Woodsrunner barrel coloring

[Xenophon]

Please help a neophyte! I'm assembling my Kibler Woodsrunner kit and am starting to think about the barrel and what color I'd like to do it. Honestly, I like the look of just leaving it in the white. That's what really appeals to me, other than it being just a tad shiny as is. If I do attempt to color it I would look for just a duller gray at most. Two questions I would really appreciate some advice on:

1. If I leave the barrel and lock as is, in the white (as I understand the term is) and just keep it scrupulously cleaned and oiled, what kind of patina will it develop and over what period of time? Will it develop any uneven splotches or marks where it's regularly handled? Would the type of oil regularly applied to it make any difference (say gun oil versus bear oil)?

2. Even if I don't want to blue/blacken/brown the barrel, should I at least use a coloring process simply for protection of the barrel? I've seen Jim Kibler's video applying JAX Black Darkener, and a FAQ on the site that mentions a different product called Brass Darkening Solution sold by Historic House. I gather that these products would just make it a duller gray. Any insight or recommendations on either, or the advisability of either?

Again, I could really use y'all's experience, as this is a brave new world for me! I would add that this rifle will see active use in the woods and at the range. I'm bound and determined to kill a deer with it! Thank you!

 

[54ball]

Please help a neophyte! I'm assembling my Kibler Woodsrunner kit and am starting to think about the barrel and what color I'd like to do it. Honestly, I like the look of just leaving it in the white. That's what really appeals to me, other than it being just a tad shiny as is. If I do attempt to color it I would look for just a duller gray at most. Two questions I would really appreciate some advice on:

1. If I leave the barrel and lock as is, in the white (as I understand the term is) and just keep it scrupulously cleaned and oiled, what kind of patina will it develop and over what period of time? Will it develop any uneven splotches or marks where it's regularly handled? Would the type of oil regularly applied to it make any difference (say gun oil versus bear oil)?

2. Even if I don't want to blue/blacken/brown the barrel, should I at least use a coloring process simply for protection of the barrel? I've seen Jim Kibler's video applying JAX Black Darkener, and a FAQ on the site that mentions a different product called Brass Darkening Solution sold by Historic House. I gather that these products would just make it a duller gray. Any insight or recommendations on either, or the advisability of either?

Again, I could really use y'all's experience, as this is a brave new world for me! I would add that this rifle will see active use in the woods and at the range. I'm bound and determined to kill a deer with it! Thank you!

Enlarge the photos especially the one where this rifle is leaning on the tree where you can see the barrel detail full length.

I wanted this rifle to look as new but it does have quite a few years on it now.

You must do this if you decide this is for you.
The barrel needs to be brought to the white. This means at least wrapping some sand paper around a file and clean up each showing barrel flat.....
Maybe around 300 grit or so. You don’t want it finely polished, just nice clean an even. You must use backed sandpaper. I recommended “drawfiling” with a paper wrapped file.

The lock will need to be disassembled, filed and polished. Say..... 600 emery or so...maybe 800....
It needs to look like a polished 18th Century export lock, not the chrome grille of a 1950 Buick.

Coloring the barrel.....
One, maybe 2 applications of Aqua Fortis to the barrel.
You are not trying to brown it....you just trying to knock it down a little.
Put the AF on let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it off.
Then oil it. This ages the metal a little.

Option 2 is sand the barrel, polish the lock and let the barrel turn on it’s on.

 

[Xenophon]

View attachment 264248View attachment 264249View attachment 264250

Enlarge the photos especially the one where this rifle is leaning on the tree where you can see the barrel detail full length.

I wanted this rifle to look as new but it does have quite a few years on it now.

You must do this if you decide this is for you.
The barrel needs to be brought to the white. This means at least wrapping some sand paper around a file and clean up each showing barrel flat.....
Maybe around 300 grit or so. You don’t want it finely polished, just nice clean an even. You must use backed sandpaper. I recommended “drawfiling” with a paper wrapped file.

The lock will need to be disassembled, filed and polished. Say..... 600 emery or so...maybe 800....
It needs to look like a polished 18th Century export lock, not the chrome grille of a 1950 Buick.

Coloring the barrel.....
One, maybe 2 applications of Aqua Fortis to the barrel.
You are not trying to brown it....you just trying to knock it down a little.
Put the AF on let it sit for a few minutes and wipe it off.
Then oil it. This ages the metal a little.

Option 2 is sand the barrel, polish the lock and let the barrel turn on it’s on.

Thank you, especially for the photos. That’s a beautiful rifle and generally the look I’m going for. I‘d not heard of using AF on the barrel.

 

[Kevin Houlihan]

Rust brown and rust blue while still needing to be oiled, offer some protection to the metal. The products sold by Jax and Historic House "stain" the metal but don't offer any rust protection. That said, I just used Jax Black on a pistol barrel, lock, screws, trigger plate and trigger and also on all of the metal on my Kibler SMR. I like the look. I am a re-enactor so I don't want my guns to look new. I want my guns to look like they've been used for a few years. I oil all of the metal after shooting with Mobil 1 Synthetic engine oil. Seems to keep it rust free.
Good luck,
Kevin

 

[user 34300]

I now brown all my guns. Once you get the hang of it, it is not difficult. I do not have the patience to let them acquire natural patina.

