Carding, and boiling at the end

[Bill Graham]

Originally Posted by Harry Collins

Bill, your Lefever barrels are beautiful. When you say you rust until no pattern is visible do you not card between rusting? You steam rather than boil. Do you place the barrels in a box with a humidifier? Do you etch with ferric chloride or sulfuric acid?

Hi Harry. Thank you for your comments.

I converted the rust and carded just like I would a fluid steel set. The rusting solution (Laurel Mtn Forge) is diluted to 1 part solution to 5 parts distilled water.

I do not have space for tanks, so I used a schedule 40 4" PVC pipe over a perforated stock pot lid, with a stock pot on a propane burner. The barrels are suspended by wire and a chromed automotive breaker bar.

I have an old 6' school locker that has been sealed inside. A compact crock pot rests at the bottom.

I used ferric chloride, I think somewhere around 15%, in the same PVC set-up. I have not had an issue with the vertical approach, except that I cannot see the activity. I submerge and remove and rinse quickly enough to not experience significantly uneven etchings. That said, if I had the space available, I would at least etch in tanks so I could see and test the etching while it is underway. As it is now, I have to etch and rinse outside with a garden hose.