browning

I am trying to brown a Green Mountain barrel. After around ten coats of Laurel Mountain browning solution I am giving up. It is not taking in some areas. I draw filed the barrel and sanded wit 320 paper. Using shower for sweat box. As I start anew any ideas? Thank you!

Use detergent and hot water.
Degrease and wear clean gloves. Any trace of oil will give you the results you are getting.

Phil is right on target. I often follow up a detergent/water bath with acetone. A box of neoprene surgical gloves is a small investment. Be aware of oil/grease bleeding out from the breechplug/barrel joint. Also, use a minimal amount of solution, just enough to barely dampen the surface. Too much solution will eat through previous layers of oxide and cause blotches.

Yes, very important to just dampen the applicator, I like cotton makeup pads, and go in one stroke across the top
Folding over the sides, one on the bottom
Don’t rub
Only go in long one swipe

Don't be too frustrated. Unless you're hanging it in a high humidity area like a shower or steam box, in most places, this time of year the humidity in your house might be only about 20%. (It is in mine.) Just give it a little more time than it might require in the summer months.

I found that using finer finishing grits to polish the barrel didn't help. I'd try roughing it up from the 320 you used to 220 grit or so. You could try this on a bottom surface so if you don't like the result it won't be seen since you've already polished to finer grit.

boombyspark said:

I am trying to brown a Green Mountain barrel. After around ten coats of Laurel Mountain browning solution I am giving up. It is not taking in some areas. I draw filed the barrel and sanded wit 320 paper. Using shower for sweat box. As I start anew any ideas? Thank you!

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Do exactly what Phil said. Degrease with acetone, wear gloves. Apply in one direction and do not rub it in. My last one took four applications before I got a good look.

If you are getting spots that aren't taking the solution it's not clean. Wear rubber gloves clean it with Dawn and warm water or acetone . Then clean it again. And then one more time. I went through the same problem your having but was using a different browning solution. Just my 2 cents worth. Enjoy your day.

I found that warming the barrel helps tremendously. Degreasing, as most have said here, is critical. Good luck!

I usually do my browning in the winter when I can keep the barrel warm next to the woodstove. I made a humidity chamber from a section of PVC pipe. The barrel lays horizontally suspended on blocks by the tang a dowel inserted into the muzzle. Damp paper towels lay under but not touching the barrel. Long swipes with a cotton ball and then steel wool the rust off after 12 hours. The process usually takes a week to completion.

Be sure to apply in one sweeping motion from end to end, one flat at a time. This will avoid the copper colored spots.
I laid mine on the counter. A ramrod built up with tape to a snug fit. And protruding about six inches. The the tang and rod set on a clock of wood sufficiently high enough to clear the counter for rotation purposes. I then applied the top three flats with a q tip I’m thin coats. Using the rod end to rotate to the next 3 flats.
A wire was in the tang to hang it from my shower rod.
I put probably 8 to 10 coats going for a dark brown.

When you get the color you like. And remember only the top five flats show.
With the barrel completely dried over night, wash it well with baking soda/water and let dry.
Then heat it just to the it’s warm to the touch and apply some 30 weight miter oil. Let that stay for 24 hours then use a cotton rag to clean it off.
Worked for me anyway

The above quotes are all on the spot. (Pun intended) I've used a lot of the same solution with good results. The only thing I can add is to use as little on your applicator as possible. Too much will actually remove some of the previous coats. I put a little solution on the applicator and then put it in a baggie for a few hours to distribute evenly on the cloth or whatever you are using.

Plum brown and a torch. Done.

I have had universal success with LMF on GM barrels. I draw file, then blend with maroon scotchbrite. The bore is plugged. A hanger is devised. I degrease with whatever is handy. Carb cleaner, acetone, degreaser for painting cars, dish soap, just do a good job. Wear disposable gloves. Work on clean newspaper. Set the barrel up on something on the bore plug. As previously stated one pass with a damp, and only damp, applicator. If there is enough to run, that is to much. It does not hurt to warm the barrel in cold weather to hasten evaporation. About 100* is enough. Then hang it up for 12-24 hours. I hang it in the shop. No heat, no sweat box. The humidity in my area is low. Temps are normally 50 to 70*. In 12 to 24 hours I have rust. Card carefully. Do not scrub it. My best carding thing is a natural brissel brush 6" wheel run at slow speed on an ancient motor. Some use cloth to card. Don't get after it with steel wool or a coarse wire brush. A real carding wheel is great if you want to buy one.

When you're neutralizing, it doesn't hurt to do it a few times. Ammonia, and baking soda paste followed with a water wash are the most common ways to do it.

I've used plum brown heated with a hand torch for years. It always seems to work. Sometime you need to let it sit overnight. I just removed blueing from a kentucky flintlock pistol using a commercial solution and browned it. It only took 3 coats. Bill

Thank you everyone. Lots of good ideas for next rifle.Finally have success. Removed browning and have redone. This time ran shower to get bathroom steamed up. Hung in shower (wife didn't like that), for max two hours. Three coats gave me a nice brown. Was done in less than 8 hours.So that's the trick. I will be building a sweat box. I assume that the changing humidity conditions of the days make the difference.

I do not neutralize. I rinse well with plain water. I have never been able to stop after rust with ammonia or baking soda. I expect there to be about a week of after rust. I am fine with the after rust it. It evens the finish up. It will run it's course.

When the part is boiled in water that does stop the after rust. It also turn the part blue or black.

Careful with sweat boxes. IF you put a cold part in in a warm humid box water will condense on the metal and ruin the finish. I had a sweat box and was never happy with the result. I threw it away.

Being patient works better for me. I do one application and carding per day. IT is not a race. : )

Scota@4570 said:

I do not neutralize. I rinse well with plain water. I have never been able to stop after rust with ammonia or baking soda. I expect there to be about a week of after rust. I am fine with the after rust it. It evens the finish up. It will run it's course.

When the part is boiled in water that does stop the after rust. It also turn the part blue or black.

Careful with sweat boxes. IF you put a cold part in in a warm humid box water will condense on the metal and ruin the finish. I had a sweat box and was never happy with the result. I threw it away.

Being patient works better for me. I do one application and carding per day. IT is not a race. : )

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I never used a sweat box. My first cold brown took almost three weeks in a dry environment