Antiquing / Darkening Brass

[roundball]

Following a tip about using Easy-Off to antique / darken brass, I experimented with one brass end of a left over GM ramrod…cleaned the end with Acetone, sprayed on the Easy-Off, let it sit a few hours while I ran some errands, then wiped off the chemicals and was amazed at how well it took.

I also checked to see if it would come off but it wouldn’t…even Acetone wouldn’t phase it, so it’s a permanent color change. Appears that the amount of “antiquing” and darkness can be controlled by the amount of Easy-Off, how it’s applied, how long it’s allowed to stay on the brass surface, etc.

I happen to like the power / strength / dependability of a brass under barrel ramrod, so next I’ll experiment with a brass range rod to see how something that big turns out, then do an actual underbarrel rod.

BEFORE

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/Muzzleloading/Miscellaneous/BrassBEFOREEasy-Offcropped.jpg

AFTER

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/Muzzleloading/Miscellaneous/BrassAFTEREasy-Offcropped.jpg

[EricH]

Looks good.
I just purchased a pedersolli kentuky flinter. All that shiny brass made it look like a toy. so when i ran the first spit patch after shooting i wiped all the brass with it. tarnished it instantly.
some bored day i may polish and try your idea. it does look more antique than tarnish. but for now at least it doesnt look like a toy :-)
eric

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Looks good....almost like it's 'case colored". I tend to let the brass on my Hawken tarnish up on it's own.

[roundball]

Yes, I wanted to get away from the routine mustard color brass patina thing...wanted to try something darker

[Brother Rockeye]

good tip for brass!

here's one for blue-
I just did a replacement loading lever and conversion cylinder on my 1861 Remington Army.Used valve grinding compound and fine steel wool to thin the blue then hammered emery cloth to give a light pitted look.reblue to darken the "pits" and thin again,then a brass wheel to smooth.amazingly the results are very nice and match the grey patina of the almost 150 yr old iron well.