Artificially aging brass

**4V50 Gary** · December 28, 2013, 11:48 AM

I'm almost finished with a powder horn I started last semester. It was a lunch time project when I couldn't use a lathe or mill and had time to kill. I scrimshawed the Santa Fe trail on it and some significant (and insignificant) towns on it. It includes Bent's Fort, Fort Union, Santa Fe, Peublo as well as the Sangre de Christo Mountains, Spanish Peaks, Fischer's Peak. It is adorned with critters like the bear, antelope and an mounted Indian about to lance a buffalo.

Anyway, since I can't relief carve the plug (my vise won't hold the horn), I decided to make it a simple dome and to put in a brass filler plug. How can I artificially age the brass? I don't have acid hands and don't know anyone in my immediate area with acid hands (I've a friend who wore out his bluing on his Ruger MK-1 by just handling it).

Pahoo · December 28, 2013, 12:08 PM

Gary,
I sure wish, you could post some pictures of your work. I have traveled many of the areas you have listed and have been to Bent's fort. I work horn and have a small collection of horn and flask. A couple of weeks ago, I picked up the most beautiful charging horn that I have ever seen. I'm sorry to say that I'm not as good as some of the horn makers, I have collected. ...

Anyway, I digress. Dixie makes a Brass-Black black but you can also use and regular spot/cold bluing. When I have to, I Scotch-Bright my brass and then apply the bluing. When I restore or make any Hickory ramrods, I have to darken the tips and sometimes, the thimbles. Good luck and gain, share your work with us. ...

Be Safe !!!

mete · December 28, 2013, 12:43 PM

The internet will give you info on coloring brass . It's used in ares not involving guns too.

Tidewater_Kid · December 28, 2013, 02:45 PM

I found this... Gives several different methods.

http://blog.yourstruli.com/2008/06/g...aged-look.html

TK

PetahW · December 28, 2013, 03:07 PM

.

I use 44-40 liquid cold blue - like the Karate Kid (wipe "on", wipe "off"

).

.

Noz · December 28, 2013, 03:44 PM

Clean all of the coatings off of the brass and rub it with a patch that has been used to clean a black powder gun.

Pahoo · December 28, 2013, 04:14 PM

Quote:

patch that has been used to clean a black powder gun.

In my Buckskinner days, I use to do something similar to this by exposing the cleaned brass to flashing BP as well as open flames. It did work, after a fashion and sometimes got pretty ugly and uncontrollable. The cold bluing is pretty easy. ....

Be Safe !!!

bedbugbilly · December 28, 2013, 06:33 PM

I have used the brass blacking solution - I got mine from Track of the Wolf - I used it earlier this year on the trigger guard and back strap of an '51 Navy I was aging - frankly, I wasn't that impressed with it. The revolver was a Uberti I have - maybe it was the brass but while it "blacked" it, it wasn't a nice "patina". I'd opt for either BP fouling rubbed on or similar - polish it up good and then handle it a lot - in a short time, it'll look old.

I'd also love to see photos of your horn - sounds really nice!

**4V50 Gary** · December 28, 2013, 07:40 PM

Thanks guys. I'd buy some of the stuff from Track of the Wolf, but I already placed my order and then the brass darkening came as an afterthought. I'll try either one of the salt water or vinegar mixtures suggested.

I'm going to have to find out how to post a pic. I can never remember the stuff. The horn was cooked in black rit first and a lot of that came off when it was immersed in a pot with three bags of Lipton Tea. So, it's yellowed and looks worn.

Smoke & Recoil · December 28, 2013, 08:02 PM

I antique my funiture (as in cabinets) handles just by heating them
with a butane torch...you can try this method to with your powder
horn plug. If you don't care for it...you're out nothing, just buff it
off and try your chemicals.

kilimanjaro · December 28, 2013, 08:21 PM

Take all the lacquer off the brass, if any, and toss it in a small fire for a little while. Pull it out, and cool it off. Wipe as clean as you can and you're done.

Also, put it out on the lawn in the open air for a few weeks. Tumble it with a little gravel if you can.

