Which oil after browning a barrel?

[MIOutdoorsman]

According to Laurel Mountain Rust Browning instructions, when the desired brown color is achieved on a barrel (and other metal pieces), we are instructed neutralize the process with a solution of baking soda and warm water, dry it off, dry it well “with a hair dryer” and we’re done.

Other instructions/advice I’ve read suggest heating it with a torch, then covering it in motor oil. The oil coating seems to be very popular...

Two questions for those with experience with LM rust browning...

1. Use a propane torch to heat or nah? If yes... light torch? Can I screw it up by getting too hot?

2. I’ve read that “old oil” is better because the heat of the engine already burned off any detergents in the oil. I do not have old oil but I have one non-detergent oil in my garage. I’ve also heard that turpentine is ideal?

I have three oils handy, but will buy something different on advice... what kind of oil works best to “finish” the browning process and stop it from wiping away??

Back of bar & chain:

Back of the non-detergent pump oil:

Back of the 4-cycle

Use one of these? Or something else??
Rob

 

[FishDFly]

Go to your local place that changes engine oil and get a quart.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Go to your local place that changes engine oil and get a quart.

Quart of used?

 

[FishDFly]

Quart of used?

"2. I’ve read that “old oil” is better because the heat of the engine already burned off any detergents in the oil. I do not have old oil but I have one non-detergent oil in my garage"


Yep, they will give you a quart of used oil from someone's oil change they did.

You might even take an empty container with you for them to put it in..

 

[SDSmlf]

I use kerosene.

 

[87TT]

Mine's in 10-40 right now. Worked on the last one. Put all the misc. parts in an old square pan an warmed them up in the oven on low. the poured oil on them and brushed it in the tight spots. The barrel I heated up with a torch until it was hot to the touch and poured oil on a rag and slopped it on.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Since I’m doing a pistol, I could use the oven in a pan technique too. Think that’s probably safer than me trying to evenly heat it with a torch.

 

[Zonie]

While I suppose kerosene or turpentine will do something, IMO, that something isn't the idea behind using oil on new browning or bluing.

As it is when the browning has been carded for the last time, it has absolutely nothing in it to prevent further rusting of the surface. The hard rust that has formed does have a quality that can stop further rusting and that quality is the ability to absorb oil. It will absorb kerosene or turpentine too but those will eventually evaporate. Now, if a good gun oil, motor oil, 3 in 1 oil or any other kind of oil that won't evaporate is applied to the hard rust, we've got a new ball game.
By absorbing the oil, it will keep any oxygen or water vapor away from the steel that is under it so, the rusting will stop and the steel will be protected.

Because we want the oil to fully penetrate the hard rust, apply the oil before you do anything with wax. Wax will keep the oil from getting into the rust like it needs to do. After the oil has had a day or two to fully soak in, then, go ahead and wax the surface if that's what you want to do.

 

[galamb]

The theory behind the "used oil" is not because the detergent or any other chemicals is burned off, but instead because it contains "carbon" from combustion.

When steel is heated "very hot" and quenched in an oil that contains carbon it will harden the steel.

In the method you are discussing (heating) the potential benifit (hardening) would be minimal at best - your barrel would have to be "glowing" and then quenched to add hardness. So in this particular application whether the oil was old, new or somewhere in between would be of little consequence.

 

[Zonie]

I sure hope no one is thinking of trying to harden their barrel with used motor oil.
I have no doubts that a glowing red hot barrel will look somewhat like a cork screw after it is plunged into a barrel of used motor oil. ROTF LMAO.

 

[Bob McBride]

If you are doing a full brown you'll know you're done browning because the barrel stops rusting, finishing itself, so to speak....so, put a little oil on it if you want as you've, like it or not, moved from browning to keepin her maintained. It's the same question as what do i put on a blued barrel. A little oil of some description is nice. Used motor oil, new, bear grease, expensive sewing machine oil, the stuff that's left after making nice crispy bacon....all good. Wipe off the excess and hang her over the mantle..

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

These instructions from Laurel Mountain Rust Brown (website) is where the idea of using motor oil came from.

“...
To finish the barrel, heat the surface with a torch until it is too warm to comfortably touch with bare hands, about 1250 to 1300 F. This will drive off any remaining moisture. Next apply a liberal coat of motor oil. Allow the oil to bond with the brown for 24 hours and then polish off any excess with a soft dry cloth. Apply a final finish of a quality gun oil, non-abrasive furniture wax or neutral color shoe wax.”

thus my inquiries about oils....

 

[87TT]

125 to 130 degrees. 1250 to 1300 would be glowing and the oil would burst into flames.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

I’m no metallurgist, so I don’t fully understand the process of the oil “bonding with the brown.”

My kitchen oven will not get nearly that hot, and I’m not sure a blow torch will either, nor am I confident that I can get an even heat with one... Further, this must be a chemical process, so the type of oil must matter too... but there’s just enough info here to be thoroughly confusing to me.

 

[Bob McBride]

I read it like a layman. Heat it up to drive off moisture, good I guess for the first time, especially if you used a humidity chamber, soak it in oil for a while, good. Then gun oil it. Sounds like an engineer wrote it but it's solid info. I'd hit it with a heat gun until it was hot, let it cool and oil it up good and wipe it down before installing it into the stock. (I put RIG grease on the bottom of the barrel before installing it because I only remove once or twice a year.) Nothing there is sketchy except the bonding thing.

 

[87TT]

When I used the oven this am for the misc. parts, I set it on the lowest setting which was 170 degrees. well over the 130 degrees recommended. I only left them in there until they got too hot to pick up with my calloused bare hands.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

When I used the oven this am for the misc. parts, I set it on the lowest setting which was 170 degrees. well over the 130 degrees recommended. I only left them in there until they got too hot to pick up with my calloused bare hands.

Copy.
I think I’ll do this technique too then. still contemplating between buying some kerosene, getting some used oil, or using the non-detergent pump oil that I pictured, or something else.
It’s the “bonding with brown” that I’m puzzled about...suggesting that it’s more than merely protection from moisture.

 

[87TT]

It's magic. Not sure how or why it helps but I did it on another barrel and it seems like a tough finish. I do wipe it with gun oil every time I clean it but don't leave it slick.

 

[87TT]

I just remembered something. On the last barrel, I took a heat gun and warmed up the barrel with the oil on it a couple of times during the 24 hrs. I don't know if it helped absorb more or not. It was during a colder time of year. I don't think I need to this time.

 

[Pepster]

Like Parkerizing, the "BROWNING" finish "Retains Oil" thus less oxidation over time.
DO NOT heat it to 1250°!
It will ruin the temper of your barrel.
Your trying to dry it completely before oil soaking & that's it.
A heat gun works great (it will get it hot enough you don't want to handle it, & all moisture will be gone).