This very subject was briefly discussed here no more than a month ago. Doug's presence is very sadly missed on this site. But as you may be aware, Doug had made the decision to quit posting anything on this site several months before his accident and subsequent decline in health. He did so because he became totally disgusted with some of the Left Wing Liberal politics he deeply despised. Doug felt very strongly about our 2nd Amendment rights, and he did not wish to share his hard won knowledge with anyone who would undermine those rights.
His rust bluing was amazing and without peer in this country. We had many long discussions about it. He was extremely particular and specific about every tiny detail even including what solution to wash the barrels with before applying his rusting solution. He told me that a lot of people tried to get him to reveal or sell his formulas to them, and he said he often told people it was all in the prep and that he simply used a commercial rusting solution such as Laurel Mountain, Mark Lees, or Pilkington's. I only know of one other person who Doug gave the formula to, and that was Tony Treadwell. He laughed when he told me that Tony almost revealed the formula when he was writing his book, but Doug got him to change his manuscript before sending it to the publisher, as he was proof-reading it for Tony. Doug was adamant that he did not want his recipe to benefit any of what he called "Liberal Weenies" who spoiled his enjoyment here. For that reason, he made me promise that I would never reveal his formulas for bluing or browning fluid or Damascus. I never did get him to tell me just how or where he came up with them., but he said it took a long time and a lot of work.
Doug did generously share a lot of his initial preparation techniques. They require meticulous attention to detail. He was extremely careful in his polishing, and if he ever made a mistake, it was that his level of prep was superior to what the gun had when it left the factory. What was most amazing is the fact that he was not a gunsmith by trade, but a commercial jet pilot and Veteran fighter pilot. But he was an extremely intelligent man who seemed to do anything he tried well. I've seen the bluing done by the other gentleman James mentioned above, and know exactly who he is talking about, because Doug did compare his work with me as well. While an extremely talented gunsmith, I still think Doug's slow rust bluing was better.
