How to Rust Blue Damascus or Twist Steel Barrels | MidwayUSA Gunsmithing
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- Опубліковано 13 чер 2013
- Rust bluing damascus or twist steel barrels was a lost art for many years. Watch as Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, blues the twist steel barrels on an antique Parker side-by-side hammer lifter shotgun.
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I envy this man's simplicity and humble lifestyle.
Humble I'll give you. Simplicity I'd have to argue as more a mastery of the craft and explaining the process. What he does is an artform he's basically mastered and can covey in an easy to understand way based on his experience and what I would assume is years of apprenticing new gunsmiths. Years of hard work and practice all culminating into the beautiful firearms he crafts with what seems like ease and simple tools.
Tsuiso Sim Drifting
Absolutely
Great comment my friend
He is definitely humble but this is not a simple thing to master
During my gunsmithing phase in the 90s I actually used a book and got to step 1 - rust. The acid rusted the barrel and the fumes rusted my bench vice, all my tools I had out, and a list of stuff I had under my bench. The End.
I actually laughed at this I'm sorry, lol.
The incredible amount of patience and attention to detail is what makes a master craftsman turn out beautiful, and functional, works of art!
“Today, I’ll show you how to make a old 50’s style nuclear explosive device. For this project, you’ll need beryllium, a steel rocket shaped case, tritium for ignition, and a weapons grade nuclear source. I’m using some plutonium 241 I had laying around the shop.”
This comment doesn’t have nearly as much recognition as it should. Gave me a good laugh
@@CLSSCHOOL v
R4
Explosive lens too
Building a 50s style nuclear device can be an easy task; if you have the right tools, and plenty of patience.
Me at the beginning of the video: hey cool maybe I can do this
Me at the end: Oh.
So true ! Lost me at 10 times later. Very nice though
Bert Paulson me too
It's not as crazy as it seems. If you are making a show piece you should expect it to take a few days. While you are working on this you can also be restoring the stock and tuning the internals. Finishing the stock takes about two hours per coat if you're using tru-oil.
@@yoshiodoom I've used Tru-Oil professionally on instruments, electric guitars and the like. My method was to have the work on a nearby bench and several times a day go lay down a light layer. Then come in the next morning and knock it down with 3m scothbrite. After a week of that, let it harden for another week and polish with a rough cloth. It glows and will be durable.
@@Ronsonic dilute it 25-50% with mineral spirits for your final coats, makes it amazing.
The best gunsmithing channel on the web! Thanks so much Larry!
An old gun that belonged to my grandpa was in a fire, and it the process of cleaning the grime and soot off of it- the damascus pattern started to come off of it along with the soot & rust. Thanks for letting people know how to refinish it.
I don't even deal in guns but these restoration videos are just too satisfying
I wish Larry would come over to my house. I just did some barrels in a slightly different way and I LOVE how they turned out.
Hi, im interested in finding out what method you used. Thanks
Cool video! I don’t have all the fancy tooling so I soaked my barrel in vinegar, cleaned it with 400 grit sandpaper, and then Oxpho blued it. I then lightly buffed off the Oxpho blue till the only bluing that was left was in the domascus lines. It turned out beautiful and a lot less work.
You have a beautiful workshop
I have been barrel browning/blueing/blacking or whatever the hell you want to call it for 30 years. Both Damascus and modern steel. I know a few who do it too. And all of us have our own way/method and solutions yet we all come up with virtually the same result over a different period of time. Some finishes are better than others. Larry's is just another way of getting the result. Not wrong. Just his way. I have a book that has over 200 recipes and methods. Yet they all achieve the same thing. I have a solution that does not require any heat or hot water during the rusting process. Only at the end. That doesn't make it wrong. There are a dozen ways of achieving barrel finishes.... and then there is stock finishing....
Might I get the name of that book off you?
couldn't he just etch it first then due a few cycles of bluing?
best comment, hands down
I use hydrogen peroxide and table salt.
the man started the video with "let me show you one way"
yeah, one of the many ways
I should send Larry Potterfield my JC Higgins model 20 Deluxe for a restoration segment on his MidwayUSA channel.
