Max Brown on my Kibler

Newaygo77 · Jun 9, 2023

I’ve got a couple questions about using the Jax Brown product Kibler sells on the barrel and steel parts for my Woodsrunner. I’ve watched Jim’s video on putting patina on steel parts and I’ve followed his directions as best I could.

The results haven’t been great so far. The first application didn’t change the metal finish much at all, so I cleaned it up and put on a second coat. This one started to give me a sort of weak tea colored patina. My plan is to do a third application, but I wanted to ask the advice of those who have been here before.

1) How long do you leave the Jax Brown on? There’s no mention of this in Jim’s video or on the product label.

2) The label suggests rinsing with water, but Jim suggests spraying the parts down with WD-40 (Which is what I’ve done). What’s the purpose of the WD-40 in this process?

Thanks for your help.

TDM · Jun 9, 2023

I’ve used Jax Brown on brass and had good results. Let it sit until you get a darker color than you want, 1 to 2 minutes, add additional coats as needed, then gently draw the color back with 0000 steel wool while rinsing the part under tap water. Wipe it dry and spray it with WD-40 and let it sit 10-15 minutes. Supposedly the WD-40 fully neutralizes the solution.

Kevin Houlihan · Jun 9, 2023

Newaygo77 said:
I’ve got a couple questions about using the Jax Brown product Kibler sells on the barrel and steel parts for my Woodsrunner. I’ve watched Jim’s video on putting patina on steel parts and I’ve followed his directions as best I could.

The results haven’t been great so far. The first application didn’t change the metal finish much at all, so I cleaned it up and put on a second coat. This one started to give me a sort of weak tea colored patina. My plan is to do a third application, but I wanted to ask the advice of those who have been here before.

1) How long do you leave the Jax Brown on? There’s no mention of this in Jim’s video or on the product label.

2) The label suggests rinsing with water, but Jim suggests spraying the parts down with WD-40 (Which is what I’ve done). What’s the purpose of the WD-40 in this process?

Thanks for your help.

Newaygo77
I dropped ramrod pipes, pistol trigger guard and other small parts (steel and brass) in a small pan with enough JAX to cover the parts. I left them for a few minutes. I took them out and rinsed them with water while rubbing with a grey ScotchBrite pad until I got the color I wanted. Then I sprayed the steel parts w/ WD40. With the barrel and large steel parts like the butt plate and rifle trigger guard, I applied the JAX with a ScotchBrite pad. I rubbed the part with the wet (with JAX) pad until I got the color I wanted. Then I sprayed them w/ WD40 - not water. Turned out great.
Good Luck,
Kevin

Newaygo77 · Jun 9, 2023

Thanks Kevin. Are you saying that the color on the barrel was made darker by rubbing with the wet Scotch Brite pad? I was just sort of using it as a sponge to apply the liquid, as Jim’s video seemed to suggest. Should I be actively scouring the barrel with the wet pad?

pacanis · Jun 9, 2023

Definitely need pics in this thread.
Just sayin'.

TDM · Jun 9, 2023

I’d suggest using Jax Black on the barrel. I dilute mine 50/50 with distilled water.

And rubbing either solution with scotchbrite or steel wool will draw back the color. You can apply it with scotchbrite but not with hard rubbing.

Newaygo77 · Jun 9, 2023

I agree, pictures will help, but it’s tough to get an image that shows the situation. The small parts turned out better (darker) than the barrel. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but the barrel finish after two coats just seems to be close to raw steel.

TDM · Jun 9, 2023

Newaygo77 said:
I agree, pictures will help, but it’s tough to get an image that shows the situation. The small parts turned out better (darker) than the barrel. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but the barrel finish after two coats just seems to be close to raw steel.

I think your barrel color is good, but if you want it darker just add more coats.

Flintandsteel · Jun 9, 2023

This is not Jaxblack. This is VERY browned, sanded off leaving only the pits, then Oxfo blue, rubbed back with Breakfree CLP.

Kevin Houlihan · Jun 9, 2023

Newaygo77 said:
Thanks Kevin. Are you saying that the color on the barrel was made darker by rubbing with the wet Scotch Brite pad? I was just sort of using it as a sponge to apply the liquid, as Jim’s video seemed to suggest. Should I be actively scouring the barrel with the wet pad?

I used JAX Black on the steel parts and JAX Brown on the brass. I was using the Scotch Brite as a sponge also. I applied it the same way Jim did. I did however spray the parts down with Brakleen before I started to make sure they were completely free of oil and dirt before I started.