 

[wiscoaster]

OP, if you want to leave it in-the-white, do it, but be sure you draw file, sand and absolutely polish it to as high a degree as possible. Rust cannot get a hold on an absolutely mirror-smooth surface. Make it look like it's stainless steel. Then keep it lightly oiled with gun oil. If you keep it clean and lightly oiled, being sure to clean after shooting, there's no reason it should develop any patina at all. I've got steel guns that I've deblued and polished and they're still bright and shiny after several years. Unfortunately I can't name names or post pics here because they're "cartridge guns". But they are examples of "it can be done."

Frankly, I think an in-the-white barrel on your Woodsrunner would look awfully dang cool, and would be a statement on your individual artistic imprint on that rifle. I get awfully tired of builds that look the same as all the others. Way too much curly maple out there, for example. That's why I'm thinking of cherry and in-the-white for my next build, if and when I get around to it. Some other things need to get done first, though.

 

[Terry Lightle]

Not a Kibler,I heated my barrel just enough to fire blue it.Does not take nearly as much heat as people think.Does not last a really long time but patina starts taking over immediately.Would post a picture of mine but posting pics above my skills.You can also wipe barrel with cleaning patches as you clean after shooting and patina happens pretty quickly.My barrel is a Colerain.

 

[Xenophon]

Rust brown and rust blue while still needing to be oiled, offer some protection to the metal. The products sold by Jax and Historic House "stain" the metal but don't offer any rust protection. That said, I just used Jax Black on a pistol barrel, lock, screws, trigger plate and trigger and also on all of the metal on my Kibler SMR. I like the look. I am a re-enactor so I don't want my guns to look new. I want my guns to look like they've been used for a few years. I oil all of the metal after shooting with Mobil 1 Synthetic engine oil. Seems to keep it rust free.
Good luck,
Kevin

Thanks. That's an important point about those two stains not offering any rust protection. I didn't know that.

 

[Xenophon]

OP, if you want to leave it in-the-white, do it, but be sure you draw file, sand and absolutely polish it to as high a degree as possible. Rust cannot get a hold on an absolutely mirror-smooth surface. Make it look like it's stainless steel. Then keep it lightly oiled with gun oil. If you keep it clean and lightly oiled, being sure to clean after shooting, there's no reason it should develop any patina at all. I've got steel guns that I've deblued and polished and they're still bright and shiny after several years. Unfortunately I can't name names or post pics here because they're "cartridge guns". But they are examples of "it can be done."

Frankly, I think an in-the-white barrel on your Woodsrunner would look awfully dang cool, and would be a statement on your individual artistic imprint on that rifle. I get awfully tired of builds that look the same as all the others. Way too much curly maple out there, for example. That's why I'm thinking of cherry and in-the-white for my next build, if and when I get around to it. Some other things need to get done first, though.

It's a cool look isn't it? I don't know that I want to preserve it as shiny, but perhaps just a duller silver; not browned.

I'm obsessive enough that I'll be all over any rust like a duck on a june bug.

 

[54ball]

Thank you, especially for the photos. That’s a beautiful rifle and generally the look I’m going for. I‘d not heard of using AF on the barrel.

AF is a mild acid solution and it will brown a barrel.
I just wiped it on, let it sit and wiped it off.
It just knocks the straight from the bench look away.

Something else you can do is called a French Gray that’s fun and easy.

Take some “cold blue”.
Apply one application of the cold blue.
Leave the sights in.
Take fine 0000 steel wool and rub back the blue until you get the desired light gray.

It’s a very attractive finish.
I do this to antiques ( like my great grandfather’s Stevens .410.)
On the old guns, it gives a finish without looking like the gun was “refinished”. The gun needed something because the steel had been varnished. When the varnish was removed the barrel needed some very slight color in spots.
French Gray was the ticket.

With the sights on the steel wool can’t get into those snooks and crannies....it will be darker there.....I find that pleasing.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I 2nd the French Gray look!

Off-topic, for the etymologists amongst us gray is the more common term in American English, whereas grey is British English.

 

[54ball]

OP, if you want to leave it in-the-white, do it, but be sure you draw file, sand and absolutely polish it to as high a degree as possible. Rust cannot get a hold on an absolutely mirror-smooth surface. Make it look like it's stainless steel. Then keep it lightly oiled with gun oil. If you keep it clean and lightly oiled, being sure to clean after shooting, there's no reason it should develop any patina at all. I've got steel guns that I've deblued and polished and they're still bright and shiny after several years. Unfortunately I can't name names or post pics here because they're "cartridge guns". But they are examples of "it can be done."

Frankly, I think an in-the-white barrel on your Woodsrunner would look awfully dang cool, and would be a statement on your individual artistic imprint on that rifle. I get awfully tired of builds that look the same as all the others. Way too much curly maple out there, for example. That's why I'm thinking of cherry and in-the-white for my next build, if and when I get around to it. Some other things need to get done first, though.

