Custom Fluid Steel barreled 20g. Hammer gun project

[B. Dudley]

Time for an update on this one.

I got the barrels back from turnbull a while ago. I am currently working on a run of several barrel sets and mics. parts for bluing, so I figured I would get the barrels for this gun in final polishing and rust bluing.

Below are a series of photos of the bluing process.

The barrels are finish polished out and ready to start the bluing process.

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They are de-greased in a bath of denatured alcohol.

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For plugging the bores and handling I use a pair of 36" threaded rods with rubber stoppers (that I have drilled out), washers and nuts on each end. when the nuts are tightened down the rubber plugs are seated into the chamber and muzzle. The hole in the plugs allows air to vent out of the bores while minimizing the amount of water that gets into the bores. The length of rod that sticks out the ends work great for hanging the barrels in the tank and also for handling them.

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The barrels are swabbed down with alchohol before each rusting and then warmed a little with a torch. A cotton swab is used to apply a solution to the barrels which causes the metal to oxidize. Here is a photo after the first rusting.

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Then the barrel is boiled in the water tank for a little bit. When the barrel comes out, the red oxide is converted to black oxide.

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On the surface is a light coating of "Black Velvet" that needs to be carded off using a super fine stainless wire wheel.

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That is the end of one cycle in the bluing process. This is all repeated about 8 to 10 times to get the deep black color required. Every set is different and the environment effects it as well. After enough processes have been done, the barrels are neutralized with baking soda and water, dried and coated with oil to cure.

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[wayne goerres]

The barrels look great Brian. Were did you get your plastic tank for your alcohol bath.

[OH Osthaus]

looks like the wallpaper tray I use for browning

[B. Dudley]

It is a wallpaper tray.

[wayne goerres]

Thanks Brian. I will see if I can find one.

[Dean Freeman]

Is the rolled engraving removed during polishing? How do you polish the top of the rib if not? Are there liquid "strippers" that will clean areas like the top of the rib?

[B. Dudley]

Well this is a set of new barrels and all engraving is hand cut. And there was no rib matting.
I take it you mean barrel sets in general.
There are commercial bluing removers, but if they are used, polishing still needs to be done. As far as rib matting and roll stamp makers marks, I just polish off the surface and leave the old bluing in the matting and lettering. It is rust bluing anyway and that is the same process I am using, so it all just blends in fine when finished.

[Dean Freeman]

Thanks Brian,
Yes, I was referring to examples where one would re-brown/etch barrels. I Was curious as to how it's done.

[BigBull 301]

Awesome thread! Thanks Brian, looking forward to the final product!

[B. Dudley]

Finally got back to doing a little something on this 20g.

Buttstock duplication.

I originally planned on using a different blank for the project, but the figure was a little unbalanced from one side to the other.

Since that time, I had acquired a good deal of American walnut and in that bunch was a blank that was on the thin side, perfect for an 0 frame stock, and it had very nice even curl in the butt.

I opted for an uncapped pistol grip for the stock. Luckily I had an 0 frame top action stock around that was no where near perfect, but good enough to get a pattern out of. When duplicating, I left the top of the stock in block since I wanted higher dimensions than the pattern stock had.

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