From the photographs posted by PA24(Doug in Utah) in the past and now, it is my opinion that he has learned that polishing is the key to the success of blacking barrel to get the results that the great barrel blackers of the UK get and have gotten through the years. I do not know what blacking solution that he uses but it is beautiful and works very good and his boiler set up is excellent as well.
It is good to have a topic of learning and advice giving on this BBS as that is the way it was in the days of it's origin. The excellent barrel blackers are not keen on giving out their formulas or techniques. I remember back 13 years ago I was asked to leave the workshop of the famous color case hardening company in Price Street, as the owner was and had reason to be protective of his processes---the best of the best of the world. Some of you will recall the author of "Birmingham Gunmakers" fame, Doug Tate was also asked to leave this shop. I was sadden to see this grand old gentlemen who knew all the secrets of blacking die last year. But he passed the secrets and mysteries of the trade to his sons. Barrel blackers are the same.
From my observations in the UK and USA, no single blacking or browning formula works the same way throughout the regions of these countries due likely to atmospheric, ambient temperatures, shop conditions and so forth--thereforth you do not find a single formula being used by all the trade. However, one issue paramount and singular consistent of the techniques of the very BEST blackers is: POLISHING; and polishing means hours of hand work with emery cloth using grits well beyond 320--or at least "worn out" emery cloth strips.
I believe that it is the degree and amount of hand polishing that both Doug of Utah and I use to arrive at barrel gloss that is almost identical--with likely very different ambient conditions and blacking formula.
Desmond Mills, the highly respected English gunmaker/gunsmith late of Purdey's and Churchills; and now retired or mostly retired, has this to say about polishing of barrels prior to blacking: "...because the sharp corners of the ribs, the breech and muzzle ends of the should be preserved, THIS means careful handwork and the FINEST grades of emery cloth should be used. The exterior of the barrels CAN be wheel polished and MUST be so highly polished that they look like they are chrome plated. THIS forms the foundation and quality and appearance of the barrel finish. .....Once the barrels are PERFECTLY polished and next and absolutely essential is degreasing......"
I have avoided using the soft cotton wheel (I plan to give it a try sometime) as mentioned by Des, but nevertheless I attain the chrome plated appearance with finest grades of emery cloth, with the final polishing using "worn-out" emery cloth strips of the finest grade grit I have in my shop. The formula I use is the Swiss formula from Algiers book, as it works well in a moderate to high humidity region--you just need to adjust the amount of the 100% alcohol used for your ambient conditions. The alcohol needs to be pure and near 100%--I use the 96% grain alcohol one can procure at a liquor store.
It should be evident by what Des has written in his book above that he is sharing with us what he has seen done by the best of the best barrel blackers who did Purdey and other best quality gunmakers work in his then 30 years at the bench when he wrote his book in 1985--thirty years ago.
I hope this above helps some of you.
I have seen plenty of gloss barrel blacking done in the UK for the trade and it looks great until you place in in the light of day and see all the work that needs to be done by proper polishing that is showing under the blacking grinning back at you as Jack Rowe is fond of saying. Tradesmen cannot spend the polishing time it takes to make a barrel perfect, if they are being paid for a quick ordinary job.
I have seen little (almost none) high gloss work in the USA, until Doug showed us his work. Is it possible that barrel blackers here do not know what they do not know?
Kindest Regards;
Bv
