Black painted Brown Bess

[RAEDWALD]

Royal Navy muskets came in bright for Marines who had time to spare to keep them shiny at sea and in black for sailors who were otherwise occupied. Trade muskets were also often black to preserve them on their voyage and African customers sometimes came to expect them black. I have seen naval black muskets and the finish was very worn to the point that it was not obvious that they had been black (after 150 odd years) and had a trade Bess that was still well blacked on the stock. The barrels were japanned which was a mix of powdered black pigment in linseed oil mixed with varnish. The barrels of bright muskets were finished burnished shiny but the black barrels were in a filed finish to give the paint some tooth for the paint. The Royal Armoury has some Sea Service muskets still with a good black finish. The wood being a slightly satin finish and the barrel once shiny black. Pre Bess a black finish for the wood was common. The specimens I have seen suggest that varnish was a major part of the paint. I have not seen any reference myself to army use of black muskets. Here is one in use:

Note the difference between the Royal Marine in red with his 'bright' musket and the sailor with his 'black' one. Sometimes only the metal was blacked. I suspect in this picture that the sailor is a Petty Officer with the common matelots working their guns in white.

 

[dave_person]

Royal Navy muskets came in bright for Marines who had time to spare to keep them shiny at sea and in black for sailors who were otherwise occupied. Trade muskets were also often black to preserve them on their voyage and African customers sometimes came to expect them black. I have seen naval black muskets and the finish was very worn to the point that it was not obvious that they had been black (after 150 odd years) and had a trade Bess that was still well blacked on the stock. The barrels were japanned which was a mix of powdered black pigment in linseed oil mixed with varnish. The barrels of bright muskets were finished burnished shiny but the black barrels were in a filed finish to give the paint some tooth for the paint. The Royal Armoury has some Sea Service muskets still with a good black finish. The wood being a slightly satin finish and the barrel once shiny black. Pre Bess a black finish for the wood was common. The specimens I have seen suggest that varnish was a major part of the paint. I have not seen any reference myself to army use of black muskets. Here is one in use:
View attachment 7835
Note the difference between the Royal Marine in red with his 'bright' musket and the sailor with his 'black' one. Sometimes only the metal was blacked. I suspect in this picture that the sailor is a Petty Officer with the common matelots working their guns in white.

Hi,
That black musket looks French. It has barrel bands.

dave

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Japanning sea service muskets? Yes, it was done. Japanning was applied to both iron barrels, locks, brass hardware and stocks of British sea service muskets and, properly applied, does not interfere with the lock's function, it was applied to external surfaces only. Were surfaces would move against each other (the frizzen and the area of the lock plate and pan where it made contact) the finish was removed.

Is it available currently? Yes, here ya go:

http://libertyonthehudson.com/pontypool.html

Read the page linked for instructions, it can be applied as a finish to both metal and wood and the thickness can be thinned to your liking, no heat is required for Japanning, then or now. Air dry to touch in 6 to 8 hours and full cure (ready to use) in 30 days. The company is Liberty on the Hudson. Check their homepage for other 18th and 19th century paints and varnishes.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Looking up 17th century works including japanning they offer different recipes for the japanning black but the common factor is a varnish with a black pigment and thinned with a turpentine. The type of varnish, pigment and turpentine vary and heat is not mentioned. Much the same for wood as metal. Some use a resin varnish (resin in oil) and some a lacquer similar to a French polish. Pigments offered are lampblack, bone black. In other words whatever was to hand. Asphaltum is conspicuous by it's absence at this period. Both Venice and common Pine turpentines are suggested.

The principle was common but the ingredients varied according to the experience, availability and whim of the writer on Japanning.

It would not be unreasonable for a modern copy to draw upon natural variations available today. Thus a good true spar varnish, any black pigment from burning. I would advise not using lamp black home made from a flame as it will retain some of the original inflammable material and slow drying. Bone, vine or paint pigment lamp black all should work very well. Genuine turpentine sold for art use will do for thinning. Genuine turpentine used for ordinary painting is probably no worse than they had in the 17th century and much cheaper.

Heating the coats also came in later and was a step towards more modern stove enamelling.

'Japanning' is easily confused with 'japan black' which was a quick drying development of the late 19th century and used by the early motor industry for it's quick drying. That was made from varieties of asphaltum in turpentine and later naptha, with linseed oil. 'Japanning' and 'japan black' are not the same thing. Japanning is a varnish or lacquer base pigmented

If I ever squeeze the basis of my 17th century swappable matchlock/doglock musket out of the preferred supplier then I shall be using turpentine thinned spar varnish with bone black pigment on the wood. On metal I would try a lacquer base were metal blacking appropriate.

 

[tenngun]

Did they have to do something to prime the metal to get it to hold. It is so easy for varnish to peal off metal when dry. .... of corse you paint a ship on launching and every day till breaking.... maybe the Armorer or gunner had to do the same?

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
According to Thomas Martin in his book "The Circle of the Mechanical Arts" published in 1813, japanned finishes were exposed to heat to improve their strength and durability. However, that was the procedure for furniture and other items to be japanned and the color was not always black. With respect to guns, black was the color and the paint was applied to barrels that were rough file finished not polished smooth.

dave