Newaygo77 · Jun 10, 2023

Thanks for all the advice, guys. Three applications of the Jax Brown didn’t get me where I wanted to be, so I tried the diluted Jax Black. Perfect results.

Jimmytheshirt · Jan 17, 2024

Kevin Houlihan said:
I used JAX Black on the steel parts and JAX Brown on the brass. I was using the Scotch Brite as a sponge also. I applied it the same way Jim did. I did however spray the parts down with Brakleen before I started to make sure they were completely free of oil and dirt before I started.

I saw the video where Jim uses Antique house parts solution in the shawhshank workshop. Which video does he use the Jax products in?

EC121 · Jan 17, 2024

dpasek · Jan 17, 2024

Newaygo77 said:
I’ve got a couple questions about using the Jax Brown product Kibler sells on the barrel and steel parts for my Woodsrunner. I’ve watched Jim’s video on putting patina on steel parts and I’ve followed his directions as best I could.

The results haven’t been great so far. The first application didn’t change the metal finish much at all, so I cleaned it up and put on a second coat. This one started to give me a sort of weak tea colored patina. My plan is to do a third application, but I wanted to ask the advice of those who have been here before.

1) How long do you leave the Jax Brown on? There’s no mention of this in Jim’s video or on the product label.

2) The label suggests rinsing with water, but Jim suggests spraying the parts down with WD-40 (Which is what I’ve done). What’s the purpose of the WD-40 in this process?

Thanks for your help.

WD-40 leaves a residual film behind. This is why you don't use the stuff for lubricating locks. If you leave some WD-40 in a dish until it dried up, you will see the residue, and it stays tacky. All of the chemicals that are shown on the SDS will completely evaporate to dryness, so they have left out something. That something, I believe, from examining the residue, is linseed oil. This oil adheres to metal surfaces like a thin sealer and will inhibit further rusting. Because it is significantly diluted by the mineral spirits and light mineral oil content, it goes on very thin, especially when wiped down with a cloth and rubbed in. My inclination would be, instead of WD-40, to get some nice Danish Oil cabinet finish, dilute it 4:1 with mineral spirits, and rub it into the oxide color layer on your metal parts in such a way that there is only a faint dampened look left behind. YMMV

Kevin Houlihan · Jan 20, 2024

Jimmytheshirt said:
I saw the video where Jim uses Antique house parts solution in the shawhshank workshop. Which video does he use the Jax products in?

I'm not sure which video he uses the JAX products in. It's the same process. Large parts like the butt plate, barrel and trigger guard, I wiped the product on. Small parts like ramrod pipes, lock parts and pistol trigger guard, I put in a plastic container and poured the solution over them. When they're darker than you want, take them out of the solution, rinse them off and rub back with WD40 and a ScotchBrite pad until you get the color you want.
Good luck,
Kvin

Jimmytheshirt · Jan 20, 2024

Kevin Houlihan said:
I'm not sure which video he uses the JAX products in. It's the same process. Large parts like the butt plate, barrel and trigger guard, I wiped the product on. Small parts like ramrod pipes, lock parts and pistol trigger guard, I put in a plastic container and poured the solution over them. When they're darker than you want, take them out of the solution, rinse them off and rub back with WD40 and a ScotchBrite pad until you get the color you want.
Good luck,
KvinView attachment 287010 View attachment 287011

Thanks Kevin. You do nice work!

Smokey Plainsman · Oct 7, 2024

Is this product really any different than cold bluing solution?

How tunable is the patina it creates? Cold bluing rubs off in a hurry.

Kevin Houlihan · Oct 7, 2024

Smokey Plainsman said:
Is this product really any different than cold bluing solution?

How tunable is the patina it creates? Cold bluing rubs off in a hurry.

Smokey,
I feel that it's very tunable. Start out darker than you want and rub it back. If you rub it back too far and lighten it too much, apply the solution again. If you've used WD40 to rub it back, you'll need to get the oli off with acetone or Brakleen or something first. In my pics above, the steel rifle trigger guard is very dark, The lock and barrel for that rifle are both kind of light. The barrel on the pistol is darker than it looks in the pics. The lock is very light. Also, you can get the brass very dark, almost black. Click on the pic of the underneath of the pistol and you can see how dark it can get. I will say that it's reasonably durable. The trigger guard on my rifle hasn't lightened up and I've shot it quite a bit.
Good luck,
Kevin

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