Help me get this finish?

[nuttbush]

Pards,
I am in the finishing stages of my first TOTW Kit Tennessee rifle. I have downloaded a picture from one of the well known custom makers to show the finish on the metal parts that I would like to put on mine. Would some of you talented builders out there tell me how best to try and acheive this look on my rifle. You guy's out there are a wealth of information and I just want to thank you now for your help again.
Many Thanks.
[url] http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e30/nuttbush/othsc9a.jpg[/url]

 

[BrownBear]

Don't know the specifics of the one in your photo, but there's a real good description and photos of a way to produce very similar results in this thread here at MLF.

 

[ehoff]

This type of finish is usually called "french gray". Just read the listed thread, its a smiple process. I used a simular process on my fusil de chasse.

 

[LRB]

That is not "french gray". That gun has been rusted, cleaned up, cold blued, then rubbed back with steel wool in the areas where the blue is not wanted. Notice too, that the edges of the barrel flats are rounded off. That is my guess, and opinion. French gray is an even dull gray.

 

[grey8833]

Alamosa:
If you want a nice even "French Gray" without all the steel wool rub back and "worn in highlights", try this:
Birchwood Casey's Brass Black. Paint on per the instructions on a nicely cleaned steel surface (draw filed, sanded, degreased). Leave for 60 seconds (use a heavy coat, keep it heavy). Take 400 grade degreased steel wool and your sink. With cold water wipe and rub the brass black (now very black) back. It will come back from a deep black to a dark steel gray. If you rub it back and it won't lighten up enough, use a little soft scrub with bleach (a very little and do it quick). Apply CorrosionX and you are good to go.

Mike

 

[Mike Brooks]

That is not "french gray". That gun has been rusted, cleaned up, cold blued, then rubbed back with steel wool in the areas where the blue is not wanted. Notice too, that the edges of the barrel flats are rounded off. That is my guess, and opinion. French gray is an even dull gray.

Wick has it, as usuall. :thumbsup:

 

[nuttbush]

Thanks fellows for the information so far. In Wicks answer the says it has been rusted, blued, then cleaned up with steel wool. To get that lightly pitted-rusted look would you use the same method as the pards use to age the tomahawks and knives with the cold blue and clorox method.

 

[Mike Brooks]

cold blue and clorox method.

Nope, not the same. I believe I cover this type of aged finish in my gunbuilding 101 tutorial.

 

[nuttbush]

Mike,
Thanks, thats the information I needed. I forgot where the Tutorial was. Thanks to you for doing it and Claude for putting it where us novice builders can get to it quick. It not only answered my finish question, but a couple of others to boot.