Advice on metal parts pitting and aging

[BradBrownBess]

I have 2 guns that I have been testing on for over 2 years and am still not happy with results.
One is the companion to this Asa Waters but it's missing the hammer. I have a proper cock but I cannot get the aging I want to come close to match. It's the combination or deep pitting and dark corrosion. You can see i the pics the hammer on the full gun - what I want to mimic if posible.

Another gun is an old stock parts bin musket. The picture of this barrel at the touch hole it not the musket I have that I want that look on. Th musket I want to barrel age has a good barrel but the pitting on the lock, the brass wear and tear, the repair in the wrist crack - don't match the later "poorly" fitted barrel I think was put on for looks. I have worked it to a good tight fit and really just want to pit age the touchhole area to match the YEARS of black powder burn.

On these pieces I have tried the old vinegar/salt/peroxide, Ferric Chloride, bleach, muriatic acid, HCL battery acid (bought from Amazon), black powder burnt residue, and am about to try some TOW Slow Blueing rust agent from Mark Lee Supplies. He said apply for up to several weeks - 1 coat at a time until I can get the pits I want then Boil in water.

I keep reading up on the chemistry on rust and corrosion etc (I'm not a chemist so it's usually above my head). I can get a tiny pit of pitting - more etching if you will with some of the above - but I am always dealing with red/brown rust. I understand that once brown rust is deep enough a part can be boiled to produce black rust - which can then be lightly hit back with 0000 steel wool to leave a darkening to the metal and in the pitting. I've experimented on a few steel pieces with pretty poor results.

The musket barrel is pinned in the gun and I've got a decent age started - I hate to remove it to Boil the breech in an attempt to get the black pitting (which is barely pitted despite my best efforts). Ideas on that one?

Any trade secrets anyone want to share?
On the musket barrel I'm' trying for really deep, deep pitting and burn. Th Asa Hammer more a gentle aging - slight pitting and darkening. Maybe I just need patience on the pitting part as in (months not days or a week or 2)
What is the best solution and treatment?

[Goo]

Accelerating the Aging process is extremely difficult to do because Time is the factor that is the only thing makes something look old and the most famous person to get in trouble for this was Michelangelo who got selling fake antiques to the Pope.  An old anything looks a certain way #1 because it has been well cared for and that looks a certain way or #2 it has been ignored and abused and not cared for and that looks another way.  If you want to accelerate the aging process then abuse the stuff.  Toss those metal parts into an old metal coffee can left out in the rain and forget about them for a month.  Put the wood in a hot car and let it bake and crack for the whole summer.   Soak the brass in some salt water, all that should do the trick of the controlled deterioration process.   

[T*O*F]

Brownells Classic Rust Blue is extremely aggressive if left to rust in a humid environment for a week or so.  I almost let this toe plate go too long before carding and boiling it.

[BradBrownBess]

WOW that Brownells is aggressive!  Another few days and it looks like you might have had the edges eaten away! I'm not looking for miracles - and I'm not looking to fool or fake anyone - Although I KNOW metal, wood, plastic, anything can be aged to fool this most discriminating expert. If 100 million dollar oil paintings on wood stretchers can get passed off for generations a gun is not going to be that big a deal with the right education and technique. I saw a Guarneri violin built from scratch based off a violinist's 5-million-dollar original instrument. The finished product fooled the professional violinist - sound and look. Amazing how this modern computer scientist did it - used software to compare sound waves then would adjust. Built from same "tone forest" wood that the masters used 250+ years ago.

I think the Rust blue is going to have to be the final "solution" pardon the pun - neither of these guns will ever be worth any money - I would just like to experiment and hone my skills at metal working (I'm a jeweler from way back) and have these display nicely - without looking like Pakistani knock offs. I look forward to the Slow Rust Bluing I ordered from TOW - I have plenty of parts to play with and see what I can get.

Thanks for the replies!!!

[Curtis]

Brownells Classic Rust Blue is extremely aggressive if left to rust in a humid environment for a week or so.  I almost let this toe plate go too long before carding and boiling it.

+1 on what Dave said.

Curtis

[Waksupi]

Veterinary strength Iodine works great.

[Lucky R A]

Have you tried boiling your hammer in a 50/50 Clorox solution?   You can vary the pitting by the amount of Clorox you combine w/ water, plus the time you boil the part.   Use real Clorox not some knock off brand.  Clean the rust off and then cold blue and ipe back to the color and shading you want.   I find that 20 min to 1/2 hr is about right for most parts.

Ron

[Pukka Bundook]

I did do a couple with Lucky R A 's Clorox water mix.
Seemed to work, but don't really use it now.  maybe to blend in a new part.
Everyone who has met Hershall has to try it at least once!

[kutter]

Brownell's Classic Rust Blue is very aggressive when compared to most of the other slow rust solns out there.
But letting any of them set on the metal for a week or so in humid weather will get you a pitted surface. Even Laurel Mtn will do it.

Brownells Classic is a combination of Ferric Nitrate, Ferric Chloride, Hydrogen Chloride and Nitric Acid

Quite a list of chemicals to rust and pit steel all in one bottle!
The HCL and Nitric Acid together really stand out. Together with moisture/humidity, they really go to work on steel surfaces.

[Dphariss]

Strong nitric acid will almost instantly pit steel/iron. But it leaves it perfectly clean gray color. However, this stuff is really nasty and great care and protective clothing etc must be used around the stuff or its container. You WILL be marked for life. Or blinded.
If you get the pit right let it rust to a nice red then boil to convert to black iron oxide then carefully remove the bluing from the places you want shiny or grey. This will leave the pits black if that is what you are after. I suppose you could rub back the red rust first, it seems to be softer than the black them boil. Also remember that the original parts may have been casehardened and this can change things as well.
I don’t antique stuff so I am pretty much guessing here. But I have pitted some stuff with strong nitric when trying to do something else.