone.  After the initial coloring by suspending in ammonia fumes I'll wipe cleaning patches on the brass as well - That combined with my sweaty hands leaves a patina that looks quite authentic . 
-Eric

[oldways]

Mole,I did what you posted.Took some 4f powder and made a paste, put it on with a brush and let it dry. It dulled the brass just fine.I didn't want the shine either for hunting.

[Hadden West]

You can use cold bluing, and yes, it will turn the brass dark, but you can polish it back to the tone you want. If you don't like it, you can polish back to shiny. Cold bluing, and 0000 steel wool will give an aged patina, especially if the rifle is dark stained. If the color is more on the red side, then a little brighter polish looks better, I think. Cold bluing will wear off, but can be reapplied as needed. Some bluing works, better than others.

[Mark Elliott]

I used to use many of the techniques listed here until I found out about Liver of Sulfur.   Apparently,  it was been used by jewelers for some time to add a patina to non-ferrus metals.   I found a source for a sabilized gel that has a long self life.   You just mix a few drops in hot water for a mild patina, or I have used it straight to duplicate 200 years worth of patina.   The brass must be clean.   Wash it in Dawn dishwashing detergent,  the best degreaser I have ever used.  


http://www.cooltools.us/Cool-Tools-Liver-of-Sulfur-in-Gel-Form-2oz-p/pol-802.htm