LMF Browning agent?

[Matabele]

Hi all,

Just wondering how easy is LMF (Laurel Mtn Forge) Browning agent to apply? Could someone explain the procedure for applying it. Will I need to order anything specific to use it? Also how durable is it, does it stand up to normal wear and tear?

I presume it gives quite an attractive finish as a few folks here have mentioned it. Im thinking of using it on a .32 Traditions Crockett kit.

Thanks in advance, take care.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Matabele,

I've used LMF one time and was very pleased with the results. It's not as fast as Plum Brown but worked with a problem barrel where PB didn't. It's dependent upon humidity but you can help by leaving it in the bathroom or other methods. Do a search on the forum and there's probably a bunch of information. Follow instructions and you should be fine. GW

 

[renovato]

I find LMF far easier to use than the hot browns. While the hot browns might be faster, they also require accurate heat control, which on something as large as a barrel is quite hard to keep it even. LMF only needs humidity to work.

Basically, you wipe it on. Don't rub or you get some copper plating that must be steel wooled off. You only need to make a wet coating and it'll even out during the process if your coating isn't exactly even each time.

Then the metal is put into a humid area to rust for a few hours. I use a spare closet with a small humidifier and electric heater, but many use a bathroom and let the hot shower run a while to make it steamy. It's not a picky process, so you can come up with several easy solutions.

Then the rust is carded off with coarse cloth, etc. I use a brush with very soft stainless steel bristles. You rinse it with hot water at this point to set the oxide and repeat the above steps a few times until you get the darkness you want.

As a final step, you neutralize any remaining acid with baking soda in water. You can boil the metal for a darker finish if you want. Oil it up and she's ready to go. LMF comes with very thorough and easy to follow instructions. It's as foolproof as it can be.

Rust browns and rust blues are extremely durable finishes. More so than modern hot blued finishes by a long shot. Being a fine rusting process, they also leave micro pores in the surface of the metal that suck up oil like a sponge. This makes them highly effective at keeping the metal from rusting later on.

There's a lot of threads on the finer details of the process and how to get various shades of color. Spend a little time browsing through them and I think you'll be able to go into your project with full confidence.

 

[BEP]

In addition to Plink's excellent answer, two cautions come to mind, and they were passed to me by a person with LMF experience.

1. After applying the first coat and maybe even the second, it's not unusual to have a response to the results something to the effect of "Good gosh almighty, what have I done to this thing!!" Don't worry, just keep repeating the process and all will be well.

2. When you are finished applying coats of finish and wish to neutralize the process using a baking soda - warm water solution, I've found that it works well to actually make a runny paste of the soda/water stuff and rub it on very thoroughly for a minute or two, then rinse off with hot water. Just dissolving some baking soda in warm water didn't stop the process and the barrel went on browning. I've done four barrels now and find that it pays to be aggressive when neutralizing the stuff.

But it is easy to use and does produce a durable finish. I used it on a repro Brown Bess that my son used for reenacting. A full season of fixing a bayonet really didn't bother the finish much at all. Have fun.

 

[Zonie]

You can use a rag or a brush. The stuff will not hurt your skin (although I wouldn't eat or drink it).

The process mentioned above will have to be repeated several times to get a uniform brown surface and it can't be hurried.

Try to get a fairly smooth thin even coat on the metal. If you missed a small area, it is better to forget it and wait until the next application than to put on more trying to cover the missed area.

This is one of those things where more is not better. I'm sure that if you keep this in mind, your parts will come out with a nice smooth uniform brown.

zonie

 

[cowpoke1955]

I've browned two barrels with LMF. I wouldn't dream of using anything else. Like eveeryone have said, it's soooo easy. The wife gave me permission to use the bathroom to brown the barrels :shocked2: . That was scary! Just steam up the room, place your treated parts in there, close the door and wait a couple of hours. Works great :thumbsup: .

 

[ky_man]

I used it on my last pistol, and it worked great! Be careful, the stuff is mighty corrosive and will ruin any surface it comes in contact with. I used a small paintbrush to apply the solution to my clean barrel. Smelled kinda funky going on, a little sulfury. Turned instantly purple coppery-color with a single swipe. I set up a bucket of hot water and suspended the barrel over the bucket overnight by using a coathanger through the tang hole. The next morning, I carded off the orange rust with a cloth and re-applied the solution. Next day, I repeated same. Finally, after 4 days, I dipped the barrel in a cold saturated bicarbonate solution for a minute, then let air dry. I rubbed it briefly with 0000 sttel wool, then proceeded to rub in my finishing oil. Now, the barrel is a really nice even brown. If you mess up at any point, just take the barrel back to bare metal using some steel wool. Good luck!

 

[Matabele]

Thanks for all the info everyone, its appreciated :thumbsup: Seems like a very do-able process to try...I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Vaino]

Using LMF, it takes me 36 hrs. to brown the bbl and components in sweat boxes. {2} -12 hour applications in the sweatbox w/o carding produces an etched matte finish and {3}- 3 hr. applications w/ carding yields a nice, reddish brown color. My basement is fairly cold and no heat is used in the boxes, so the process is slowed down somewhat. The etched, matte finish smooths out any roughness from drawfiling. Ammonia is used to neutalize in lieu of baking soda, which always allowed some after rust......Fred

 

[ky_man]

Ammonia is probably the best choice for neutralizing, as the water, ammonium and hydroxide ions present in solution are pretty much metal free. The metallic salts (e.g., sodium in baking soda) might cause an adverse reaction if left to sit too long. Anyone have any experience with this? Of course, ammonia solution burns my nose...I've become hypersensitized after many years working in a lab with all kinds of potent amines (e.g., methylamine, triethylamine, DBU, etc.)

 

[Zonie]

Now, dog gone it...You shouldn't go bad mouthing those two girls.

Both Ethyl and Methyl Amine are nice girls (even if they do smell a bit odd). :rotf:

I've neutralized quite a few guns with Baking Soda and have not seen any adverse reactions (yet).

zonie

 

[ky_man]

Haha you're too right Zonie, thanks for pointing that out!

 

[amplatz]

KY man,

Did you use any kind of heat source to keep the humidity high and was this in a small space?
Thanks!
Martin

 

[riverrat43]

Plink, could you tell me a bit more about rust bluing please?