Author Topic: Darken new brass to create a patina. (Read 10684 times)

patchbox · « **on:** October 15, 2009, 07:32:41 PM »

Could any one suggest a way to darken the brass on parts such as rod pipes, nose cap and inlays that would not hurt the wood finish. I tried rubbing them with a fouled patch but they came out too blotchy. The butplate, trigger guard and side plate are no problem since I can remove them but I want to get the same kind of finish on all of the brass. Thanks for any suggestions...........Chuck P.

Black Hand · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2009, 07:37:11 PM »

You could try some liquid bluing....

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2009, 08:24:23 PM »

44-40, works great in darkening brass. I also use it to age steel. I don't know how it can be sold as 'gun blue'... it should be called 'Gun Rust'. Don't ever blue a gun with it, one that's worth anything, anyway.

When you say blotchy, I think that there might be oil on your brass. Try degreasing with alcohol or other solvent before the browning/blueing.

Don Getz · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2009, 09:40:39 PM »

I still like to treat them with Ammonia fumes. Merely put all the parts you want tarnished into a container with a tight lid,
along with a paper towil, or a small bottle cap, with ammonia in it. The fumes from the ammonia will give it an even and
overall tarnish. I leave them in this container at least 8 hours, then remove and poish them with 0000 steel wool, works
great..........Don

Blackpowder Barbie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2009, 10:50:05 PM »

Birchwood Casey makes this stuff called Brass Black that we use here in the shop. I think I got our last couple bottles from Muzzleloader Builders Supply.

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #5 on:** October 15, 2009, 11:16:37 PM »

A company called "Historic House Parts" sells a product called "Brass Darkening Solution". I use it and it works well. It is fairly controllable so you can get varying degrees of color to some degree. It also will give a little more of a brown color to the patina rather than the black or blueish colors you sometimes get with other products.

patchbox · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:44:43 AM »

Thank you all for your suggestions. Can any of these methods be applied without removeing the parts from the stock and not hurting the finish on the wood? The patchbox,inlays, nosecap and thimbles need to stay in the stock but the buttplate triggerguard and sideplate can be removed. The wood finish is LMF permalyn sealer and finish. I want to get the same sort of patina on all of the parts if possible but am afraid to damage the finish on the wood............Chuck.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2009, 01:42:32 AM »

I can't imagine the stuff hurting the finish....BUT..... if the parts were in place during finishing, there will most certainly be finish on the parts, especially down where they meet the wood.These will be durn near impossible to age without getting the brass chemically clean. Hmm.

You might end up taking the parts out anyway; alternately microscopically scrubbing down where the parts meet the wood. ugh.

Nate McKenzie · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2009, 05:36:35 AM »

You can use OOOO steel wool to take the finish off the inlays. Treat the inlays with 44-40 blue or equivalent, steel wool the inlays to where you want them and refinish area with permalyn. I've done this and it works well for me.

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:22:44 AM »

My preferred method is definitely the ammonia fuming like Don suggested, You can try using a q-tip with straight Ammonia....wipe it on.. tends to be blotchy too, 0000 Steel wool will smooth it out.

Nate McKenzie · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:50:30 PM »

I must be using the wrong kind of ammonia. even straight on it doesn't do anything. Hmmm. I just read the label. It says Shurfine Ammonia all purpose cleaner. Could the cleaner part be the problem? Sure stinks like ammonia. Any thoughts?

clockman · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2009, 05:41:26 AM »

Don had the best solution. Use regular Amonia that you can buy at any Walmart. Sometimes it is referred to as Aqua Amonia, the chemical name (or ingredient in store bought amonia) is Ammonium Hydroxide and Surfactant.

Pour a small amount in a small bucket (I put about a 1/2 inch in the bottom of the bucket) The wider the bucket the more fumes you'll have. Use a fine wire to suspend (don't submerse) the brass parts over the amonia, but the top on the bucket and let 'er sit for 4-6 hours and check your progress. If you like, buff the high points with 0000 steel wool and put them back in the bucket. I'm not sure what the fumes would do to the finish or wood if you want to age any inlays.
Clockman

James Rogers · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2009, 07:37:01 PM »

Like clockman said, you have to suspend the parts over ammonia and not put it on them. Was talking with Jim Kibler about this process some time ago and he had questions about it causing problems with work formed brass parts if not careful.

