Which oil after browning a barrel?

[Cattman]

p.s. most leather today is acid treated.

 

[Clueless on the Delaware]

Can any of you knowledgeable fellas describe what you use to oil soak the barrel in? Thinking about trying this on my traditions .50 Pennsylvania barrel.

 

[Silvertip8k]

Ive done about a half dozen barrels (removing blueing and browning them) with the birchwood casey product...they have all come out very nice...albeit not a process you will fond on any instructions or internet.

I live off the grid...so electric heaters or similar atent an option...I do have a nice fire pit and plenty of firewood.

For the prep...all are old tcs,hawkens and renegades...I took a mill file to remove any burrs or large rust ,then steel wooled them to almost no blueing...then used some very fine wet and dry paper from the hatdware store...around 600 grit.

Then I cleaned the well with some solvent...intentionally I left some of the pitting and rust residue to maintain the patina I personally like...one barrel I used some muriatic acid on to remove all...it came out nice...but did require 2x more of the process to brown.

I start a good fire in my pit...let the coals build up...so theres a nice even bed under the rebar grate...I have a 12 inch trivit I use for dutch oven cooking...this is what i lay the barrel on...I have a fire glove i use to handle the hot barrel...

I let tge barrel get warm o e end at a time checking for the hest by applyingbthe browning solutionnwith a rag...when its hot enough to make the solution steam off I flip the barrel and repeat on the other half...

Normally it takes 3 to 4 times of this to get the shade if brown i like...when things are cool to touch I sterl wool some to remove any build up of solution...then I do a final heat and brown one last time...

Then i wash the barrel real good...and make sure rifling is still clean...I take a small brass wire brush and detail all the edges around flash hole or nipple area...

Then comes the elbow grease...I take a piece of pillow ticking about 12 inches square...get it pretty wet with some hoppes gun oil...and rub it out real good...this can take a while...and will have to be repeated after a day or so...and a final time maybe a werk or so later...

It does a very nice job...especially if you are looking for a finish that is perfectly imperfect...meaning some patina...

I think this might be similar to how this would have been done 2 to 300 years ago...which is something I reallly like...for mean just adding to the whole blackpowder,off the grid,attempting to be a modern day mountain man deal...

Im sure that some might find this strange...but others that might actually give it a try themselves...all the best...t

On my metal hardware...or furniture as it were...I do the same process...

 

[Silvertip8k]

A few more pics of old tcs I refurbished and browned

 

[tenngun]

Is there another high acid leather besides latigo? I know that leather eats ferrous metal.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Ive done about a half dozen barrels (removing blueing and browning them) with the birchwood casey product...they have all come out very nice...albeit not a process you will fond on any instructions or internet.
...

I like hearing these different approaches, and the evidence in the pics you attached show how well it works!

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

I always use 10W-30 motor oil.

 

[flntlokr]

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??

View attachment 33206
Back of bar & chain:
View attachment 33207
Back of the non-detergent pump oil:
View attachment 33208
Back of the 4-cycle
View attachment 33209
Use one of these? Or something else??
Rob

You only need a dab of oil; go pull your dipstick, and wipe it a couple of times on a rag, and you are good to go. I usually finish up with a good coat of brown shoe polish for wax protection.

 

[tenngun]

Last one I’ve done with LM washed with bicarbonate water. Hand dried then used mink oil rubbed and oiled every day for three days. Hard finish.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I use new motor oil when I brown a barrel. It works.the idea ia to smother the browning solution so it doesn have any more chance to oxidize the metal. I reoil the metal daily dor at least a week. Usually by then the browning process has neutralized.

 

[Vaino]

When the browning is finished , a good soaking of the bbl w/ ammonia really stops any further rusting. The smaller parts are covered w/ ammonia in a pan. A hot water rinse and dry and then a light rub w/ steel wool w/ the patch lube I use. A wipe and then more patch lube and it's done.

Using a "sweat box" , 3-4 very sparse coats of LMF yields a nice reddish brown color and the rust isn't thick......Fred

 

[pooch156]

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..

I'm with you. I do exactly that!

 

[pooch156]

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.

That's the way I do it. Just did my third one.

 

[stewart.leach]

I just use spouse's old hairdryer to heat the barrel.

Whole after browning drill has been to neutralize with baking soda solution, the wash with plain water and let dry and sit for a week. Then treat with oil, and finally finish by heating and rubbing bee's wax in hard.

 

[LawrenceA]

I use Dubbin. Or my beeswax patch lube.
Works well and doesn't matter if it gets on wood.
In fact then use it on the whole gun periodically.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Quart of used?

Used motor oil has heavy metals and other undesirable components. You won't find too many bladesmiths using it for good reason.

 

[Icemanxxxv]

30w Pennzoil what I used

 

[BJHabermehl]

30w Pennzoil what I used

Clean Diesel engine oil is what I’ve used for many years. I oil as soon as I get the barrel dried off from the scalding water bath. The Diesel engine oil has more acid neutralizers in it than regular oil. I’ve allways had some after rust no matter what. It just deepens the finish. BJH