How to chlorox..??

[Brad Foust]

I have seen a few projects that the steel parts have been finished with what I am told is a Chlorox bleach method??
I like the look and would like to try it.
Can I use regular household bleach??
Does the stronger outdoor concentrate work better? Or maybe it's toooo strong??
And just hold do I apply it? I was told to wrap the parts in rags tightly and saturate with chlorox?? Does that sound correct??
How long should I let it on there???
Any advice on this would sure be appreciated.
I plan on doing a lock and the barrel, screws, etc?
Thanks in advance!!
Bigmon

 

[curator]

Bigmon,

Aging parts by boiling them in a solution of household Clorox is a bit tricky. Too long and you will get severe pitting. A lock plate could be aged on the outside, but but a good idea on the inside. On iron "furniture" like trigger guard, side-plate, and butt plates it works OK provided you don;t go overboard. A better process is "browning." It gives a nice patina which looks original and protects the metal underneath if done correctly.

 

[kingsax26]

When building my Lyman gpr...I tried the clorox method to age the steel trim. All I did was apply some liquid cold blue...then spray with clorox and let it sit.....the results varied depending on the metal...or even as much as different parts of the metal on the same piece of trim were more aged than others. I ended up bluing the parts then buffing them back to a grey patina with steel wool...and was much happier with the results.

 

[crockett]

I would not use it. It is too corrosive. It also creates a "wormy" type of pattern in metal which doesn't look the same as the natural pitting that occurred over time. I would just leave the parts "in the white" and let nature and time create a natural pitting.
Now my experience- full strength in soaked rags- it will HEAVILY pit a tomahawk head, etc. in about 2-3 hours.

 

[Stringbean]

I've tried the Clorox method and it has been hard to get it even. I also have tried hydrogen peroxide and it did ok but I had to heat the parts with a hair dryer to speed up the process a little. The best method I have used so far was plumb brown and I've heard the slow browning method by laurel Mountain Forge creates a durable finish as well.

 

[54ball]

My advice, forget it. Then study on how to properly finish a gun.

A mild bleach job looks just like that, a mild bleach job.

A severe bleach job resembles a relic that has been at the bottom of a river for 250 years yet still has the obvious fake look.

Properly finishing a gun is an art form. Tastefully aging a gun is another. Both require research and practice.

There are no true shortcuts. Like most shortcuts in general, Bleach will get you lost.

The above is a barrel ruined by a bleach job. Note the seam spreading at the muzzle. It's a DOM barrel and they are questionable anyway, like that, it sure enough is ruined. Thing is the owner paid someone to do it.

 

[LRB]

If you want to use the bleach, cold blue the parts first. The clorine reacts almost instantly with the cold blue. Submerge the part in warm to very warm Clorox. Rags can cause patterns. You should see rust forming and falling away within seconds usually. Once you see that the part is pretty well covered by rust, remove it and rinse it off. Wet Sand the part with 320 or 400 grit paper and see if you want to go farther with the process. If so, repeat. Low carbon steels give better results than high carbon. A safer, but slower way, is to use cold brown. Just follow the directions. Wet sand with 400/320 grit between coats until it looks the way you want. Usually three to four applications will give all that is needed for a fine to medium pitting that looks more natural. To speed this process you can use humidity to a great advantage. Suspend the parts over water in a closed area as hanging in a box over a pan of water, or even over a bath tub with water in it.

 

[Brad Foust]

Thanks to all for your opinions .
I was forwarned about the possible dangers. What I'm as much interested in is the "HOW To Do It".
Primarily, if there is an area I do not want to treat, like the inside of a lock plate, is there a way to protect it?? Like maybe wax it? Or coat with the release agent that comes with glass bedding??
I have seen a few projects done that really looked pretty good. I know that I'd have to monitor it closley to avoid over corrosion?
Thanks to all

 

[Pete G]

My question would be more of just WHY to do it. There may be ways of making this technique look like an aged finish, but most end up looking like a gun that was boiled in bleach, and is not even close to what old guns look like.

 

[user 922]

Go to the ALR site and look at the Gun Building forum. On page 2, Ron Luckenbill posted the Marshall Rifle he just completed. He was asked how he did the Clorox treatment and he answered in nice detail. Ron has used this technique for many years and, either you like the color and pattern result or you don't. He finished my Bucks gun for me, and the barrel treatment looks great. Do be aware of the danger of inhaling the fumes. Outside is best.

 

[Brad Foust]

I went to the ALR site, and gun building tab. But there is no designation of a "page 2"??
Are you refereing to the "browning" instructions??
Thanks to all

 

[user 922]

Go to the ALR site. Go to the Gun Building forum. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Note that it shows page 1 of 369. Click on page 2.

 

[kaintuck]

LMF cold brown in the bathroom for longer than normal= small pits....then remove all the browning with Kano rust remover ( auto parts store has it) then cold blue.....this will give both the small pits and the silver patina....w/o the bleach dangers.

My 2 cents worth.

 

[crockett]

Bigmon: I do a small amount of etching using ferric acid from Radio Shack- in fact you could use that as it is more mild than bleach. In any event with the ferric acid you coat the metal with beeswax and then use a stylus to scrape off the wax in the area you want to etch. So...maybe use beeswax on the parts you don't want rust. BUT- I don't know if it will work with Clorox Bleach. Some folks use more mild acids- vinegar, mustard, etc. if they want to "date" gun parts.

 

[LRB]

I used laquer paint once where I did not want rust. It worked that time, but have not needed to do it again.

 

[crockett]

Well, if it is the outside of a lock plate probably the easiest thing would be to use a diluted bleach (assuming that's what you still want to use) and soak a towel and lay it flat and then just place the lock plate down on the towel and check it about every fifteen minutes. I would think about several applications. As soon as you see some corrosion sand it a little and then put the lock plate back down for another 15 minutes and keep doing that until you get what you want. That ought to help eliminate the "wormy" appearance that can occur with a prolonged application of bleach.