KYJon, what started my discussions about rust bluing prep with Doug was my own experiences with the process. He told me how much he helped Tony Treadwell, and I'm still amazed at what Tony was able to learn and accomplish at a time when most of us would have been most concerned with simply making it through another day with his terminal cancer. Doug made a real connection with him that probably had a lot to do with caring for his own wife. I'm sure he helped make Tony's last days on this Earth far more tolerable. I couldn't believe the finishes Doug was producing because I had tried hand polishing as far down as 2000 with 3M Wet or Dry, and even crocus cloth level, but was still ending up with more of a matte finish no matter what solutions I tried. It seemed the recommendations about not polishing beyond 320 were absolutely correct. Diluting them and going to shorter rusting cycles helped, but clearly there was something he was doing different that I couldn't figure out. Looking back, it is doubtful if I ever would have figured it out on my own.
I do recall reading something to the effect that a mirror polished carbon steel knife blade has nearly 50 times less surface area subject to oxidation at the molecular level as the same amount of steel right off the rolling mill. I don't know if that's actually true, but I never had all that much trouble getting my highly polished parts to rust if there was adequate humidity and temperature. The problem was that everything I tried, whether commercially bought or mixed from something in Angier's or other sources always left me with a matte finish by the time I rusted, boiled, and carded enough cycles to get the color I wanted. I even tried some that contained the dreaded mercuric chloride. There is no question that Doug's process took a lot more time and hand labor because polishing without damaging engraving, lettering, or edges isn't easy, and takes a lot of careful work. A glossy finish also shows any imperfections and mistakes. I asked him why he didn't bottle and sell his formula. I think he could have made a lot of money from it.
