Antiquing a pair of brassies

[J-Bar]

Last weekend's project... antiquing the pair of brassies I bought on sale last year. Before and after pictures, of course.

Cylinder and barrel assembly were bathed in vinegar to remove the factory bluing, then Plum/Brown was applied and worked down with steel wool.

(details: http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Antiquing_SAA_Revolver.pdf)

Brass parts were given a patina by placing them on a cookie sheet in the backyard, covering them with some blackpowder and lighting it off. Surprisingly, the metal does not heat up much at all in the flash. Wipe off the ash with a moist paper towel, and there you are.

The wood grips were soaked in paint thinner to draw off some of the color, then given a "redneck checkering" by rubbing them on a brick wall.

I know some will cringe. But I like 'em!

The bottle in the "before" picture is Breckenridge Bourbon...it helps to work up courage for something like this

 

[ihctractor]

That looks great!
I've been wondering how to knock the cheap cartoony blue and gold shine off my brass framed 1858. You've inspired me to give it a try!

 

[Patocazador]

The after photo looks like my .36 Navy and I was trying to keep it shiny over the years

 

[1KPerDay]

Looks great! The grips need more oil/wax/something. They get shiny with wear. I'd also have removed the barrel billboard while the blue was off, but that's me.

 

[J-Bar]

You are correct, the grips will get more attention (abuse!).

Defarbing really is not one of my priorities (obviously)...coloring is one thing, removing metal is a lot more intimidating.

 

[Texan Scott]

Bwahahaaa, "Hand m'down some corn whiskey, Mother... I'm fixin' t'do some gunsmithin'!"

That actually turned out REAL nice, J-Bar! My inner woodworker is screaming at the thought of scraping nice wood against a brick wall, however...

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Good job.

 

[Fingers McGee]

They do look good J-Bar.

Just stay away from my 1860s

 

[BCRider]

I'd have treated the wood a slight bit differently but the results on the different metals look fantastic. The after results makes it look like it's been "there and back" more than once. It looks more like it got that way from hard use rather than abuse.

 

[wap41]

my 1860 colts have that appearance with out going thru all that trouble.It just took 153 years of handling them to do it.

 

[J-Bar]

I have applied a few layers of tung oil to the grips...they are starting to get a nice satiny sheen now.

Next up for abuse is my 1866 lever gun. It's much too shiny!

 

[Gatofeo]

I gotta get new glasses ... I thought the thread said, "Antiquing a pair of brassieres!"

 

[rcflint]

Vinegar will also brown the brass. I had my Henry spotted brown from a shoot in Los Angeles acid rain.

 

[towboat_er]

Looks old to me. Well done

 

[BCRider]

Vinegar will also brown the brass. I had my Henry spotted brown from a shoot in Los Angeles acid rain.

I'm not so sure on that. I mix up vinegar with liquid laundry soap and water to CLEAN my brass casings when I reload. They come up bright and shiney like new.

Now I don't doubt that there are acids which would tarnish the brass. Just that acetic acid (vinegar) likely isn't one of them. And last I read about it acid rain is more about a mix of hydrochloric and sulphuric acids caused by industrial process exhaust.

 

[Dellbert]

Nice job J-Bar. I'll remember this if I come across a second hand pistol that I want to try it on. No way can I bring myself to do it to one the pistols I have now. They'll just haft to get there on their own.