refinishing but antique look

Smokepole

Smokepole

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B.C.- Central Interior
I have an antique Mortimer percussion shotgun in fair/good condition. I'm shooting it and have already done some repairs to it, including replacing improvised ramrod pipes and 'recrowning' the muzzle.
This gun came to me almost 'in the white', ie; almost zero original finish on the barrel and fittings. Perhaps someone has cleaned it up with steel wool in the past. I'm thinking of re-browning it, but I want to keep the worn look of years of service. My plan is to brown it, then work the finish down to show metal again in the high use areas and soften the rest a bit. I'm planning on using Birchwood Casey browning solution (I've never used it before).
My question is this: Has anyone done this before? Does anyone have experience browning a damascus barrel? What can I expect as a antiqued/refinished product? Will the damascus pattern be enhanced?
I'm not too concerned about the collector's value, as it has very little in its present condition anyway (although it is a Mortimer). I bought this gun as a project, and I want to have a good shooter that looks old, not re-finished.
Any further suggestions?
 
I used the browning on a match lock from dixie gun works but is not Damascus I think rust browning in a humador works better you can get that sulution from dixie gun works I beleive but is far more work.
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I have never used any of the commercial browning solutions but I have refinished at least 30 damascus barrels. My personal vote would be to try and bring out the pattern and justify it on the basis that I think that british guns were often refinished plus the pattern looks nice to start with :>) I think one suggestion would be to use a slow rusting solution and card the barrels wet then etch them for 10 - 20 minutes with ferric chloride solution which I think you can get from Radio Shack for etching circuit boards. After the ferric, card again and rust again and wash with boiling water after each rusting. It is also important to card the barrel wet; dip your steel wool in water then card then more water. If the wool is dry, it will cut too aggressively and you will be back to bright metal. Also before rusting, degrease with lye after a wipe down with solvent. Finally every barrel is different in its response.
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cheers mooncoon
 
I think the ferric chloride whitens the whites and darkens the darks but the real issue is alternate rusting and etching, I think. With the tight figure 8 patterns, I think it is important to rust slowly after the initial rusting by diluting the rusting solution. With the figure 8 patterns if you keep rusting too aggressively, you lose the pattern and everything is dark. Also wet carding is important or you simply remove all of the rust that you just finished putting on. The barrels above take 2 days or occasionally as long as 4 to bring the pattern out on.
What is interesting is that I had some barrels that I thought were etched because the pattern was so crude and phony looking. Surprisingly they turned out to be real because the pattern came right back after drawfiling and sanding. I have come to think that etched patterns are much less common than people believe. Unless the top rib says "damascus pattern" I think it is probably real damascus

cheers mooncoon
 
BC works well,gave me a deep rich finish on a old Gem rifle.You have to use heat,there is no question.A hand held torch works great.
 
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