BirchOrr · December 28, 2013, 09:24 PM

The easiest way to accomplish this is to put all your brass parts in an air-tight container (Tupperware) with a rag soaked with ammonia. Don't let the parts touch the liquid. Check the parts every 15 minutes or so until the desired patina/result is achieved. The longer you let it go, the more patina you will get.

Good luck!

Birch

duelist1954 · December 28, 2013, 09:56 PM

Vinigar

FrontierGander · December 28, 2013, 10:18 PM

try big r or the gun shop in down. Look for Birchwood casey brass black.

Gator Weiss · December 29, 2013, 11:13 AM

If you want to age brass, many things stored under your kitchen sink are used by artists for that very purpose.

Drain opener is a very common tool for copper and brass; swabbed or brushed on the surface works very well. If it is applied and removed quickly it will clean the metal. If left on the surface for longer, the surface metal begins to change state and change colors. It is water soluble and cleans up easy. It can be used to clean or color. You have to experiment on a piece of scrap brass so you will know how far and how long and how much to use for a particularly desired result. Use a hog-bristle paint brush to apply. Use cold water to remove.

Potatoe is sometimes used - rubbed on repeatedly and left on for extended times.

CItrus in the form of lemon or limes can be used to change brass and copper.

Washing Soda can be used - especially if in a plastic bucket with a car battery charger attached - the positive cable to a strip or rod of iron (never stainless steel !) or of copper or of zinc, and the negative cable to your art piece. Again experiment.

Heating with open flame - not too hot - and plunging in chilled petroleum oil / motor oil or mineral oil can produce some interesting results in patina.

There are literally dozens of methods you can use on copper and brass to change the surface texture and patina.

Any method you do choose is worthy of first experimenting on a piece of scrap until you are confident you can achieve the desired outcome on your art piece.

Something to keep in mind; Any methods where deep heating occurs are liable to leave results that cant be buffed or shined away. Experiment until you have your technique mastered before you work your piece.

brazosdave · December 29, 2013, 04:04 PM

I achieve the aged patina when i want it on triggerguards and brass frames by using a vinegar solution. Works fine, and you prolly got the stuff in your kitchen.

December 28, 2013, 11:48 AM	#1
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,838	Artificially aging brass I'm almost finished with a powder horn I started last semester. It was a lunch time project when I couldn't use a lathe or mill and had time to kill. I scrimshawed the Santa Fe trail on it and some significant (and insignificant) towns on it. It includes Bent's Fort, Fort Union, Santa Fe, Peublo as well as the Sangre de Christo Mountains, Spanish Peaks, Fischer's Peak. It is adorned with critters like the bear, antelope and an mounted Indian about to lance a buffalo. Anyway, since I can't relief carve the plug (my vise won't hold the horn), I decided to make it a simple dome and to put in a brass filler plug. How can I artificially age the brass? I don't have acid hands and don't know anyone in my immediate area with acid hands (I've a friend who wore out his bluing on his Ruger MK-1 by just handling it). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

December 28, 2013, 12:08 PM	#2
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Old-School rules !!! Gary, I sure wish, you could post some pictures of your work. I have traveled many of the areas you have listed and have been to Bent's fort. I work horn and have a small collection of horn and flask. A couple of weeks ago, I picked up the most beautiful charging horn that I have ever seen. I'm sorry to say that I'm not as good as some of the horn makers, I have collected. ... Anyway, I digress. Dixie makes a Brass-Black black but you can also use and regular spot/cold bluing. When I have to, I Scotch-Bright my brass and then apply the bluing. When I restore or make any Hickory ramrods, I have to darken the tips and sometimes, the thimbles. Good luck and gain, share your work with us. ... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing. Last edited by Pahoo; December 28, 2013 at 03:29 PM.