'solution must be used sparingly' [throws whole pad into solution]
hahaha I love this guy
+Ev l he squezed it out after he droped it in ...
+Logan Aerhart I know but theres still a lot. haha this guys is like the bob ross of gunsmithing
yeah , he's got that creepy smile :P
+Ev l I never made that connection but I definitely see it now lmao
I kinda felt like jack Rowe is the bob Ross of gunsmithing.
Love the skill and care here. Had no idea you could lacquer a barrel!
That is just beautiful!!! I wish I had the time to do that to my Rossi.
You sir are a craftsman, superb workmanship and video
I had no idea that it was such a long process. But, the results are truly beautiful. I've got an old shotgun, a New Worchester 12 ga, with the twisted steel barrels. I pulled it out during this video, and it looks pretty good and wouldn't need much work to bring it up to par. Maybe......
Wow, that's beautful. Really impressive
Gorgeous finish
Fantastic.... Great job, thank you for sharing this video. Greetings from Norway :)
Great video Larry
amazing amount of work but daaaamn it looks good.
Beautiful job
Amazing work sir
a 14 cycle process just to get the barrels right ...no wonder true craftsman arts are lost. No one has the patience to do things right anymore. These days who ever heard of a "journeyman" or "apprentice" (outside of a cheesy 'reality TV' series) anymore. Fantastic work and instruction!
He's doing 14 cycles because he isn't doing it right.
Bazuzeus do you have a link to share on how it's done in old Europe? I'm an apprentice blacksmith and would like to learn of the technique.
Bazuzeus You should make a video on how to do it right.
I've done some for some professional partners.
You should be able to find them online.
Bazuzeus Why don't you help us out and give us a pointer to your alternative demonstration. Not going to comment on the tone of your response but if you have a better way to achieve the same result that will speak volumes vice the demeaning observation. I have the same Parker the gentleman from Midway used for his example and would like my barrels to look as good as his finished product - show us the way!
I apprenticed and was fortunate to have browned some fine guns. As I recall we used powdered calcium carbonate on the barrels. As a heated barrel dried the calcium, any oil would get sucked out. Where there was oil, the calcium would get stained brown, indicating success. When cooled, I wire-wheeled the calcium off. We "rusted" with a "secret" recipe that almost killed me once. The keeper of the recipe made a batch and set it outside to disolve the iron wire (part of the process to get iron ions I think). After a few hours nothing happened, so he brought it into the small room I was "bluing" in. Shortly I was coughing and noticed an evil mist rolling out from the bench he put it on. I got out before being overcome.
He had originally put the mix outside, but it was winter and it slowed the chemical reaction. He thought something was wrong with the mix so he shelved it. My shop was warm enough to kick it into high gear. Oops.
sounds like the various ferro-bronze mixes
he should have used a ball of steel wool, and heated the copper sulfate solution first
@@pacman10182 This was old school. This event was early 70s, when I worked there. The company was Griffin & Howe, at the time it was the gunsmithing operation of Abercrombie & Fitch. I'm sure the technique had evolved to a point and then was etched in stone. The guy who inherited the process was not going to modify the process.
I wish I had pictures and information on the guns I worked on. One pair was a matched pair of Holland & Holland double rifles. Stocks made from the same piece of wood, grain matching. Chambered for 22lr, believe it or not. I believe they had been made for the young son of a royal family.
I have my GrandFathers old LC SMITH Double 10 it works perfectly , just wish they made double 10's to hunt with today I'd sure love to have one . Mr. Potterfield thank you so much for all of your knowledge . Midway USA is America to me . Thank you .
Why not use what you have?
very nice work
Well I guess ya learn something new everyday. Thanks. Shame a lot of the old gunsmithing isnt easily found to read or view.
Fantastic vid
Amazing.
That's true craftmanship.
