Coloring Brass

[croue]

I decided to try some of the brass coloring recipes I've found to make it easier to pick out my brass at the range.

Anyone do this before? I already ordered some chemicals. I have Ferric Nitrate, Lead acetate, sodium thiosulfite, and glacial acetic acid. (I love chemistry!)

Thinking of trying green first (room temp recipe) but the red and blue would be cool. They need high temps though and I'm pretty sure the acetic acid would stink the kitchen up so much my wifes divorce lawyer may start calling me.

Anyone have any experience to share before I melt my fingerprints off and get EPA knocking on my door?

C

[klewan]

I must be a dummy, I always thought a magic marker would work.

[huckberry668]

i think you have bigger worry if your wife has a divorce lawyer.
not a chemistry guy but they seems to be etching the metals so... will they reduce the metal strength of brass?
do these chemicals permanently colorize the brass? will tumbling, polishing wear the colors off?

[lpspinner]

http://supplyhero.com/DYKEM-Staining-Colors.1352.1.htm

[Glockrocks]

Sharpie all your primers in a fluorescent color before priming your cases.

[croue]

The paint would probably work if you painted just the base. Not sure I want paint flaking off in my magazine and chamber though. I've had mixed luck with sharpies staying on, and I was looking for something a bit more obvious from a distance regardless of how the brass was laying on the ground. i.e visible from all sides.
Also - just want to see if it works. I don't know how well it will stand up to tumbling. I'll have to let you know.
These concoctions don't look to be strong etchers, I think it's more of a conversion coating, but I will start with a few and see what I see. Won't start with any 308 brass that's for sure!


C

[bigbossman]

Pulled and saved from the web, a million years ago. For informational purposes only - you kill yourself or someone else, that's on you:

The Coloring of Brass
by Royce W. Beal
written on 17 March 1995 specifically for the readers
of the rec.guns newsgroup.
questions should be directed to me at SLQZ4@CC.USU.EDU

Read this entire essay before attempting any one
treatment. If you choose to just "cut and paste" part
of this, please make sure you get the safety instructions
and warnings after the recipes. Under no circumstances
do I consider myself liable for any accidents which occur
while using any of these chemicals. Also, I do not consider
myself an expert in this field and am still doing research
for the FAQ. This will be a temporary article. Because I
am still experimenting, I cannot vouch for all of these
colors.

Concentrations and conditions DO matter. (Concentration
is more important than actual volume, so if you want to
use less, make sure that you use proportionately less of
each ingredient) If you want good results follow the
recipes closely. Above all it is important that the brass
surfaces be clean. This means an extra hour or so in the
tumbler for the cases and then touch them only sparingly.

I have tried to collate recipes which will require the
acquisition of the more common chemicals. I have also tried
to steer clear of the really hazardous arsenic and cyanide
salts (which you probably can't get anyway) If you feel
that you've been cheated by this, please refer to the
references section of this report and find the books for yourself in any well stocked library.

It is my understanding that these are all surface
coatings and should not damage or weaken the brass.
Obviously you will want to do this treatment with unprimed
brass. DO NOT USE METAL UTENSILS (ok maybe stainless steel)
Glass or Plastic containers are the preference.
If you are really worried about what this is going to do to your brass,
refer again to the reference section below.

TIFFANY GREEN:
Copper Sulfate.................8 ounces
Ammonium Chloride..............4 ounces
Sodium Chloride................4 ounces
Zinc Chloride..................1 ounce
Acetic Acid....................2 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon

VERDE:
Copper Nitrate.................16 ounces
Ammonium Chloride..............4 ounces
Acetic Acid....................1 quart
Water..........................1 gallon

GREEN:
Iron ( ferric) Nitrate.........2 ounces ( