Brass Black on Brass Furniture Question

[Enfield58]

I have other blackpowder guns and haven't bothered to polish the brass furniture. I doesn't matter to me whether or not the brass is kept looking new.

I just want to keep the firearm free of rust and fully functional.

Sometime ago, I got a Pedersoli Frontier rifle (not the deluxe version - just plain walnut). I also ordered a brass ramrod for it but much prefer the hickory addition over that one.

On a whim, I got some brass black and applied it to the brass ramrod. It looks different, to say the least. I am somewhat pleased with the way the brass surface now looks.

I'm thinking about darkening the brass furniture on the Frontier rifle and wonder what everyone else's opinion is.

It's true that the brass could darken over time but, the blackening would be uneven.

I'm thinking that the even blackening would look nicer if I used the solution to do it.

I know this is sort of like asking; "do these buckskins make me look fat?"

Yet, what are your opinions?

 

[Zonie]

My only complaint with Birchwood Casey Brass Black is it makes a very thin, easily worn off coating.

 

[Enfield58]

My only complaint with Birchwood Casey Brass Black is it makes a very thin, easily worn off coating.

That's what I would be using. It seemed to stay on the brass ramrod pretty good after I rinsed with water and rubbed dry with a paper towel.

Is it oil or solvents that takes the black off?

 

[Zonie]

The black will not be bothered by oil or by water. The discoloration is a part of the metal.

If it does wear off, it is easy to just clean off all of the oil or wax the surface might have on it and reapply the solution.

I used it to blacken the frame of an old CVA 1849 brass frame pistol I had. It worked OK but if I gave the surfaces a hard rubbing with a course black rag, some of the blackened brass would rub off. That's when I gave up using a course rag on the surface.

 

[flinter1977]

Regular cold blueing works better than brass black. I have tried both.the cold blueing I think lasts longer and is more even and black. You can try it on a scrap piece of brass first to judge for your self.

 

[Art Caputo]

To age/dull brass to take the “like new”shine out, I like to rub the brass with used black powder cleaning patches(fowling+water or spit). Gives the brass an aged, tannish toned finish looking like a brass ramrod tip/jag after some use.

 

[hanshi]

I agree with flinter1977. I've used aluminum black on two rifles and the blackened brass was nice and even and looked for the world like iron. No problem so far with any of it rubbing off.

 

[springfield art]

I have other blackpowder guns and haven't bothered to polish the brass furniture. I doesn't matter to me whether or not the brass is kept looking new.

I just want to keep the firearm free of rust and fully functional.

Sometime ago, I got a Pedersoli Frontier rifle (not the deluxe version - just plain walnut). I also ordered a brass ramrod for it but much prefer the hickory addition over that one.

On a whim, I got some brass black and applied it to the brass ramrod. It looks different, to say the least. I am somewhat pleased with the way the brass surface now looks.

I'm thinking about darkening the brass furniture on the Frontier rifle and wonder what everyone else's opinion is.

It's true that the brass could darken over time but, the blackening would be uneven.

I'm thinking that the even blackening would look nicer if I used the solution to do it.

I know this is sort of like asking; "do these buckskins make me look fat?"

Yet, what are your opinions?

You may have to remove any clear varnish that some mfgs. use to keep brass from darkening. A very fine abrasion of the finish may give the liquid a bit more "tooth" to react. Extremely high polish sheds the fluid.

 

[Yewbender]

X2 on used black powder cleaning patches.

 

[Enfield58]

You may have to remove any clear varnish that some mfgs. use to keep brass from darkening. A very fine abrasion of the finish may give the liquid a bit more "tooth" to react. Extremely high polish sheds the fluid.

I took off the toe plate and attempted to blacken the inside surface with a q-tip soaked with brass black. It was coated with the clear varnish.

I don't feel like buffing that varnish off. I may try some paint stripper, first, to remove the varnish and then see if the brass black works.

 

[Zonie]

Something that works well for removing clear finishes is acetone or lacquer thinner with a fine steel wool pad.

It isn't a good idea to breath the fumes so if you use it do the cleaning outdoors.

 

[tenngun]

I think you answered the question your self when you said you put it on and you liked it. That’s number one.
I like to let the brass color naturally, underline I like.
Try the blue, try the black if’n you don’t like it try the navel jelly.
What wears off will be replaced by tarnish so as you barely note it wearing off.

 

[poker]

I agree with flinter1977. I've used aluminum black on two rifles and the blackened brass was nice and even and looked for the world like iron. No problem so far with any of it rubbing off.

Hanshi, what is aluminum black? I thought they used black paint markers to color aluminum if anodizing was impractical.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I find the brass black to be very useful, particularly for checking my progress with engraving, -- going back in to a line to open or deepen it up a little bit more, and of course, at the very end to make it visible.

 

[Enfield58]

Before...

 

[Enfield58]

After...

 

[Mike G]

That looks really nice. Understated and takes the “flash” off of the bright brass.

 

[30coupe]

I use Brownell's OxphoBlue. It gives a similar finish to what you achieved and is quite durable. I've also used it to blue old double barrel shotguns that would have come apart in a hot blue tank.

I agree with Tenngun. Once you have it colored, normal use seems to keep it that way for the most part since the black powder residue will pretty much give it the same color.

Your Frontier looks nice! I have one in .32, great fun and the grandkids love to shoot it as well since there is no felt recoil to speak of, but they get to see the poof of white smoke at the shot, lol!

 

[Texas Hunter]

I really like that look. I may do the same on my TC Hawken. Did you remove the brass parts first or did you apply while it was installed on the rifle?

 

[tenngun]

This is just powder smoke and time.... then only a year since it was polished navy bright