Rust Browning a barrel ?

[bavarialand]

how hard is it to "brown" a barrel like they did 200 years ago?
and is the finished barrel protected from the elements?
are the "modern" browning solutions just a chemical coating like the blueing is?

thanks, Dave

 

[sjb1958]

Rust browning isn't hard just time consuming. I have had good results with the modern browning solutions. Done properly browned metal won't rust, & many folks like it better than blueing. If you want to do it the old way, I am shure someone else can decribe it better for you. If however that isn't correct pm me & I will get out my books to look it up for you.
Shel

 

[Dane]

bavaria,

Cold browning today, is exactly like it was many years ago.
Browning is simply iron oxide,(rust), once there is a layer produce on the surface, it actually protects the underlying metal from oxygen and additional rust. ie, rust won't rust.
Todays browning chemicals, are essentially just accelerators. While commercially produced, they still do the produce the same results as the ones our ancestors used. Mild acid, urine, etc.

Rust is a function of temperature, time and humidity. We can control those and make the process go more smoothly.

A sweat box, and some wet rags , or even a damp basement work quite well.

I live in Arizona, and achieve excellent results with a sweat box.
All the commercial cold browning solutions work well with the humidity and temperature controlled.

I've used LMF, Homer Danlger, Tru-Brown, all with great results.

Hope this helps.

 

[bavarialand]

thanks guys, i was trying to find out if the process used today with the modern chemicals is the same net result as 200 years ago. you gave me the answere i was looking for.
thanks agian, Dave

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Good results can be obtained with today's rust browning accelerates.

Lining in FL and high humidity you likely won't have a problem, here in AZ is another thing.

Few years back I made up a cheap sweat container with just PVC pipe, fittings, visqueen and wet towels spread in bottom, works great.

 

[boar]

You mean puting barrel outside and urinateing on it. The foxfire book tells how it was done. After you get it where you want, you oil it to stop the rusting. Dilly

 

[Zonie]

There are two types of rust. The soft red rust you don't want, and the hard brown rust you do want.

Left to nature (and I suspect to those who might decide to wet their barrels with "natural fluid" behind the barn the soft red rust is likely what one would get.
The browning solutions available have certain chemicals in them to promote the hard brown rust.
Although the names of these chemicals have changed over the years, the same ones are popular today.

Some work better than others and the LMF is IMO about the best available.

By the way, if you expose the brown rust to boiling water it will turn black or bluish black.
The bluish black rust is one of the things Colt and other fine gun companies used to use on their guns.

zonie

 

[bavarialand]

LMF, is that the "Laurel Mountain Forge", brown & degreaser - ?
Dave

 

[Goldhunter]

yes, that's the stuff.

 

[bavarialand]

thanks, will get some.
Dave