Another browning question

[Devodud]

I've gone through 6 coats of LMF Browning and the barrel is getting a nice even looking coverage. THe brown looks good at arms length but upon closer inspection things look different. The majority of the barrel is dark chocolate brown, but the lower portions or bottoms of the "etching" are a much lighter brown than than top smoothish surface. I tried to get a picture to no avail, the light portions didn't show up in the picture, I'll try when again the sun comes up.

The question is....will these lighter speckles darken up when I rub the barrel down with oil/ bath in oil or do I need to continue adding layers of brown?

 

[Vaino]

After carding, use a tooth brush and water to get the dried rust out of the etching. If this works and you're satisfied...you're done. After applying oil or wax, the color will become richer and darker.....Fred

 

[Devodud]

I'll try that. If it works I'll move on to neutralize and wax!

 

[don hepler]

Between coats, I rub the barrel down with duck or canvas cloth. Stiff Denium might work as well. Stroke the LMF on very lightly, with cotton swab, or it will copper and streak. If you wet the barrel, with water, you will see where your finish color is. After you neutralize, keep your eyes on it for a few days. It will rust like a pipe, before you know it. I like to wax the barrel, with Johnson's paste wax, or even better Renaissance wax.

 

[Devodud]

The Browning finished and sat in an oil bath for 24 hours. I took it out yesterday and mounted it to the rifle. All looks good and I am happy with the results.

 

[don hepler]

I'm not sure if the 24 hour oil bath will neutralize it or not. Once you wipe a fair amount of the oil off, the rust process is likely to start over. Most people use baking soda and water in a paste to make the rusting process neutralize. Ammonia will also work. There is a lot of acid taking place during the rusting process and it needs to be more alkaline to stop it. Oil will take away the oxygen, but it would not completely stop the process after it dries out. You might want to keep an eye on it. I know, I have let it rust so bad that it pitted, and it happened in a short period of time.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Amen. Give it plenty of time in the winter time to satisfy yourself that it is completely neutralized. the browning process in winter might take a couple of weeks to get done what would only take 2-3 days in July. Likewise you'll have to be that much more patient to make sure it's done rusting this time of year too. Trust but verify.

 

[M. De Land]

Nice results can be achieved in a shower but a vertical rusting cabinet with fan,hot plate, thermometer and hydrometer is the way to go for repeatable results you can make happen anytime of the year.
They're not hard to make either.
Make sure to get all the soda off as well when neutralizing the LMF.

 

[Devodud]

I'm not sure if the 24 hour oil bath will neutralize it or not. Once you wipe a fair amount of the oil off, the rust process is likely to start over. Most people use baking soda and water in a paste to make the rusting process neutralize. Ammonia will also work. There is a lot of acid taking place during the rusting process and it needs to be more alkaline to stop it. Oil will take away the oxygen, but it would not completely stop the process after it dries out. You might want to keep an eye on it. I know, I have let it rust so bad that it pitted, and it happened in a short period of time.

I neutralized with ammonia before it went in the oil bath, its still looking good after several days.

 

[Devodud]

Amen. Give it plenty of time in the winter time to satisfy yourself that it is completely neutralized. the browning process in winter might take a couple of weeks to get done what would only take 2-3 days in July. Likewise you'll have to be that much more patient to make sure it's done rusting this time of year too. Trust but verify.

Considering it was between 85 and 88 degrees during the days I was browning, I'll consider it June instead of Dec/Jan...... YOu've got to love Florida