First try at Rust Browning

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

So I acquired a Kimber years ago that had a worn finish. The gun looked shabby, but shot great. It never really bothered me until I realized there was a process that I could probably do without screwing it up. Rust blueing. After much research, I figured I would give it a shot. What have I got to lose? I had the perfect candidate. I used Laurel Mountain Forge Barrel brown solution and ended up using 6 coats. This is what I ended up with. It's not perfect, but I am happy with the way it turned out...especially for my first attempt at rust blueing. It's so easy a caveman can do it!

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[osteodoc08]

A Kimber that shoots well?! Say it ain't so! :kidding:

looks nice. Any before pics?et us know how it holds up.

[TXGunNut]

It looks a little odd but I like it. Good job!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Thanks. Here is the before.

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[Whiterabbit]

Id have blued it, but not bad. the blue can take a brownish hue under scrutiny and makes it look really nice. Of course, it's easy enough to do again if you don't like it at any time :)

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

But you can see a blued 1911 anywhere LOL. Yeah if it doesnt grow on me I will just blue it. Easy enough.

[500MAG]

I think it looks pretty good. Definitely will get some looks at the range.

[osteodoc08]

It looks like the color on the Sig Spartan

[bedbugbilly]

I think it looks great! You did a nice job on it - be proud of your work!

[JeffG]

Personally I like the brown and think it looks better than blued. You are right, how many like that will you see? People will Want to see it Because it isn't blued. Only gun I've browned is a Lyman Plains Pistol kit I did about 20 years ago, It looks fabulous.


But you can see a blued 1911 anywhere LOL. Yeah if it doesnt grow on me I will just blue it. Easy enough.

[44man]

Brown is not rust blue, different chemicals. You use heat with brown but not with rust blue, you use a moisture box. Very hard to rust blue. I brown muzzle loaders. The finest shotguns were rust blued because hot blue would ruin solder joints. Not nice to have barrels come apart.
But a brown gun is just as pretty as blue so don't get in a wad. I like it!

[kweidner]

looke nice. I like different. If everyone else can find it easily I am not interested. Probably why I like my Dan's and my customs.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Actually the Laurel Mountain solution I used will both rust brown and rust blue. The only difference is to get a blued finish you have to boil the part before carding off the rust. I did not boil after each coat. The boiling basically turns the rust color a bluish black color.

[44man]

Laural Mountain makes the best stock stain on earth. It is all I will ever use.
Nice to hear you can get blue too.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

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This was my first attempt at a rust blue.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Looks great! Nice even finish. What solution did you use? How many coats? Did you boil? Thanks!

[captaint]

Nice job 2Anut. I love rust blue. You too, Ill Coy hunter. Good work. Mike

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Looks great! Nice even finish. What solution did you use? How many coats? Did you boil? Thanks!

It was a Brownells brand brown/blue.

Yes I boiled in between about 8 coats. The barrel and cylinder came out a slightly lighter slate grey color while the frame got almost black. Only really noticeable in certain lights such as a camera flash.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Another angle. The presentation grade targets are what make the gun look really nice.
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[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Looks very nice! Rust blueing is crazy. Just when you think that it is going to turn out horrible and you wonder why you are RUSTING your gun on purpose.....it turns out looking great!

[seaboltm]

Brown is not rust blue, different chemicals. You use heat with brown but not with rust blue, you use a moisture box. Very hard to rust blue. I brown muzzle loaders. The finest shotguns were rust blued because hot blue would ruin solder joints. Not nice to have barrels come apart.
But a brown gun is just as pretty as blue so don't get in a wad. I like it!

Not exactly correct. Browning and rust bluing use the same chemicals. With browning, there is no boiling in water as there is with rust bluing. Both methods develop rust, which can require some type of rusting box in some climates. Rust bluing is very, very easy to do.

General steps to brown: clean metal thoroughly, apply acid to create rust, card rust, apply acid to create rust, card rust. Keep the cycle going until the desired color is reached.

General steps to rust bluing: clean metal thoroughly, apply acid to create rust, boil in water for 20 minutes, card the black oxide, apply acid to create rust, etc through the cycle until the depth of bluing and uniformity is achieved.

As you can see, there is not much difference between browning and rust bluing.

[seaboltm]

It looks like the color on the Sig Spartan

Actually, you are exactly right, it does!

[RED333]

Nice work guys!!!

[Silver Hand]

Wile reading, I didn't think much for what you were doing! Seeing the results of your work leaves me impressed.
Nice work.
Silver Hand

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Many thanks!!!

Decided to give it a shot on my old Kel-Tec that was well worn. Here is how it turned out. I rust blued this one.

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[2ndAmendmentNut]

Many thanks!!!

Decided to give it a shot on my old Kel-Tec that was well worn. Here is how it turned out. I rust blued this one.

110891

How did you get the polymer frame to rust?

[44man]

Blue and brown are really rust. Yes, gun blue is RUST. Oxide is harder then base metal. It will also hold lube better.
Long ago I bought US Barrel Blue. Boil parts and swab with the hot solution, The jar was hung in the boiling water. The stuff would equal S&W blue. Parts were swabbed and put back in the boiling water. I don't know where the stuff went. Not good for large parts anyway.
Browning meant heating enough so a swab sizzled. Rust came instantly to be carded off and more coats applied. Cold blue took time with moisture to rust before carding. More control then other methods.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

To get polymer to rust you need pixie dust.

[Old Caster]

I used Herters rust blue that was called Herters Belgian Blue in about 1958 to blue a Stevens 311 20 gauge shotgun I got from my grandfather. I used a 2 burner gas stove and a piece of gutter with the ends bent up and it worked great and still looks good to this day. It can now be bought from Brownells and is still called Belgian Blue. It is fairly cheap and not complicated but a fair amount of work. It does take heat though as it needs to be in boiling water including the bottle of blue. Immediately upon taking the part out it must be swabbed with the blue and then put back in to keep hot. After a few times when it starts to look dull, it is necessary to wipe the part with fine steel wool until it is shiny and then done all over again about a minimum of 5 times and better about 10. When you are finished put a ridiculous amount of oil on the piece for several weeks so rust won't ensue.

[alrighty]

Great looking job on all of them , I like the color of the Kimber.

[44man]

I used Herters rust blue that was called Herters Belgian Blue in about 1958 to blue a Stevens 311 20 gauge shotgun I got from my grandfather. I used a 2 burner gas stove and a piece of gutter with the ends bent up and it worked great and still looks good to this day. It can now be bought from Brownells and is still called Belgian Blue. It is fairly cheap and not complicated but a fair amount of work. It does take heat though as it needs to be in boiling water including the bottle of blue. Immediately upon taking the part out it must be swabbed with the blue and then put back in to keep hot. After a few times when it starts to look dull, it is necessary to wipe the part with fine steel wool until it is shiny and then done all over again about a minimum of 5 times and better about 10. When you are finished put a ridiculous amount of oil on the piece for several weeks so rust won't ensue.
Good to know, I did use Herter's long ago.
I still say the acids, etc are different for blue or brown. I did hot blue at one time but now prices and shipping are out of sight unless you have many jobs. The more times you bring salts to temperature the less time they last.