JCKelly · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2009, 04:18:18 AM »

I'd really like to hear how the rod pipes & nose cap turn out using ammonia fumes. Understand it works for Don Getz.

colt · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:06:04 AM »

I got the ammonia idea from a sword antiquing website. (before i found this site)I used a cat litter box, put 1/2 inch ammonia in the bottom. i put this in the corner of my garage with a tarp hanging down around it like a tent. i stood the rifle in the corner under the tarp with the ammonia. next day i checked it. the wood was fine the brass had some greenish stuff(verdigris?) around the edge were it meets the wood in a couple places. some 0000 steel wool and it looks just right.For the 1st patch out of the bore method,my experience has been a couple applications with some steel wool in between will even out the color.

JTR · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2009, 03:43:15 PM »

Stinky Liver of Sulphur will also age brass nicely.
The stuff I bought came as a powder, to be mixed with water. You can either dip the parts in the solution or paint it on with a cotton ball, or fume them.

Another one, if the parts are off the gun, is to age them with black powder smoke. I use a 5 gallon bucket, and put about 50 to 100 grs. of powder in the bottom in a pile. Hang your parts on a wire inside the top of the bucket. Have a big enough piece of aluminum foil handy. With a loooong match, believe me, a loooooong match as you don't want your hand of arm in the bucket, torch off the powder and quickly cover to top of the bucket with the aluminum foil!
Check the parts in about 10 minutes, or smoke them until done. When they're the color you want, wash them with soap and water. Or if they're close to the color you want, just lay the parts on your bench as they will continue to change color as long as the smoke residue is on them. I supose you could do an entire gun this way if you made a big enough tent.

Either way is sort of an adventure; one stinks like the dickens and the other puts out a big ball of smoke, and both do a good job.

John

Daryl · « **Reply #16 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:13:41 PM »

Yu can merely take the dang rifle out and shoot it and after a year of shooting and cleaning, it will obtain an honest patina and look right.

hookie13 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:58:53 AM »

Or if your'e cheeky buy a bottle of Burchwood Caseys Perma-Blue liquid and splash it over the ares where you want the patina... leave it for about 5 minutes and rinse it off..the longer you leave it on the darker it goes..it looks great.
I also found to stain wood, a few onion skins, old teabags and a few teaspoons of coffee boiled together and then washed over the wood. Hang the wood to dry for 2-3 days if its not dark enough do it again and keep doing it till you are happy with the color. Sand of the high points to show wear then finish the wood the normal way...I use tru-oil. If you really want to make the mixture dark add some burnt umber watercolor but be careful. Simplicity is the key!
Hookie13

Dr. Tim-Boone · « **Reply #18 on:** October 23, 2009, 12:29:35 AM »

This is from ammonia fumes from a cotton ball in a big sealed can

hookie13 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2009, 09:29:42 AM »

Now that looks very similar to the effect you can get with Birchwood Casey's Perma-Blue liquid and that only takes about 5 minutes to apply.
The longer you leave it on naturally the darker it becomes.
Paint it over the brass straight from the bottle in the places you want it.
After about 5 minutes rinse the brass piece and leave it to dry.
It will dry rather dark but you have to rub the top-film off this will leave a slightly lighter aged looking patina....if you want it darker re-do the brass again till you are satisfied.
I tried to clean the brass back to its original 'new' finish after using Perma-blue..I used a commercial brass cleaner...the patina remained??

hyltoto · « **Reply #20 on:** October 25, 2009, 02:43:40 AM »

try rubbing them with a dirty patch after shooting some real black powder.

YANKEEDROIE · « **Reply #21 on:** October 25, 2009, 02:56:49 AM »

If I can add late here, I antique new uberit walkers and make a lot of one off "antique "pieces for Long Guns . I recently did the Gus gun for Guns of the Old West Lonesome Dove. I recommend Caswell supply co. on line for brass and to blacken steel. I also use Birchwood Casey Plum Brown. This product will rust steel in seconds with a butane torch and can be wooled down to match any patina needed. Lastly if you burn a hand full of black powder and rub it on your brass it will brown it up pronto. I like to move along and these products have quick respectable results . None of these products will disturb the wood finish if done carefully. Note that Ammonia is the best wood finish stripper available . dont get it on your wood!

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Author Topic: Darken new brass to create a patina. (Read 10684 times)

Black Hand

colt

Daryl

hookie13

hookie13

hyltoto

YANKEEDROIE