Hawken furniture: Brown or blue?

[Iktomi]

What was the most common way for iron Hawken furniture to be finished? Was it most commonly browned to match the barrel, or was it blued or case colored? I'm finishing up my GPR, and would like to blue if it is correct.

[medbill]

Pretty sure browned is the way to go...

[Iktomi]

That's what I thought, thanks.

[BEAVERMAN]

Mine are all browned, not a lick of brass of any kind

[cb]

Actually being browned is a mis-conception based on the originals which have aged - original rust bluing reverts to the red brwon stage over time.
I talked a while back with Don Stith about originals - Don has disassembled and closely examined more originals than anyone I know and is one of the most learned students of Hawkens there is.
Anyway here's what he had to say,
"The few Hawkens in good enough condition to see original barrel finish are blued. The blue is fairly dark. I like the color I get by doing a satin slow rust brown, followed by boiling the barrel in water to duplicate the color. When doing the rust blue, don't overpolish or you get too bright a color. It is not the deep translucent blue seen on European guns. The rib and thimbles were also blued.
The breech and tang were case hardened as well as the lock, butt plate, trigger guard, trigger bar,entry thimble and nose cap. Not the highly colored case of modern firearms but a mottled grey case that some of the early makers called forge casing. "

This is me...
For the mottled grey case color use Kasenit or to imitate the "look' without case hardening blue it then soak in bleach for no more than a minute or two at most. Wash thoroughly with hot water and soap, let dry, and then scrub back with dish scrub pad or if need be 4/0 steel wool.  Repeat if need be to get the look. Once satisfied, neutralize with hot water and baking soda. Dry thoroughly and then oil. For this blue I use Borchwood Casey Super blue.

For the rust blue on the barrel, etc. Brownell's sells a couple of kits that include instructions. Or you can use LMF and boil in distilled water after each coat.  For the last boil netralize with baking soda and water and then oil - old timers would use linseed oil while the metal was hot leave on for a few minutes and then wipe off the excess. You can finish up with a coat of wax or two.

FWIW - while the classic iron mounted Hawken Mtn Rifles are more "common", there are brass mounted original mtn rifles (not just their local small bore cheap rifles) still extant.

[Iktomi]

Excellent info cb, thanks.

[medbill]

Dang learn something every day!  I might have to talk to a certain smith in Wyoming about a Hawken he's building me.

[swampman]

Brownells OXPHO-BLUE® will do a pretty good job of looking like rust blue.

[Captchee]

to often we forget that the popularity of browning  is relatively short in comparison of other forms .
Rust black or rust bluing is  just the use of  Black iron oxide Or the converting  or red iron oxide to black
. I have used Ox blue as a cold blue  . Its completely different  then rust black  both in color and texture.   Like Perma blue , it’s a dye  not an oxide .  It  does leave a nice dark blue black . But when compared side by side  to an oxide  finish , the difference is very apparent .
 Red Iron oxide “ brown”  will grow on top of black iron oxide . So over a long  period time if not kept  oiled  rusting will naturally  happen . Which means it will brown .
A good extreme example of this  would be to look at an old iron pipe   that has been aloud to rust away .
 If w cut it  what we see is  different layers and colors  of oxides  that have formed  as the iron rusted through
 My self , I would have to agree with CB on this . Black  and fire bluing would be  what IMO would be  the most common for a new hawkens . Now that being said  I also don’t think browning  would be totally out of the question  as it would naturally happen over time . Add that  with  many gunsmiths offering browning during the early 1800’s  and I don’t think it could be discounted .
 But overall we have to keep in mind that bluing and  bright  pre date browning in popularity  for a considerable time .
 So my  advice would be  to do what you  like , unless your reproducing a completely documental piece .  
 Now that being said if you trying to  stay somewhat true , stay away from the  metal dyes . The final colors as well as longevity of the products themselves  do not compare  with period applications .
 That  being  said as well . I myself do enjoy the dark cobalt blues  of fire bluing wich can with some products be reasonably achieved

[swampman]

Some folks just don't how to use it.

[Captchee]

ok so following the instructions , it does not look like rust black  

[swampman]

That is correct.

[doulos]

I just had a Stith hawken put together for me and i decided on browning it.  It looks good.