Loads for damascus shotguns
- Thread starter roba
- Start date
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
yep the pattern is worn a bit etching would bring it back
This is the best way I've come up with to turn a gun into a display gun without ruining it.
NorthCoastBigBore
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Northwest BC (Rural) 103-I-##
there that seems to be helping
cheers mooncoon
That is beautiful!
As many have probably suspected, I don't actually etch in the usual sense of the word. I have tried wiping 30% nitric on a barrel but that just leaves a frosted appearance. I did try weaker solutions of nitric and I suspect that would probably result in much the same but not as fast. W Greener (father of WW) recommended immersing the barrel(s) in a strong copper sulphate solution for (can't remember the timer period; possibly minutes to an hour or so). Some barrels have quite noticeable grooves and etched in them and I assume they used copper sulphate.
I rust my barrels using Oscar Gaddy's method more or less. His solution is very similar to several found in Angier's book. The principle solution contains mercuric chloride, some ferric chloride, a small amount of nitric acid and some alcohol and mostly water. I think the alcohol is to break surface tension and promote more uniform wetting. I draw file and sand the barrels with lots of cutting oil then degrease ultimately with lye then wet the barrel with the rusting solution. Every 12 hours or so, pour very hot water over the barrels and card wet with fine steel wool. Then keep the barrels wetted with a strong ferric chloride solution and card wet again. The back to the first rusting solution. It takes 2 to 4 days of rusting and if the pattern is the tight figure 8 pattern, after the first couple of rustings, it seems to work better if you dilute the rusting solution quite a bit. For my final washing I start with hot water then finish with boiling water. Should be recognized that there is a lot of variation in my success because every set of barrels are a bit different in their composition
cheers mooncoon
mooncoon, your writeup on barrel refinishing is informative and sounds interesting.
I know this process is really an artform and each guy that does it uses a little hocus pocus as well, but are there any kits or recipes that a newcomer can use. I've done a little research but can't find any kind of a starter kit or simple instructions for a novice. Any ideas?
I know this process is really an artform and each guy that does it uses a little hocus pocus as well, but are there any kits or recipes that a newcomer can use. I've done a little research but can't find any kind of a starter kit or simple instructions for a novice. Any ideas?
antiqueguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- windsor ontario
for etching no for browning yes plenty of places have browning "kits"
There are a few rusting solutions available, I think, and you could try alternating a long slow rust (1/2 day) with a 15 minute rust with ferric chloride wiped on, and with wet carding between. I suspect that you might be able to make a rusting solution using a strong solution of potassium nitrate --- dissolve black powder in a cup of warm water and alternate that with ferric chloride. Remember that black powder is 3/4 potassium nitrate and it is an oxidizer.
I think there are a couple of things to keep in mind; one is that you need to card the rusted barrel using lots of water so that the carding is not too aggressive If you card the barrel dry, it will go back to grey again and all bare metal with no rusted strips left on. I also think that it is necessary or at least highly advisable to pour boiling water over the barrel and get it good and hot before carding. I believe the heat changes the rust into a much harder form. Keep in mind that rust (iron oxide) exists in several forms with different properties and I assume that iron must have more than one valence. The ferric chloride rusts seem to darken the darks and lighten the lights to some extent. I also will admit that I am lazy and just use 140 F water from the tap until the last washing when I preheat the barrel(s) with hot water then finish with boiling water. lazy because the kettle is upstairs and I am downstairs. A boiling bath would probably be better but,too much fuss and bother
cheers mooncoon
Pretty sure that the Angier book has old receipes in it. I'll see if I can find my copy.
Double Gun Journal had articles showing different refinishing results. English techniques tended to produce shades of browns. Some Belgian guns were finished "black and white", the steel in the matrix being white, the iron, black. The black was obtained by boiling the barrels, which turned the initial browning to a much darker colour.
Basically, the different irons and steels reacted differently to the oxidizing chemicals, and the mechanical treatment as the chemicals were applied.
Double Gun Journal had articles showing different refinishing results. English techniques tended to produce shades of browns. Some Belgian guns were finished "black and white", the steel in the matrix being white, the iron, black. The black was obtained by boiling the barrels, which turned the initial browning to a much darker colour.
Basically, the different irons and steels reacted differently to the oxidizing chemicals, and the mechanical treatment as the chemicals were applied.
The formula I use, I got originally from Foxfire 5 but it is also more or less identical with that used by Oscar Gaddy in his articles in the Double Gun Journal. His formula in turn is very similar to those in Angier (I have a copy). Angier has several variations of the same thing sort of, with mercuric chloride being the active ingredient. Should mention that mercuric chloride is not particularly soluable in water so that a relatively small amount gives you a saturated solution. The biggest difference with the solution that I use from Foxfire is that I don't normally include copper sulphate although I will add a tiny amount if I am having a hard time getting a pattern to develop. If my memory is correct Gaddy also did not use copper sulphate in his solution. He also achieved results far in excess of mine
cheers mooncoon
hahaha 
