artifically age brass

[cheatherly]

Has anyone success with 'antiquing' brass? I know it ages well on its own,but I would like to speed up the process a bit. By the way amonia turns brass blue. Also, I have a few pieces of bronze bar stock. how appropriate would it be to use for sights and hardware on Kentucky style rifles?

 

[Trapper]

Mix some black powder with water rub paste on the brass and in a couple of days it's nicely aged. I did this with my rifle when I built it.

 

[halfstock]

Cover the brass piece with mayonase or mustard and let set overnight. Sounds crazy but works and its cheap.

Halfstock

 

[ricklandes]

:rotf: :rotf: Is that Grey Poupon or Frenchs' Yellow Salad.... :rotf: :shake: Sorry couldn't resist :grin:

 

[cheatherly]

I've used mustard on stel many times before. Never thought to use it on brass.I've got some soaking now.Thanks

 

[BigMikeM]

I have 2 questions, guys:
1..Do the methods you guys mentioned darken the brass to the point that it looks like iron?
2..If I decide that I dont like the brass really dark, can I sand the darkness off?

 

[cheatherly]

My brass usually turns a greenish gold, and can easily be reshined to any level desired.

 

[Trapper]

I like to let the brass get almost black and then give it a slight polish with steel wool so that it leaves the grooves and carvings black and everything else a soft or dirty gold.

 

[john12865]

I just rub my wet and filthy BP cleaning patches all over it. In no time at all you can build it up to the level you like.

 

[rich pierce]

If you want it quick and durable, heat the brass to dull red 2 or three times in a darkened room, then dunk in water the last time. This will also anneal it and make it more likely to dent, so keep that in mind.

 

[tg]

You can lay the brass pieceson a metal pan and sprinkle with BP and carefully light it off, repeat if needed then clean up to color wanted.

 

[rich pierce]

Now that sounds like fun to me. TG gets the "most fun" award, for sure. :bow:

 

[tg]

It works fast, the idea came to me when I noticed how fast the flash cup on a caplock darkened several years ago and I used the method to darken the brass on several guns since then...just use caution.

 

[Vaino]

Apply "44/40 Cold Blue", let dry and lightly rub w/ oiled 0000 stl wool for whatever degree of darkness you want. Recesses and low wear areas are rubbed the least.........Fred

 

[davy]

Also you can put the item in a closed container over nite with a dish of houshold ammonia inside ... NOT IN THE AMMONIA! The next day it will have aged .:hatsoff:

Davy

 

[windwalker_au]

try this site go to simplyfide formulas.
bernie :thumbsup:[url] http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/patinaformulas.htm#29[/url]

 

[cheatherly]

Ahah! So that's where everybody gets that stuff from!