doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Old Rust Bluing Juice??

Just tried to use Laurel Mt Barrel Brown on a shotgun part, and all I seem to get is copper plating. Is this because the bottle is 10 yrs old, or is it because the humidity is too low. I rigged up a warmer/damp box, and it looks like it's still showing copper after 12 hrs. Anybody have a clue? Ordering a fresh bottle just to be sure. Boiling after rusting always brought out nice rust bluing in the past(see my 45-100 photos), but it was summertime.

geezer, this is not the ideal climate for rust bluing now. The humidity is low, you need at least 80-85%.

If you read the instructions carefully, it states very light coat and only go one way. If you did this, then I would call them and ask if it is too old.

It turned the copper color because you used too much. You want whatever you use to apply it to only be damp, not wet. And follow David's advice about the instructions, you do not want to overlap any strokes.

LMF Brown is quite fussy about application. I've always had better luck with Wahkon Bay Tru-Brown, which is nitric acid based, LMF brown is not (although I can't remember which acids it's mixed from off the top of my head).

Good luck

Thanks for the info. I did rub several coats on. Will polish off the copper, and try again, with the damp box rig for humidity. I also have a jug of Neidner's formula I brewed up, but that's about 20 yrs old(nitric/HCl/iron nails).

I've had good luck with it. I've also gotten the copper finish when I either rubbed too hard, went over an area already wet or used too much. I generally warm up the piece with a hot air gun before applying. If you're using it for rust bluing try hitting with a hot air gun right out of the boiling tank, dries the water but keeps he barrels warm. Don't know it this really makes a difference but it seems to help me.
Frank

I HAVE USED AND TRIED MANY BROWNS AND THE BEST THAT I HAVE USED IS THE MARK LEE EXPRESS BROWN. BELOW IS A English Richards BBL THAT I FINISHED WITH IT.

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I have had the same weird copper color with Laurel Mountain and quit usingit. I think they have too much copper Sulfate in it and copper sulfate IMO is not even needed for an etching agent.

Using Laurel Mountain.


Both barrels were rusted 6 times, boiled 4 times and etched 4 times. Both of these are on F grade L.C. Smith hammer guns which is unusual.
Without the whole gun refinished, I only do it this many times

Once over and that's it w/LM. That should be the method w/most any cold rust solution, but a few seem to be able to take the scrubb method OK w/o any effects.
L/M doesn't and you'll get the copper plate effect a lot.

If I remember right,L/M doesn'thave any acid in it's ingredients. It's primary rust agent is Ferric Chloride. That's probably to the acidic side of the Ph scale though.
The copper sulfate was added as a 'marker' I recall reading in an article by John Bivins talking about the then reletively new L/M product and it's maker Rick Schreiber (sp?).

I'm no chemist and can't say why any of it works or not. But L/M does if you apply it right. It will work (rust) at very low temps,,like the 64F I keep the house at and what ever the wintertime humidity is in here.
But it's at least a 24hr+ rusting cyle at those numbers.
Hang the parts from the shower rod and close the door after a shower and they'll be rusted just right in about 1 to 2 hrs.

It's just rust after all. Technique is 90% of rustbluing IMO.