French Gray

[guarnera]

I know that French Gray is a finish or patina on metal. I know a lot of engravers use it.

Can someone give me a description of it. How is it done? How durable is it? And so forth. Thank you all very much.

[Camerer]

What I have been doing to get the French Gray is to to "lightly" bead blast the part then I use my ferrric chloride solouting to etch it lightly. When you remove the oxides with flitz it will give you the patina and the nice pleasent gray color. I do not know if this is the correct way to achive the french gray but it is the method that I use.

 

Craig

[Bryan Bondurant]

Is there another thread or series of threads on French Grey or French Gray and how its done? Ive been digging around abit and don't see much on it, maybe its been a topic but I cannot find it.

 

If anyone is currently using this or knows where there is tutorial please inform me or direct me. Thanks b.

[cdent]

I've never read it myself, but Brownells offers (or did in the past) a free write up on the graying process. It's by one of the top firearms engravers. I don't know if it's what you're looking for, but it may help.

 

Good luck, Craig

[DanM]

french gray

[Bryan Bondurant]

french gray

 

Great, it even suggests solutions that are most likely available here, I can bypass the normal wild goose chase for supplies.