Rust Brown question

TonyC · Jul 4, 2023

So I rust browned the barrel on my Woodsrunner with Laurel Mtn Barrel Brown. I followed the directions to the letter and the result was exactly as I wanted. I stopped the rusting process with baking soda and hot water, then coated in motor oil as directed. After wiping the oil off I finished it with two coats of paste wax. It looked great. However, after about 2 weeks I noticed that the barrel seems to have an additional layer of rust. It appears that the rusting process is continuing. Can anyone tell me if this is normal or if I need to do something else?
Thanks!

tenngun · Jul 4, 2023

This is normal. With mine I note it takes almost a month to quite wash and oil every few days for a bit then wax if you want wax on your barrel

IanH · Jul 4, 2023

LMF is bad about that. I quit using it long ago on account of being hard to stop the rust and it pitting deeply sometimes when you DON'T want deep pits. That is to say I never got good at using it or understanding it very well. Maybe soaking in a mild baking soda solution overnight would do the trick? or maybe it would look like the Titanic in the morning, I don't know.

I use a hot brown solution that works very quickly, leaves a smooth surface, the color can be controlled, and is quite simple to neutralize, in fact I usually don't and instead just soak it in kerosene or Varsol overnight to set the finish and then do whatever with it (usually oil or paste wax).

Rob M. · Jul 4, 2023

Interesting ....

rchas · Jul 5, 2023

Try soaking in full strength ammonia cleaning solution for a day instead of baking soda/water.

Freedom · Jul 5, 2023

I was under the impression that heating the metal to a temperature too hot to touch was what evaporated the product and stops the rusting process. I feel that I've had good success browning with LMF.

user 34300 · Jul 5, 2023

Resist the urge to reassemble the gun right away. Just lightly card with steel wool and oil. After a couple of times it will stop rusting.

Dousing it with acids and bases will probably make it worse. Plain water is good. I always runs plenty of warm water over the parts when I am happy with the color. Water will rinse away the corrosive substances from the browning solution just fine. If you boil the parts in water, they will get darker. IF that is OK, I have found no after rust doing it that way.

Daddski 1 · Dec 4, 2023

HI guys, the browning agents are simply acid base items. All that is needed to neutralize these are a base hence baking soda. You just have to be slow and steady. Engine oil is not a base, it coats from air but will evaporate and continue the process. I used to have to do chemical flushes of submarines at Pearl Harbor Sub base. We used tons of acid bases to clear out the sea-creatures and salts inside piping systems large enough to stuff you into one lol.... all it ever took to neutralize were a few tons of soda (baking soda). If you do it correctly you have no issues. A great way would simply be a overnight bath with the barrel completely submerged in the baking soda mix. Make it strong on soda, i actually mix mine so the soda is thick like a paste and it works every time I do this with plumbrown. Any browning / etching agent will be neutralized wot baking soda or as far as that goes, water itself is a base with acid simply being water with a molecule removed. Replace that molecule IE running water, and it dies itself. Be patient. I think , from all I read on these sites is people that are in a rush and do not take time to properly neutralize. Motor oil can be used to make shiny coats but I am telling you, it is not neutralizing anything...

Stevan · Dec 18, 2023

I am so glad I joined this sight. Lots of info on different ways and advice pertaining to what I'll use for doing. Thanks, Steve

pooch156 · Jul 21, 2024

I use Dixie Gun Works barrel brown. LMF is far too aggressive and very hard to stop the rusting process.q

TonyC · Jul 21, 2024

I used LMF with excellent results. Follow the directions and you will have no problems. After you get to the amount of rust that you want wash with baking soda and water. Then make sure you heat the barrel with a torch to sweat all of the moisture out and finally give it a coat of motor oil. The rusting will stop. Heating the barrel is the key. Just heat it so that it’s hot to touch. No need to go crazy with the torch. You will see the moisture evaporate as you run the torch over the barrel. That’s it! Easy and great results.

Gtrubicon · Jul 21, 2024

IanH said:
LMF is bad about that. I quit using it long ago on account of being hard to stop the rust and it pitting deeply sometimes when you DON'T want deep pits. That is to say I never got good at using it or understanding it very well. Maybe soaking in a mild baking soda solution overnight would do the trick? or maybe it would look like the Titanic in the morning, I don't know.

I use a hot brown solution that works very quickly, leaves a smooth surface, the color can be controlled, and is quite simple to neutralize, in fact I usually don't and instead just soak it in kerosene or Varsol overnight to set the finish and then do whatever with it (usually oil or paste wax).

What are you using?

IanH · Jul 23, 2024

Gtrubicon said:
What are you using?

Mark Lee Express Brown.

Rust Brown question

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