:))
The Bob Ross of gunsmithing
I wish he still did the video's.
Thx 4 this great knowledge...
Wow is right. Larry rocks!
wow, labor intensive but beautiful.
MidwayUSA is a great company, the community gives you gratitude for not gouging the heck out of us, like the other "Boycotted" company's I wouldn't utter in the same comment as MidwayUSA!
Little did you see it coming
Senior craftsman, awesome !!!
muratic acid and peroxide mix quickly brings out the Damascus designs. Saves a lot of time, no need for a humidity box or repeated steps. 1st time and you get brilliant contrast.
He's a old man lol
Good job
amazing
I've been bluing for about 40 years. Bluing a fine gun with a quality finish is a lot like giving your Corvette the perfect black lacquer paint job: when you start, you're sooooo excited...by the time you're done, you never want to see another side by side or tank of boiling water again, and your wife thinks you're part of some late-nite acid and rust cult. And your shop (and your neighbors') has a fine red coating... you smell like Vinegar, and realize you should have bought stock in a steel wool manufacturer...and yet, two months later, you're at it again...
Btw, Larry doesn't seem to be afflicted in that way - he appears to still enjoy it.
That's why so many of the great English gunmakers sent their barrels out for finishing.
thank you again
Good video.
This guy should make ASMR videos his voice is so relaxing
“Long strokes…. the full length of each barrel is the right approach ….. it’s important not to rub” 😮
wow...that's a lot of work
This guy has some skills
The very best finish at the end is to heat the barrels with a hot air gun and rub in boiled linseed oil, then allow to dry for at least one day. Browning looks much better on twist and Damascus, IMO.
After watching this video I decided to just buy one black and one gray magic marker.
His mother would be so proud
The process is probably more expensive than a hot blue, but man it's gorgeous.
Hot bluing will dissolve the solder on the barrels and they will come apart. Bad career move!!
Beautiful it is!!!
Midway's website says that the pinkerton's has been discontinued.
SxS Damascus it's fantastic
Hi Larry
Very nice job there..
I have an old muzzle loading Damascus side by side shottie with external hammers, It's been polished to a high gloss by the former owner, he also gave me a tub of plum brown finish (similar to the Birchwood Casey gun blue but with the plum brown treatment, the barrels have to be heated somewhat), have you ever performed a re-brown on a set of Damascus barrels??
Cheers, John :)
Nice vedeo sir
Nice make one video on gun black buffeing thanks sir
larry, is there any other way to get the pattern? i have a nice old H. Piepper SxS 12 gauge and i am wanting the pattern brought out.
Why do the original rusting step? If you were to skip that step and spend 2-5 minutes in the FeCl, then you would get the same “black oxide” coat with minimal erosion of the attacked metal. The rust layer is not well attached and comes of with the steel wool. The blueing is where the resistant metal is getting its color.
What kind of laqueur you use at the end ,Sir?Thank you.
Have you tried coffee etching the barrels
I can imagine.
I don't know if this process is right or wrong, but I really appreciate this gentleman taking time to show us all how HE likes to do it. As for Ev l's comment, well, he then squeezed all the solution out, but I suspect your goldfish attention span had expired by that point!
Wonderful work, but was a stainless steel wire wheel really the best choice?
Simple enough. I think I’ll go out to my garage and do this now...
I wish I could work with you :D
Love the guitar picking music. in the background Any idea who the musician is ? Or name of music ?
Bighill mcskillet.
I was under the impression that high temps such as boiling would split the solder between the barrels? I love the art of refinishing but know little as of yet. Any good books on the subject?
Water boils at a much lower temperature than bluing salts. A hot bluing salts tank will usually melt the rib and barrel solder on most vintage double guns. Modern guns are built with a higher temp and harder solder than the vintage guns and they can handle the higher temp bluing salt bath.
