Brown Patina Conversion

[jeffery c]

Originally Posted by Breck Gorman

http://www.morana-rtd.com/e-preserva...30-12-2012.pdf

Queen Victoria’s coronation gown. Once in 1837 a rich black silk, but over time and exposure turned to a mottled brown. Very similar process to what happens to barrels. Common denominator, logwood dye.

Brits recommend that their best barrels get re-blacked every couple years.

Interesting to read that. We're at least getting a handle on our own more recent history. I remember reading when they started bringing up longbows and staves from the Mary Rose that there was not a single longbow in the UK preserved from the time of their period of use as a military weapon. Our ancestors will be in better shape regarding Parkers at least.

[jeffery c]

All in all it sounds like a degrease and boil might be worth trying, maybe also boiling in a logwood solution. I'm thinking initially of the $500-$700 class guns. Most of those are too silvered or too brown/pitted to respond to a treatment like this and need a full refinish. I do have a gun enroute that might be a good candidate. Meanwhile, I'm sure we'd all be interested if someone gives it a try and reports back. Logwood seems to be available, is this the stuff?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Logwood-T...cAAOSwsB9V9Kc7

[Jim Kremmel]

There is a gunsmith in the Charleston, SC area named Mark Novak that uses boiling water and carding as part of conservation. I bought a real basket case Crescent single barrel 12 ga to try this on, and was shocked how much original finish was under the rust. In his YouTube videos, he boils the parts for about an hour then cards off the converted rust with degreased steel wool or a very soft carding wheel. To remove any residual water he soaks the parts in kerosene. I don’t know this gentleman but his gun repair/restoration videos are excellent.