brown patina on heat-treated steel

[Phil Ullrich]

I'm planning a blade that includes steel bolster/guard and butt cap. Considering brown patina on blade and fittings. I've browned steel with casey birch chemicals before, which involves heating the steel over 200 f and then brushing on the solution. Steel needs to be hot enough to sizzle the solution when applied, which I think is over 200f.

 

Would heating the blade in this fashion spoil the heat treat? At what temperature would the heat treatment be spoiled? Off the top of my head I was thinking 400+ so the browning procedure should be safe, but correct me if I am wrong, please.

[Al Massey]

200F is well below the temperature required to affect the temper. Depending on the steel alloy used for the blade, though, the plum brown may not work as well as you hope. The amounts of trace materials because of steel recycling has been creeping up over the years- awhile ago I had an order of 1095 from Admiral which dang near had as much nickel as L6. A few years ago a gunsmith told me that he had to hot-blue gun barrels made in the last few years nearly twice as long as ones made over 30 years ago.

[Phil Ullrich]

Thanks for the reassurance. Interesting info about steel composition changing, too.

[Wild Rose]

You can also use a cold browning solution like Laurel Mountain Forge or Wahkon Bay...no heating necessary...both are sold by Track of the Wolf as well as other muzzle loading suppliers..

[Phil Ullrich]

 

You can also use a cold browning solution like Laurel Mountain Forge or Wahkon Bay...no heating necessary...both are sold by Track of the Wolf as well as other muzzle loading suppliers..

 

 

What's your take on the difference in results between the cold versus hot solutions?

[Wild Rose]

IMO the cold brown's give a much better and longer lasting finish when done right

[Phil Ullrich]

Thank you! I'm going to look into that.