Open iron Sight blackening soot for SMR?

[Hunterdude]

My vision is not what it was in my youth, however I would like to retain the traditional iron sights on my new SMR squirrel rifle. I believe the long sight radius will help, but have heard guys say the glare from a coin silver or brass front sight can shift the point of impact by as much as a couple inches.(in bright sun).
    This would be for taking longer range squirrel shots.
They make a fancy little carbide sight smoker, but I want to keep things simple, thinking of just carry a small stump of a candle in my shooting bag? I will soot the sights just before a hunt, but can see how the front sight could get wiped clean during the loading/ and hunt. If I am having a good hunt it would be nice to be able to touch up the front sight. The only issue I can think of is if it is breezy it may be slightly difficult to get a candle burning out in the woods.
   Just curious if anyone uses sight blackening soot, and there favorite way to apply?

The photo is the professional carbide sight blackener, but I want to go more traditional.

[Daryl]

Neet little lighter.  I use "Dry Erase" felt pens for blackening sights. The dry erase pens leave a thin, dull coating that is easily wiped off,
if needing a little shine, say in dark woods, compared to an opening where the sun is shining, then easily applied when needed. Takes up
very little "room" in the bag and easily recognized by feel. Kept capped, they last for years. A swipe of two and done.

[AwwNaww]

I use the little carbide lighter and have on occasion used a paper match.

There is a spray on product in a small can but found it to clog repeatedly and drove me to the carbide solution. You do have to clean those carbide lamps out from time to time, but the soot is superior. I'm 71 and shoot oympic air pistol and have to have ink black sights.

[Pukka Bundook]

If you have birch trees in your area, a piece of the paper that curls from the bark can be lit and does a great job for blacking sights.
This is traditional in Nordic lands and Finland.

[Hunterdude]

If you have birch trees in your area, a piece of the paper that curls from the bark can be lit and does a great job for blacking sights.we
This is traditional in Nordic lands and Finland.

I like it! Birch bark burns very readily, I prefure real soot as it is absolutely Flat black and very thin coat so the sight picture is very crisp. Also just wipes away when cleaning the rifle.

[longcruise]

This is not traditional,  but works great.  Mask around the sight and shoot it with black flat spray paint.  I just cut a slit in a good size piece of cardboard for a mask and spray.  It will wear away from loading and cleaning but it takes a while.

[yellowhousejake]

I have always used a plane old Zippo lighter. The soot is excellent and if you use a cheap fluid it produces plenty of soot. The best soot, and the most, comes from burning a plastic picnic spoon.

DAve

[Daryl]

Lots of suggestions. Some more onerous than others.
For simplicity, the dry erase markers are very hard to beat.
Permanent marks put down a shiny finish - not good.

[Tim Ault]

Lite a twisted up piece of masking tape you’ll have all the soot you need 

[Marcruger]

I use Daryl's idea of black dry erase marker, and it works really well.  Easy to tough up for sure. 

[Hunterdude]

Lots of suggestions. Some more onerous than others.
For simplicity, the dry erase markers are very hard to beat.
Permanent marks put down a shiny finish - not good.

I use black Sharpie markers for all sorts of hobby projects so I know a Sharpie gives a very glossy sheen on smooth metal, for this reason I had written off all markers, but I know dry erase are a very different formula, so I am thinking of giving them a try....the ability to just blacken the sights only without a lot of soot everywhere does have a large appeal to me, thanks to all who chimed in!

[mgbruch]

I just use strike anywhere wooden matches to soot up my sights.  And I don't fret about getting soot on the barrel around the sights.  Even after the soot has rubbed a little, the sights are still a little dull.  It's enough to last all day.

[Hungry Horse]

 Usually a need for sight black is a loud and clear message that you sights are not of a design to be friendly to old eyes, or poor eyesight. Sights that use a big square blade front sight, and a square  notched back sight are combat sights designed for snap shots, not target sights. A gradual V rear sight, with a small notch that just cradles the front bead is the best rear  sight for weak eyes.
 Placement of the rear sight is paramount to good accuracy, so a piece of a refrigerator magnet on the bottom of your rear sight will allow you to move it around until both sight are as clear as your eyesight will allow.

 Hungry Horse

[Jeff Murray]

Dixie Gun Works catalogue lists a couple types of sight black for sale.

[Daryl]

I did purchase a can of sight black spray Hoppe's brand I think . It was a pain to use and like the marker, wiped off easily, sometimes accidentally when loading. Unlike the maker, the can had to be shaken then sprayed all over the front of the rifle, then the top put back on and can returned to the bag or box.
With the marker, take off the top, wipe the sight, replace the top and drop into the bag, or box - done.

[Fauquier]

Cut some strips from a foam plastic cup. Smoke from a burning strip makes a fine grained, dense
black on your sight. Handy on the range , does not last long in the field.

[smylee grouch]

Well I know that burning anything on range at an NMLRA event might get a negative response from the range officer. 

[Darkhorse]

I've done this several ways over the years. When I was shooting matches years ago I used a carbide sooter. Worked good and didn't seem much trouble at the time.
I've burned candles but wasn't pleased with the results.
And I've used/use the dry erase and permanent markers with satisfactory results. A marker stays in my kit at all times.
And after a load and sights have been chosen I will remove the sights, degrease, and paint them with a flat black spray paint. This works the best.

[Daryl]

Oft times shooting a trail, with lighting changes, the need to quickly remove or then replace the sight blackening occurs.  Under these circumstances, the ability to replace sight blackening
is necessary. Under those circumstances, the dry erase felt pens are really handy. The same situation could occur in a tree stand for hours on end. A swipe of a thumb removes it instantly.

[Jeff Murray]

If you don't care about changing light you can also cut a slit in a paper towel and paint the sight with flat black or flat brown paint.  In a pinch, a small piece of 1000 grit wet/dry will clean it off with no impact on the elevation.  There are lots of options when brain !@#$% interrupt your hunting/shooting efforts.

[Cobweb]

Back when I could shoot, (health problems now), I had great luck with a piece of roofing tar paper about 3/8" wide and folded up length ways. I kept them about 5" long. Just light it and instant soot! You could carry3 or 4 in your shooting bag and they didn't take up much of any room. It was very easy to wipe away if you didn't need it.

Big John

[Daryl]

I understand all the various things we used in the past to blacken sights. I also used a lighter, candle and burning masking tape along with a can of purchased sight blackening spray.
THEN, I discovered dry erase felt pens. WOW! EUREKA! the answer - easy to apply and reapply if needed, easy to wipe off if a shiny sight was needed in the bush or shade.
Tremendous find! ALWAYS in the possible's bag, and shooting box. This was such a revelation to me, I bought 1/2 dozen of them and handed them out to the guys I regularly shot with.