I started the barrel first and the receiver on the second iteration of the barrel. Through the next 4 cycles, I boiled them together, then I did three more cycles with the receiver. As with the Rossi, I had different results between the two. This time, the chromemoly barrel staged dark gray, and the receiver took a brown tinge.
I should also point out, that I followed Sixgun's (I think) advice this time and carded before boiling rather that after.
The outer coat, and from a distance it looks grey.
From the rear, it looks dark
As you get closer, you can see the streaks and shades begin to diverge. The light part down by the right side SarcasmaBolt I think is a bit of hardening that I should have torched up before blueing. I had that issue on the lower tang and trigger guard, and heating before applying the solution fixed that up. (Also a tip I think from Sixgun, or someone for my Trapdoor project).
When angled just right, the red rust below the surface is visible. To the naked eye, this just looks brown. I don't know if something prevents this from boiling black, but no matter how much I degrease, heat or boil this, once it's there, it doesn't get covered.
This marbling looks almost like a lacquered finish, and you might be tempted to say I haven't blued it enough, and mayby I haven' t but this was six cycles. The brown color and marbled finish appeared around the fourth cycle, and didn't change with further treatments.
No trace or red at all on the barrel itself.
The rust blue removed all traces TO THE TOUCH of the sanding, but leaves a mottled under coat. This was five cycles worth.
I am pretty sure that another three or four cycles on the barrel would darken it near black, but I did notice between the fourth and fifth cycle, that there wasn't very much additional darkening. Also, the flash penetrates the blueing a bit and exaggerates the effect, but in bright sun light you can still see it.
Overall, this Pilkington's rust blue seems to have a depth to it. I am pretty certain I am degreasing well with the acetone both before applying the solution, AND before boiling. But, as with the Rossi project, I am just not satisfied with it. I have ordered the Brownells classic rust blue, and will probably use a rust and blue remover and try again. I also have some belgian blue, but it didn't seem to cut through the sanding marks as well as the rust blue did.
Anyway, thoughts and suggestions?