I aquired an old shotgun at a yard sale a few years ago, it is an Ithaca Featherlight 12 gauge pump action. It is engraved on one side and was stored under the seat of a pickup, well needless to say water got inside the truck and ruined the engraved side of the gun. I used .00 steel wool on it and removed the rust & blue. To restore the weapon I used a propane torch & hot blued the gun, heating the metal till red then applying the blue. Yeah, it stinks and is incredibly messy, but after a good oiling the gun looks like new, and I saved all that engraving...
That is NOT how it's done.
@@chrisjohnson4165 perhaps but it worked just as well, and better than cold blueing. Why not put out a video showing us all how you do it instead of criticism.
@@blankeny I'm just trying to warn people about heating guns up to a red heat. It will change the structure of the steel. So if you just let it cool, it will be annealed, or if you quench it, it may become brittle.
@@chrisjohnson4165 Of course I let the gun cool on it's own, the only quenching was my adding the blueing to the metal by way of Q-tip, And there was never enough to actually quench the heat as the blue boiled off rather quickly. Leaving a sulfer substance on the metal. Which I wiped away with an oiled cloth, revealing an almost perfect blue...And Voila a beautiful finish!!! But hey, thanks. BTW, I'm an elctrical engineer with a PHD.
That's not a safe method for your firearms. Barrels are usually tempered to a specific hardness for strength and durability. Heating to red and allowing to cool will soften the barrel considerably. Best case scenario is greatly increased wear, especially to rifling if present. Worst case scenario, the firearm may not be strong enough withstand the pressure of firing and bulge or rupture. I would not trust that firearm to be fired again.
I have a beautiful antique damascus double barrel barrel from a old shotgun...Wish were closer because I am looking to sell them..Two receivers and a barrel from a London Twist shotgun.. Was not shot much so ones with family heirloom guns would want because many like this are not able to be shot due to it I was told.I had offer years ago but planned on finding a wall hanger to restore..In Penna
Wow,I like lacquer to.....Top shelf job there
Looks like Deft Clear Wood Finish Lacquer.
I need a side by side shotgun but don't want to spend more than 3K. Any suggestions on brands, old or new?
English guns are the best, usually. They are going for peanuts at UK Gun auctions. Try Guntrader.co.uk
No wonder its a lost art
i have an old sears and roebuck/stevens 311 12 guage side by side that the pins are like sticky on they stick out a bit and when i close the action with rounds in they damage the primers a bit ive never had it fire the shells apon closing the action but im afraid it will get worse over time. does anyone have any advice for me pleasy reply i tried lubing everything liberally and it didnt seem to help much the gun is in very good shape other than that it still fires very well its not loose at all please help me +MidwayUSA
Potterfield will not respond. Try Scottie Cox I believe his name is. The channel he’s on is poboy gunsmith or something like that.
It's quite simple process.....when you have a workshop with $100,000 worth of equipment
Agree Black looks best on Damascus steel barrels. I am looking to purchase an Ithaca double barrel. What shells are recommended and which ones to stay away from with Damascus steel?
The best option would be to use a 70mm chamber reamer to lengthen the chambers from 65mm(2 1/2") to 70mm(2 3/4"), making it much easier to reload your own shells and giving you a lot more options as far as reloading is concerned. There are plenty of low pressure smokeless reloads available for 70mm, while your options for 65mm are very limited. Even though Damascus and twisted steel barrels have a bad reputation. as long as the barrels aren't heavilly pitted and still have enough chamber and barrel thickness left, there is no harm in shooting smokeless shells in them as long as you reload them yourself and stick to low pressure (
2 1/2 mag tech brass is what I use. Period correct too.
To make it contrast even more then soak it in instant coffee overnight
Sir
Here in South Africa we cannot get 4440 brass. Wat other brass can I use to make 4440? Will 303 British work?