Military muskets were finished bright white.

Only the lock will be bright white on a rifle, even a military rifle of the period.
Manuals recommend darkening, browning “ greening??” Rifle barrels to reduce glare with tinted camphor varnishes....”Handbook for Riflemen”....
The M1803 was browned.
You don’t want a rifle barrel to have a bright white barrel because.....
It has sights.

American rifle barrels were commonly found with no evidence of finish. Of course they have aged brown but many were likely never colored. They turned on their own.

The jest of this is......
Rifle barrels were not polished bright white like a military musket.

Now the lock, yes they were finished bright white. Bright white does clean well and prevent rust like you say.

So.....
Clean bare barrel and a bright white lock is a period finish for a new rifle.

 

[wiscoaster]

...
You don’t want a rifle barrel to have a bright white barrel because.....
It has sights.

....

Quite true ... except ... that long shiny in-the-white barrel in a dark wood stock just looks so dang cool it usually draws an admiring crowd at the range.

 

[BJamesBeck]

I used Jax silver blackener on mine and then rubbed with back fairly bright with a scotchbrite pad. Sort of gives it the French grey look. The nice thing about it is you can adjust the darkness of the finish however dark or light you want it.

 

[Xenophon]

Military muskets were finished bright white.

Only the lock will be bright white on a rifle, even a military rifle of the period.
Manuals recommend darkening, browning “ greening??” Rifle barrels to reduce glare with tinted camphor varnishes....”Handbook for Riflemen”....
The M1803 was browned.
You don’t want a rifle barrel to have a bright white barrel because.....
It has sights.

American rifle barrels were commonly found with no evidence of finish. Of course they have aged brown but many were likely never colored. They turned on their own.

The jest of this is......
Rifle barrels were not polished bright white like a military musket.

Now the lock, yes they were finished bright white. Bright white does clean well and prevent rust like you say.

So.....
Clean bare barrel and a bright white lock is a period finish for a new rifle.

I read that same thing somewhere about the lock being kept in the white and the barrel being lightly colored; being historically correct. That’s what sorta gave me the justification I needed for a look I liked anyway.

Last night I ordered some Jax Black from Kiblers. I like the fact that I can rub it back to my preferred shade. It’ll probably be a very very light shade indeed. Or I may not use it at all. Hell, I’m still kerthunking on it!

 

[BJamesBeck]

I read that same thing somewhere about the lock being kept in the white and the barrel being lightly colored; being historically correct. That’s what sorta gave me the justification I needed for a look I liked anyway.

Last night I ordered some Jax Black from Kiblers. I like the fact that I can rub it back to my preferred shade. It’ll probably be a very very light shade indeed. Or I may not use it at all. Hell, I’m still kerthunking on it!

When you apply it, the barrel will go pretty black. But the more you scotchbrite it, the brighter it will go.

Make sure you use a degreaser on the barrel first or it will be splotchy.

I'd say mine still looks fairly bright from a distance with about half of the Jax rubbed away. And up close it looks like it has a nice patina.

 

[Xenophon]

When you apply it, the barrel will go pretty black. But the more you scotchbrite it, the brighter it will go.

Make sure you use a degreaser on the barrel first or it will be splotchy.

I'd say mine still looks fairly bright from a distance with about half of the Jax rubbed away. And up close it looks like it has a nice patina.
View attachment 264912

Very nice!

 

[IanH]

Oxpho Blue rubbed mostly back:

 

[Rob M.]

Please help a neophyte! I'm assembling my Kibler Woodsrunner kit and am starting to think about the barrel and what color I'd like to do it. Honestly, I like the look of just leaving it in the white. That's what really appeals to me, other than it being just a tad shiny as is. If I do attempt to color it I would look for just a duller gray at most. Two questions I would really appreciate some advice on:

1. If I leave the barrel and lock as is, in the white (as I understand the term is) and just keep it scrupulously cleaned and oiled, what kind of patina will it develop and over what period of time? Will it develop any uneven splotches or marks where it's regularly handled? Would the type of oil regularly applied to it make any difference (say gun oil versus bear oil)?

2. Even if I don't want to blue/blacken/brown the barrel, should I at least use a coloring process simply for protection of the barrel? I've seen Jim Kibler's video applying JAX Black Darkener, and a FAQ on the site that mentions a different product called Brass Darkening Solution sold by Historic House. I gather that these products would just make it a duller gray. Any insight or recommendations on either, or the advisability of either?

Again, I could really use y'all's experience, as this is a brave new world for me! I would add that this rifle will see active use in the woods and at the range. I'm bound and determined to kill a deer with it! Thank you!

Definitely leave it in the white then . It'll just get duller is all . Easy preazy

 

[Medicine Bow]

I 2nd the French Gray look!

Off-topic, for the etymologists amongst us gray is the more common term in American English, whereas grey is British English.

Those are nice colours.