Questions about browning

[Coinneach]

It doesn't matter how you rub it if you go as fine as 320, the browning will level off the surface flat. It will level off most of 220 actually, but there may be a few deeper scratches that show through. If you want to take it to 400 and polish with grey Scotch-Brite to check for file marks, go for it, but do knock it back to at least 320 before browning.

Also, I was a bit misleading with temperature in my previous post: the barrel needs to be heated dry to near 200⁰F to APPLY the solution so it flashes off quickly. Three thin coats with a cotton ball, then card back to an even color, repeat, when you feel like there's enough on there to work with and the carding is becoming hard work, dunk it in warm water for a minute or two, dry it completely, and card again. Don't card it wet! Then heat it back up to near 200 and repeat. About three cycles ought to do it with the water at the same temperature every time.

Can you advise what is the colour indication on the Barrel and/or parts for 200 degrees F ?

 

[IanH]

Can you advise what is the colour indication on the Barrel and/or parts for 200 degrees F ?

It won't change color at 200⁰F. You tell its hot enough when the solution steams off as soon as you apply it. For example if you are wiping the solution on with a dampened cotton ball at the rate of one inch per second, there should be almost no wet trail behind the cotton ball.

I check the temperature with an infrared heat "gun". You can get very inexpensive ones from the jungle river website.

 

[Coinneach]

Thank you sir, its just that here Down Under in the great Southern Land we're somewhat slow, and only recently realised that daubing our own excrement on ML Barrels doesnt brown them at all.......

 

[flatcreek]

Results are in, these are three side of an old piece of steel, I browned two, one with B/C plum brown, one with Mark Lee brown and one not browned. Prep was minimal but instruction were basically followed. Top is Mark Lee very easy to put on rich dark brown, middle just the sanded metal, I only went to 220 on all and didn't take all the imperfections out, the bottom is B/C plum brown about the same results as I got on my barrel, not real pleased, but with a little more work may be ok. My choice is easily the the Mark Lee for the rich color and ease of application, just seemed to be stupid proof and that works for me. The picture are not the best, but Mark Lee is a rich even dark plum brow, maybe a little darker than I would like. A little more steel wool work or less wipes should solve that.

 

[LTeeBee62]

It doesn't matter how you rub it if you go as fine as 320, the browning will level off the surface flat. It will level off most of 220 actually, but there may be a few deeper scratches that show through. If you want to take it to 400 and polish with grey Scotch-Brite to check for file marks, go for it, but do knock it back to at least 320 before browning.

Also, I was a bit misleading with temperature in my previous post: the barrel needs to be heated dry to near 200⁰F to APPLY the solution so it flashes off quickly. Three thin coats with a cotton ball, then card back to an even color, repeat, when you feel like there's enough on there to work with and the carding is becoming hard work, dunk it in warm water for a minute or two, dry it completely, and card again. Don't card it wet! Then heat it back up to near 200 and repeat. About three cycles ought to do it with the water at the same temperature every time.

I am one coat of Plumb Brown on my pedrasoli kentucky rifle. What to use between browning coats to remove built up rust? What grade steel wool?? 0000 is not getting it all off.