Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: SAWMA on January 06, 2009, 02:36:12 PM

Title: Brown Finish!
Post by: SAWMA on January 06, 2009, 02:36:12 PM

My winter project has been a small bag axe. The head i decided to cold brown after seeing it on the finished maple handle.

I have been putting Tru Brown on, at morning and evening for a week now, and it still looks splotchy. Will it ever mellow out with an even finish? First time thing for me, and i might need to learn some tricks.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!

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Post by: Riley/MN on January 06, 2009, 03:43:30 PM

Did you de-grease good before you started?

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Post by: wwpete52 on January 06, 2009, 07:49:48 PM

All browning chemicals are not created equal.  There are better options than Tru Brown.  Mountain Laurel Forge makes the best. You don't even have to use a degreaser.  I've used several different brands but this is by far the best.
http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/instructions.htm (http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/instructions.htm)

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Post by: Uncle Russ on January 06, 2009, 09:09:49 PM

Quote from: "wwpete52"

All browning chemicals are not created equal.  There are better options than Tru Brown.  Mountain Laurel Forge makes the best. You don't even have to use a degreaser.  I've used several different brands but this is by far the best.
http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/instructions.htm (http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/instructions.htm)

I second that notion, Pete.
I've played around with a few of these over the years, and Laurel Mountain seems, IMO, to stand head and shoulders above whatever is in second place.

Uncle Russ...

Title: Brown
Post by: SAWMA on January 07, 2009, 08:23:05 AM

Yes i did degrease. The Laurel Mountain directions had this idea which i will try. Thanks for the info.

After letting the second coat work for 3 to 12 hours, again depending on your application conditions, rub the surface of the barrel with a piece of coarse cloth dipped in hot tap water.  This step removes the surface scale that has built up and evens the brown.  After scrubbing the barrel, flood the surface with hot tap water and dry.  Repeat the cycle of applying Barrel Brown, letting the application work and then scaling the barrel, 4 to 5 times more until the desired color has been achieved.

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Post by: mike rumping on January 07, 2009, 04:23:30 PM

part of the problem might be that for browning to work, it has to be in a humid area.  Winter is a dry time with our furnaces taking moisture out of the air.

Title: Brown!
Post by: SAWMA on January 08, 2009, 08:58:11 AM

And trying to heat with a wood stove probably makes it worse humidity wise. It just ain't easy! :-)  Thanks Mike

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Post by: Riley/MN on January 08, 2009, 09:46:24 AM

One could make a sweat box that contains a low watt lamp bulb and a wet towel. That was recommended to me by the original producer of Tru-Brown...