• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

how to antique brass?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Why not actuall use what you're wanting aged.
Not trying to be argumentative but why?
Do you honestly think our ancestors got new brass buttons or brass hardware on a gun and said oh manure i dont want to look like a newbie so better age this?
Be authentic to yourself, use your gear and let it age naturally.
well I have been shooting BP since about 1973, started handloading in 1967 and still do today. started boolit casting in 82, I have been doing my own gunsmithing for longer than I can recollect, I have killed more SC deer than there are grey hairs in my head, LOL, no offence taken here brother, but I ain't worried about being called a "newbie" I just like the look of aged brass and am to impatient to wait! haha. was wondering what the good folks here did. I put the cold blue on mine and it came out good. I thank everybody for there input,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
I apply 44/40 gun blue to the brass and rub 'til I'm satisfied. ....not really dark, but that of a gun that has aged somewhat. Don't like shiny brass, but that's my preference...others may differ......Fred
 

Attachments

  • LehtoL245EPBVhi.jpg
    LehtoL245EPBVhi.jpg
    63.3 KB · Views: 71
Greetings,
Ammonia is very harsh (etches) metal esp iron/steel. A reason I'm fairly loud against such solutions (Windex) when cleaning corrosive ammo in modern guns with a mixture... As to the newbie/greenhorn debate, sorry guys... that is a reenactorism. Anyone that has spent time hurrying up and wait... or getting yelled at and running to obscure locations... knows that when there was down time, you must look busy and give your metal items a shine. A reason so many of the blued P53 Enfields were rubbed to a armory bright... Glistening bayonets anyone? Uniforms aside (and thats a debate) it's a reenactorism to dull, tarnish, wear Certain items. Yeah stock wood will get bumped and dinged, but the metal was clean, if it was bright, keep it bright... many times if it wasnt bright... make it bright. Remember there was intense pride in a units equipment and professionalism. You are proudly representing your state and community on the field and you were going to let your enemies know it!

Anyway, I would follow the other suggestions to let it age with use/rub it wirh a soiled patch, cold blue, brass black... Avoid amonia and other harsh chemicals and trust me, just shooting it it will dull the shine. But please consider, even non-martial guns; long rifles etc. were somewhat pricey and you wanted to maintain it and take pride in the piece. Not only could you hit a deer tick off a kitten at.... whatever pace, but to look like you could as well. Dont need a very bright high polish shine like on some of the repros... Now its personal preference, restorations require some aging to match whats there etc. , and also tarnish is visually pleasing, it depends on your goal. Hope this helps and good luck, btw there are some nice examples on this post.
Joe
 
I am a retired Pro FF. In the fire houses I worked all brass MUST shine. Noxon was the stuff ammonia based with some grit. Wipe on ley dry polish off with elbow grease. Don't eva use this to clean you brass it will be shinny new. [never saw a pole break due to cracks from using it and some of the houses had poles over 100 year old.]

If you want the butter flavored brass patina black powder fowling and time.
 
Is there any evidence that civil war soldiers were not required to keep their brass polished as today's soldiers are? It strikes me as odd that a soldier in 1863 would carry a rifle or wear a uniform that looks 150 years old.
 
well the gun is 30 years old and I have had it a short time, somebody kept it polished. I am 63 years old and if I wait on it to turn somebody else may see it before me! LOL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Rubbing it down a few times with dirty cleaning patches will do it in less than a month.
 
For years I darkened brsss with dirty patches. Works well. A while back I bought a bottle of Jim Kiblers brass/steel aging solution. It comes in a quart sized bottle that should last forever. Works superbly and produces a dark brown finish in brass, dark grey in steel, either which can be worked down with an abrasive to suite ones tastes.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top