Inletting black

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

New to the group a few months now and through my research, I can't find an answer to this:
Have built a couple of LR's and am picking up a lot but does anyone have a "solution" to removing inletting black?
I will work a few hours and will use a hand cleaning orange on myself but trying alcohol, acetone and paint thinner, don't seem to work on removing from parts.  Wood I understand and it will be removed via carving.  Only thing that works for me is old fashioned elbow grease with a rag.
FYI purchased my inletting black from Dixon's but there is no label so don't know the brand.
Thanks,
Michael Kuriga

[lkipps54]

You need to get some candles, there the only way to go. Good luck with the black!

[Stickburner]

WD-40 works for me.  I spray some on a rag and wipe my hands, arms, face and any other place that shows.  I used to waste a bunch of time and paper towels trying to stay clean but it aint worth it.  I clean up when I stop for the day.

[Mike Brooks]

If you're getting it all over the place you're using too much.

[Dennis Glazener]

I hate the in letting black that I used! Made the biggest mess! I like using Prussian Blue from NAPA. Transfers good and cleans up easily and best of all it doesn't get smeared all over the wood. Like Mike says don't use a lot.
Dennis

[deepcreekdale]

Don't know what you are using that acetone doesn't remove, but I wouldn't use it. I use Jerrows, I think you can still get it from Track. One brush full should last for most of the gun. A little goes a long way. Removes from metal easily with acetone and even from wood if it is fairly smooth, won't get it all out of end grain though. Another option is to take a small, 1-2 ounce jar with a metal lid, punch a hole in it and make a wick out of a rag. fill it with mineral spirits and light. It makes a very smoky flame that will leave a nice mark as well. I know some people swear by candles and have great results, but I can never get enough smoke out of them.

[Dennis Glazener]

Candle soot works well but I just don't like leaving a lighted candle/oil lamp in my shop especially during hot weather! It's a pain to constantly have to re-light it.
Dennis

[Mike Brooks]

Don't know what you are using that acetone doesn't remove, but I wouldn't use it. I use Jerrows, I think you can still get it from Track. One brush full should last for most of the gun. A little goes a long way. Removes from metal easily with acetone and even from wood if it is fairly smooth, won't get it all out of end grain though. Another option is to take a small, 1-2 ounce jar with a metal lid, punch a hole in it and make a wick out of a rag. fill it with mineral spirits and light. It makes a very smoky flame that will leave a nice mark as well. I know some people swear by candles and have great results, but I can never get enough smoke out of them.

I'm on my 3rd container of Jarrows and I've only used about 1/4 of it. So, it took 350+ guns to use 2 1/4 containers..... Looks like 100+ guns per jar if used correctly.

[moleeyes36]

Quite awhile ago someone on the forum, possibly Mark Elliot, mentioned using a dry erase marker.  It doesn't transfer as well in most cases as Jarrows, but it will work fine in many applications and cleans up with water.  I primarily use Jarrow's and like Mike Brooks said, a little bit goes a very long way.  Unless you build a lot of guns, one jar will probably last for more guns than you will ever build. 

Mole Eyes

[WestBranchSusquehanna]

Thanks for all the advice. 
I am judicial with my application of black and really don't get much on me or other parts of the guns but when I am finished, and wiping the part clean, such as a butt plate, it gets messy.
Will try the WD-40 and will include a container of Jarrows in my next order from TOW.

[Bill Raby]

   I must be doing something wrong. Used about a third of a container of Jarrows on one rifle. I would fold up a sheet of paper towel and put some on the corner. Then wipe it onto the gun part. Ended up getting all ratty pretty soon so I would start with a new one. I think most of it just soaked into the paper towel. What is a better way to do it? It does not last long at all when the cat knocks it off the workbench without a lid. My god what a mess!

[Ky-Flinter]

I use an oil lamp burning kerosene to blacken parts with soot for inletting.  I use a big pink eraser to remove soot from the wood.

For those using WD40 to remove inletting black.  Doesn't the WD40 soak into the wood?  Does it affect staining and finishing?