Please help
38-40
I had a double barrel Damascus barrel wen I was a kid I sold it it needed a lot of work but I pretty well give it away we used to play wit it wen we were kids we live far out of town the was no shells for it we didn’t even know nothing about guns we thought that the pin fired the whole projectile like say a bullet we thought the whole bullet fired out of the gun it’s a shame but my grandmother had no use for guns so we dragged that old shot gun every were we went in the woods we had a ton of places to play wen we were little could barely pick up the old gun I ended up selling it to a friend for next to nothing
Can this work on a stainless steel barrel?
💚💚💚
Do you have a diagram for your damp box?
I was just thinking of hanging from a shower rod over some hot bath water, with the door closed
Which is this rifle? I have one like this with gold lethers on barels ,it is wery old.
It’s a shotgun.
lacquer as a finish??? Ive never heard of doing it this way.
What are the materials used
I am limited to antique and replica and I need to know if u can use modern ammo
On some guns yes and some guns no. Many antiques require you to use black powder or black powder substitute loads. If you try to use them with modern smokeless powders, you can damage the gun which can fail catastrophically causing you injury.
+Robert Hinrichs so I could buy Modern ammunition and dump out the smokeless powder and put Pyrodex in it
Can rust bluing solution work on non-ferrous metal like aluminiun alloy?
no you moron
mphRagnarok Fuck you, you are moron
nice gun and good job but these things are not available in my country i have a gun full of rust how can i clean it easly i am from pakistan swat the chemicals which you apply on the gun was not available here
Many blacksmiths just dip it in ferric acid for longer and then sand the metal a bit to get the contrast back. Why is this more complicated?
BONJOUR PUIJE CONNAITRE LE NOM DU PRODUIT MERCI
Any one know if tou have to use stainless wheel? Stainless wheel is big bucks
Instead of repeating the cycle several times couldn't you just let the barrel sit in the ferric chloride solution longer until the desired finish is present? someone let me know
I don't know what size gloves you wear but trying a smaller size might work a little better those gloves are basically falling off your hands and I imagine it's very difficult to work that way
Stal damasceńska była wyrabiana ze stali produkowanej w Indiach a w Damaszku skuwana i produkowana broń. Do dzisiaj jest nie znana technologia stali z Indii.
Te lufy są skuwane z drutu. Przy skuwaniu drutu ten się wydłuża i daje linie faliste.
Nie wiem jaką technologią były skuwane druty na tej lufie. Linie są idealnie proste.
W
the rusting is useless since it just dulls the look from the acid etch. You should go for eather one, not both.
Interesting process but I would hardly call that pattern gorgeous. It's extremely subtle and for me I like a more defined pattern in, what most people call, damascus steel.
Did he really apply wood finish to steel barrels ?
Lacquer is still used as a wood finish but for decades was also a metal finish. You see it often on brass still, which keeps it from tarnishing. Not to mention in the old days, just about every car was painted with the stuff.
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I have to say I have never seen a Damascus barrel black before, that is because they were browned, as were the sample pair of barrels shown at the beginning of the video, this way of browning is totally wrong, OK for steel barrels, but wrong for Damascus twist. I cant believe that Larry has posted this.
How would you do it?
The normal way would be to use a slow rust browning solution in a humidity cabinet, (plastic box with a light bulb and tray of water), wait for brown rust to develop, wire wool it off, repeat until "brown" enough, then wipe over with linseed oil, you then get the Damascus pattern showing up in various shades of brown, it takes about a week, but is well worth the effort. Good luck on your project.
+Englishman French I appreciate the alternative method instead of a personal attack. What makes his method inferior or wrong as opposed to yours?
One does not reply to a legitimate question with an "attack", all too frequent in this UA-cam community unfortunately . When we say "wrong" I suppose nothing is wrong if it pleases the eye of the owner, it is just that this is an original gun that would have been finished in a "brown" oxide finish that was used at that time, it is just that to refinish a gun of that era in a non original colour looks "wrong" to a person familiar with that era, as a comparison, you would not dull chrome plate a gun of this period as it would be incorrect , and inappropriate, many thanks for your question.
This video was called "how to rust blue Damascus or twist steel barrels". Not how to brown them.