Here’s a question that someone is bound to know the answer to:
Last night I spent some time polishing that (whatever it is) stuff MRL/Windlass ships its blades with as a covering off of my #1-308. I got the sword all pretty and shiny and then I oiled it. I know that I want to brown the sword to keep it all rustproof in a period way and I’ve done some light research online looking for suitable period methods to use. At this point, I refuse to urinate on the sword, call it what you will, but there’s something undesirable about playing in a bucket of my own urine. So I was thinking about just getting an orange or some other acidic fruit, splitting it, and rubbing it over the blade. After that, I was thinking about just wiping that off with a damp cloth and leaving the metal to do it’s thing then polishing the rust when it’s done collecting. Does this sound okay or is there something better that someone can recommend? Would vinegar be a better substitute?

Thanks.

There are several commercial products for "browning" fire arms they are fast and effective and inexpensive. they come with in instructions too :)
YOu can get them online at Brownells.com among other places.

I vote for Parkerizing! Non-period of course, but it is a great looking rust-inhibiting finish. Many local gunsmiths could do it for a fairly nominal price.

Brian M

What I would really like to know is how the browned finish was done on Mac's new claymore; it is absolutely beautiful, especially the way it looks almost red when the light shines on it a certain way.

http://www.geocities.com/thorvin.geo/browning...ns_and.htm

don't kill yourself now.

-D