-Ron

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I bought my first little bottle of Jarrows in 1979, and my second one last year.  I use a very small child's toothbrush to apply.  When it seems all used up, I apply two drops of WD40 to the brush and it's good for another rifle.

[WKevinD]

I went thru a half jar of Jarrows in three days, I use a trimmed down toothbrush and lightly dip the tip of the brush into the jar and mush it around the inside of the cap and use that for my pick up for an entire rifle.
The reason I went thru the half jarso quick is that I left the cap of and the shop mouse (mice) like it. I found there lil black footprints everywhere! 
Kevin

[gusd]

I use Jarrows, one jar lasts many rifles. I apply with a small cheap artist or touch up
brush. Comes off hands with go-jo hand cleaner.
Scraper takes it off wood.
Gus

[ScottH]

I have been using Jarrow's. I take one of those inexpensive soldering brushes with the metal handle (I think they cost about 60 or 70 cents each) and trim the bristles down to about 3/8" long with a scissors. Dab a tiny amount on the brush and I can mark parts for a ling time before it needs to be refreshed. The black wipes off metal pretty good with a paper towel for me.

[StevenV]

Try Dawn dish washing detergent for your hands and rubbing alcohol for you parts and wood both work great for me. One dab in the Jarrow's jar will all but do one gun. Get a brush dip in Jarrow's then smear in the bottom of empty baby food jar. Keep going back to baby food jar cover with aluminum foil if your worried about it drying out.            Steve

[smallpatch]

Inletting black IS a mess.  Don't care what Mike says.  I can be a yard away from the jar, and I swear it jumps on me.
I've been using an oil lamp for the last few years.  See no reason to change.

[little joe]

 Little oil burner making black smoke. Used motor oil and turpintine for fuel.

[WadePatton]

Oh, not "Jarrow's" afterall.  I went snooping 'round the web for price and availability-after messing with a candle and lamp a little bit just lately.

JERROW'S INLETTING BLACK

as found here: http://www.kokopelliproducts.com/inlet.html

[Stickburner]

I only use WD 40 for cleaning Jarrow's off metal parts and me.

I use a war paint brush, I think they call it a blush brush.  I trim the bristles back to about a quarter inch long, pick up a very little bit of black, and smear it around inside the jar lid to load the bristles.  At the end of the day I wrap the brush in a paper towel.  If the brush gets too dry I spray a little WD 40 on a  piece of glass and work it around until it softens up enough to suit me.  I seldon have to pick up more black off the lid.

I do not use WD 40 to clean the wood, I have always been able to scrape it clean.

I bought my first jar of Jarrow's back in the mid eighties for inletting supository gun stocks and probably used about three quarters of it before I gave it away this past March.  It goes a long ways.  I do try to use as little as I can get by with.

[Mike Brooks]

There are several reasons I don't use anything with an open flame. 1) smokey open flam burning gives me a head ache. 2) If you saw the condition of my shop you wouldn't burn an open flame there either. 3) It takes too long to smoke parts compared to using Jerrows the way I do.

[Tonyhd98]

Gentlemen, by far, a black (or any color you prefer) China marker is the most economical and very effective color transfer you'll find. It washes off with a variety of solvents; acetone, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits or whatever you have in your shop.

[KentSmith]

Get a small acid brush from Lowes for applying your transfer color. I use a candle these days

[jerrywh]

There are too many flammables in my shop. I am terrified of fire. I know of two shops that burned up when I was a mechanic.  That said soot is probably the best. I use my own mixture. I just mix a small amount of black artist's oil paint with some gun oil. If you put it on too heavy it doesn't tell you anything. There is a lot more to inletting than just taking off wood where the metal touches. Some times you might want to move the metal away from that spot where it touches. If you have a small gap in one side of a inlay you can move the inlay towards that gap and split the gap so it will not be noticeable on either side. There are a couple of guys on this forum who are so good at this it baffles my mind. Taylor for one.  One reason the so called old masters were so crude was they never had super glue.