aged finish

[Hatcon]

Does anyone know of a technique involving boiling parts to include barrels in a a tank with chlorine bleach to obtain a rough grayish finish. I have been told this produces a nice original looking aged finish.

 

Yep,

Plug everything you do not want rusted and boil in clorox for 20 minutes. Let stand and then card off the scale. It is not a gray finish, it is accelerated rust process complete with pitting and texture. The gray comes from scrubbing the surface with steel wool and baking soda to stop the rust.

Plug the bore!

You are aging the gun 100 years of outdoor exposure in 20 minutes.

Play with some scrap first.

 

[Stumpkiller]

And do not breathe the fumes, allow the fumes to contact your skin or do it indoors. Do not do it where the fumes will come in contact with ferrous metal.

 

[Hatcon]

Is there any mixture with water or is it straight clorox? Also is there any special material that the boiling container has to be made out of? Have you ever used this process and what is your opinion of the look ? Thanks for the fast reply . I think I am going to like this forum.

 

[Slowpoke]

I always thought you suspended it above the mixure? That the way I've always done it. Like others have said, be sure to do it outside.

SP

 

[Hatcon]

Which works better, suspending it above the boiling solution or immersing it? Also is this a chlorox and water mixture or is it used straight?

 

As an addition, but not an alternative, you can very carefuly apply some muriatic acid in strategic spots or a single spot depending on the look you are going for. Use caution if you opt for this. Also, I would suggest gently destressing the wood to match the look of the steel. Finally, for that ultimate aged look, you can hand rub the stain finish of choice with cheese cloth between appplications paying particular attention to places where hands would normally wear agianst wood and add a small bit of hardwood ash to to the stain or boiled linseed oil beween coats. A few applications of a good wax, again having a bit of ash in it for texture, to the wood will help with the aged look as it will collect in naturally occurring low spots in the stock. I used this wood ash addition to stain linseed oil and wax technique many times on furnature. It is important to practice on a scrap piece of similar wood to perfect the technique. Go slow and be paient it is a long process.

 

Vinegar is milder and won't kill you but will attack clean steel - making it rust, although you still have to go thru the carding process.