Easy patina for brass

[scott99]

I suppose everybody knows this one but maybe it will help somebody.

I was black powder shooting and that clean up made me remember the following.

Burned Black powder residue mixed with water will produce a beautiful, durable patina on Brass. Just touch off a SMALL amount of Black powder in a jar lid or something and mix it with a bit of water and apply to brass with a piece of cotton, a rag, your fingers,whatever and you will see an instant patina produced. This patina is very durable (ask any black powder shooter) and depending on the solution will produce finishes from a dull 100 year old look to one that incudes some blue shades as well.

One last thing this solution production will make tons of smelly smoke so its best done outside, the mix itself has quite and smell as well but after application and drying there will be no smell to speak of. If you still think its smelly throw on a bit of oil or better yet a Black powder patch lubricant (Bore Butter) and you should be all set.

scott99 :hammer:

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Scott

Yes, an excellent patina on brass alright. Anyone that has shot lever action loads with black powder can tell you just how good it discolours brass.

We used to blacken our foresights by making a little pile of black powder and setting the sights in it................then touching it off and afterwards oiling. They stayed black for a very long time......................and it was a lot of fun

Cheers
Andrew

 

[RedfordTrails]

Cool, I've tried "silver black" on brass and it didn't work. I've used paint ever since. Have to give this a try.

 

[DKanger]

I've tried "silver black" on brass and it didn't work

I don't know what silver black is, but any regular cold blue will work. IF you aren't a BP shooter, it's a lot more convenient to have a bottle of SuperBlue on the shelf than a lb. of BP that you'll never use.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Yeah, but super blue isn't as much fun as black powder

Cheers
Andrew

 

[monk]

yes, andrew-- esp if the person is a smoker !

 

[Sam]

One of the most beautiful brass patinas I've seen is using vapors of aqua ammonia. Place the article on a riser in an airtight container and pour in a small amount of aqua ammonia and close the lid. The vapors will brown the brass evenly and beautifully. I learned this from Lynton McKenzie a long time ago.

CAUTION: Aqua ammonia is your worst nightmare as far as ammonia goes. It's many MANY times stronger than household ammonia and I'm not sure how safe the stuff is to work with.

 

[flyingmedwards]

I really don't want to suck the fun outa this thread by suggesting that playing with black powder and fire is a bad idea but in a classroom situation I like Birch Wood Casey Brass black.... It reduces the number of injury reports I might have to write for my jewelry class!

Mike

 

[Willem Parel]

Here a couple of more suggestions.
http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/patinaformulas.htm

 

[Phil Coggan]

We used to blacken our foresights by making a little pile of black powder and setting the sights in it................then touching it off and afterwards oiling. time......................and it was a lot of fun

Yes but did you also lick the sight to cut down the glare like Gary Cooper:biggrin:

Phil

 

[BJREBUCK]

I've tried most of the chemical substitutes for good old BP. They are effective, but, way too hard to keep lit.

 

[scott99]

Hi, I get my black powder residue after dragging out a long rifle and going shooting. I suppose that is why I put the word EASY into my original mail. It sure does a nice job when used, but as I have seen in the replys ther are many ways to darken brass, but although its a bit dirty it has none of the components to breathe in like some of the suggestions I have read.

Every idea has many solutions

scott99