doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Browning barrels - redux

After 4 cycles of using the Laurel Mtn. solution I have a fairly uniform coat of 'rust' but when scaled with the denim there is little to no pattern showing on the laminated steel. does this come out later or am I doing something wrong. Should more of the rust be removed during the scaling?

(Previous recommendations, which were appreciated, on using the Mark Lee solution came right after the L.M. method was started.)

Thanks for the help!

Welder,
You should take each rusting down to metal with OOO steel wool or a carding brush. Then each subsequent rusting will begin adding figure.
Are you carding with denim? If so, that will not give you any figure but only layers of brown.

Are you etching the barrels in an acid solution before you do your carding?

I think etching does help bring out more figure. I use a mild HCL and Nitric Acid soln. I am dubious about the Copper Sulfate etching as I can not tell any difference.
However laminated steel barrels are easier and give great results without etching in my opinion.

I understand that Ferric Chloride solution is good because it removes the rust at two different rates depending on the carbon content of the metal. There by enhancing the pattern with more contrast. It is available from Radio Shack as circuit board etchant.

That is good to know, I have never browned a set without etching. I might try that in the future to see how the pattern/color differs.

I use the Radio Shack circuit board etchant solution(ferric chloride) cut to 9 parts distilled water to 1 part etchant solution. I mix up about a gallon of this solution to completely submerge a barrel in my dip tank.

As to the original poster, if after several more rusting/carding iterations you are still not developing pattern, you may have to consider etching. It is not difficult to do, but does require a small investment in equipment, i.e. etchant of some sort, and a dip tank.

Thank you the input. Am doing this with a co-worker who is working on some muzzle loader barrels (have a later question on these if I can figure out how to post pix.).

We think the rusting worked too good and the denim didn't take much rust off at all. Removed all rust back to bare metal and with Scotch-brite and tried the copper sulfate dip. When rinsed off - wham, lots of figure! Monday the rusting starts and will update all.

The help is much appreciated!