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In specific instances. Another situation has to do with uneven solution application. Often, areas of heavier application which were not properly carded can "etch off" and create "light flaws". Usually found along ribs and at muzzle or breech ends.

Thank you. If you were willing to post a picture or two that speaks to these errors, and others you've mentioned, that would be tremendously beneficial to anyone wanting to give this a try.

I'm too far into my run, all the faults on my current tubes have been corrected.

The best answer is to develop your technique to the point that you avoid them all together. That takes experience and repetition. By the time you do say, 30 or more sets, you should have it down.

It helps if you're extremely Anal.

Got it. Work to do. Thanks! If you have an example in the future, I'm sure we'd all love to see what "this error" and "that error" look like.

I'm finding that some muzzle and breach end areas are not as keen to take on oxide and display color contrast as the middles. Have focused very purposefully on the prep, and even application of rusting solution. Since it
Is established that the materials can "bleed" into each other (forget the official term used), is it possible that the ends can lose some integrity over the years, making contrast more difficult to achieve?

All are correctable. All require spot treatments of solutions. If you haven't figured it out already, you'll see that fault correction takes up a huge amount of time, and requires a great deal of judgement. That's the breaks when you're trying to produce fault free results. You'll get it, eventually.

Regards
Ken

I have no issue with correcting the flaw, having done so on fluid steel barrels. I see the presentation of this particular flaw more frequently on composite barrels and wondered if there was a metallurgical reason for it.

Very doubtful that there is that much difference in metallurgy along the length of the barrels. I'm in complete agreement with Ken for the likely reasons you are getting variations. It takes time and practice to learn all of the little tricks to do it well. Composite barrels are tougher to do well because of the added etching process. Weaker etching solutions for slightly longer intervals are generally easier to control. Horizontal dunks in the etch are better than vertical dunks which leave one end in the solution for a few seconds longer.

I've stuck with 10% etchant solution thus far, but understand Dr. Gaddy to have reduced that depending on conditions. Will likely work through the same experimentation shortly.


Like others, I'm using a vertical chamber, but am quick to submerge, remove, rinse, and neutralize. The horizontal approach certainly makes sense to move to when I find a suitable vat.

I'm leaving this one where it is for now. At the stage there have been about 25 rusting cycles, 5 etchings, and no logwood was used. I believe the use of logwood would have abbreviated the number of rustings required. Some state that logwood does nothing for the process, and others state it is essential for high contrast.

In general I find that to be an example of what is frustrating about this process. When starting out, we want to replicate a result, and research how to do so. Quickly we learn that the degree of process variability is high. This leaves a person with little choice but to test a foundation, and purposefully force ones own variability to end up with YOUR process, not someone else's.

This barrel is mine, I like the darker overall appearance which compliments a coin type finish of the action and dark brown furniture, so I'm holding here. The next things to tackle are better crevice tools, logwood boiling tank, and an improved photography environment.