doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Various Rust Bluing Solutions....

I have now tried 3 commercially available rust bluing solutions--Pilkingtons, Brownells and Laurel Mountain Forge--for standard rust bluing. I polish to 320 at least, sometimes to 400, never beyond that. I boil for 12-15 minutes in distilled water (stainless steel tank). I do the first rust for an hour, then recoat, rust for another hour. Other rustings about 1 1/2 hrs.

I find Pilkingtons easiest to use, most consistent and best results.
Next I think I like the Laurel Mountain Forge. I have tended to use it when I am having a problem getting a particular area to blue correctly but I may use it more in the future as a general bluing solution.
Last choice is Brownells. It leaves a less-than-perfect finish, sort of cheesy looking.

I am hoping there will be some others to chime in.

Gil,
The only rusting agent I have used so far is Laurel Mountain Forge's. I first sand the barrels with 220 grit cloth backed, and move to 320 grit cloth backed going in one direction only. The first set of sxs barrels I did were in a large clear plastic bag with a cup of hot water and let sit for 3 1/2 hours. I then put them in a 48" long x 6" x 6" aluminum tank I built with a lid that I used for steam bending chair backs. I leave them in there for 5 minutes with a Coleman two burner camp stove under them. I then take them outside and run cold water over them as I am cardilng them with a brown Scotch Brite pad. Same procedure about 5 times or until barrel looks right.
I like to do Damascus barrels and I use the same process but use the etchant (Radio Shack) after the second rusting and leave them in a vertical pvc tank for 10 seconds and then bring them outside and card them the same way under running water.

After the first attempt at rusting I made a plywood box 36" long x 6" x 6" with a lid and use a hot plate to keep the water warm, and also have a hole cut in the top where I can put a lamp with a shroud around it in the hole to help with moisture. Works well.
I tried doing a Damascus barrel in the winter, and could not get enough moisture to rust properly. It came out blotchy. I'll have to do it over again.

Gil,

I have had excellent results with Pilkington's formula. I now mix my own rust blue solution based on Dr. Gaddy's formula as given in the Double Gun Journal. The final result is identical to Pilkington's. I live in dry Arizona and have to let the barrels rust for at least 8-10 hours. I even have a humidity chamber that is heated to about 90 degrees. When I lived in damp Portland, Oregon, the rusting time was somewhat less.

I would like to know what you do to get the barrels to rust so quickly.

I've used Laurel Mountain and Gun Goddess from Half Moon Rifle Shop. I prefer the Gun Goddess.

never heard of gun goddess,where can you get it.i tried to google the name of the gun shop.all i got was directions.

It's Jim Baiar's own formula, and I believe he only sells direct.
He doesn't have a website, give him a call. Very nice fellow, also carries other rust bluing items.

Half Moon Rifle Shop
Columbia Falls, MT.
406 892 4409

I've used Pilkingtons and WinRest.com. I prefer the latter though they are pretty close to identical in results.

I always polish to at least 600 grit, sometimes 800 or more. Just what I prefer.

Brent

I'm about 1/4 of the way through my first true rust blue and am using Brownell's own formula. I'm doing the barrels for a .303 British double that I've just finished building. So far so good. I did have to turn on the light bulbs in the bottom of my drying cabinet and add a pan of water in order to get good rusting. In the past I've always used Herter's Belgian Blue. My big problem with mixing your own is that almost all of the formulas, including most of Angier's are way too vague on the strength of the various chemicals. "nitric acid" doesn't cut it. Is it 10%, 20%, 50%, or what? Makes a huge difference!

Biggest problem I find is getting all the chemicals together, always seems to be at least one chemical unobtainable for any of Angiers formulae.
Anyone got a formula with readily available ingrediants?
Peter Dyson does a good one which works fantastically without side issues.Right first time every time.

Angier was in my opinion very thorough in describing all his chemicals. Nitric Acid in his formulas were universally listed as having a densithy of D 1.42. In the chapter "Preperation of Solutions" he describes what this is.
The problem today is as Salopian describes, many of the chamicals he lists are virtually un-obtainable today. It now takes an act of Congress to get chemicals 40-50 years ago I could walk into the corner Drug Store & obtain. Ethyl Alcohol for instance when I started bluing so many years ago was simply a bottle of Rubbing Alcohol. Today only Isoprophyl is sold over counter. To obtain the Ethyl requires a trip to the liquor store & paying the Federal "Whiskey Tax" for it.