December 28, 2013, 12:43 PM	#3
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	The internet will give you info on coloring brass . It's used in ares not involving guns too. __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

December 28, 2013, 06:33 PM	#8
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	I have used the brass blacking solution - I got mine from Track of the Wolf - I used it earlier this year on the trigger guard and back strap of an '51 Navy I was aging - frankly, I wasn't that impressed with it. The revolver was a Uberti I have - maybe it was the brass but while it "blacked" it, it wasn't a nice "patina". I'd opt for either BP fouling rubbed on or similar - polish it up good and then handle it a lot - in a short time, it'll look old. I'd also love to see photos of your horn - sounds really nice! __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

December 28, 2013, 07:40 PM	#9
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,838	Thanks guys. I'd buy some of the stuff from Track of the Wolf, but I already placed my order and then the brass darkening came as an afterthought. I'll try either one of the salt water or vinegar mixtures suggested. I'm going to have to find out how to post a pic. I can never remember the stuff. The horn was cooked in black rit first and a lot of that came off when it was immersed in a pot with three bags of Lipton Tea. So, it's yellowed and looks worn. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

December 28, 2013, 02:45 PM	#4
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	I found this... Gives several different methods. http://blog.yourstruli.com/2008/06/g...aged-look.html TK

December 28, 2013, 03:07 PM	#5
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	. I use 44-40 liquid cold blue - like the Karate Kid (wipe "on", wipe "off" ). .

December 28, 2013, 03:44 PM	#6
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Clean all of the coatings off of the brass and rub it with a patch that has been used to clean a black powder gun.

December 28, 2013, 08:02 PM	#10
Smoke & Recoil Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: East shore of Lake Michigan. Posts: 714	I antique my funiture (as in cabinets) handles just by heating them with a butane torch...you can try this method to with your powder horn plug. If you don't care for it...you're out nothing, just buff it off and try your chemicals.

December 28, 2013, 08:21 PM	#11
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Take all the lacquer off the brass, if any, and toss it in a small fire for a little while. Pull it out, and cool it off. Wipe as clean as you can and you're done. Also, put it out on the lawn in the open air for a few weeks. Tumble it with a little gravel if you can.

December 28, 2013, 09:24 PM	#12
BirchOrr Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2012 Location: Eaton Rapids, MI Posts: 445	Gary The easiest way to accomplish this is to put all your brass parts in an air-tight container (Tupperware) with a rag soaked with ammonia. Don't let the parts touch the liquid. Check the parts every 15 minutes or so until the desired patina/result is achieved. The longer you let it go, the more patina you will get. Good luck! Birch __________________ Black Powder: Not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win...

December 28, 2013, 09:56 PM	#13
duelist1954 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2011 Location: Central Pennsylvania Posts: 567	Vinigar

December 28, 2013, 10:18 PM	#14
FrontierGander Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2009 Location: Boncarbo,Colorado Posts: 651	try big r or the gun shop in down. Look for Birchwood casey brass black. __________________ https://buckskinsbp.blogspot.com/

December 29, 2013, 11:13 AM	#15
Gator Weiss Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2007 Posts: 117	Aging Brass - many household products work If you want to age brass, many things stored under your kitchen sink are used by artists for that very purpose. Drain opener is a very common tool for copper and brass; swabbed or brushed on the surface works very well. If it is applied and removed quickly it will clean the metal. If left on the surface for longer, the surface metal begins to change state and change colors. It is water soluble and cleans up easy. It can be used to clean or color. You have to experiment on a piece of scrap brass so you will know how far and how long and how much to use for a particularly desired result. Use a hog-bristle paint brush to apply. Use cold water to remove. Potatoe is sometimes used - rubbed on repeatedly and left on for extended times. CItrus in the form of lemon or limes can be used to change brass and copper. Washing Soda can be used - especially if in a plastic bucket with a car battery charger attached - the positive cable to a strip or rod of iron (never stainless steel !) or of copper or of zinc, and the negative cable to your art piece. Again experiment. Heating with open flame - not too hot - and plunging in chilled petroleum oil / motor oil or mineral oil can produce some interesting results in patina. There are literally dozens of methods you can use on copper and brass to change the surface texture and patina. Any method you do choose is worthy of first experimenting on a piece of scrap until you are confident you can achieve the desired outcome on your art piece. Something to keep in mind; Any methods where deep heating occurs are liable to leave results that cant be buffed or shined away. Experiment until you have your technique mastered before you work your piece.

December 29, 2013, 04:04 PM	#16
brazosdave Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2012 Location: Crockett, Texas Posts: 363	I achieve the aged patina when i want it on triggerguards and brass frames by using a vinegar solution. Works fine, and you prolly got the stuff in your kitchen. __________________ "I'm your huckleberry, it's just my game"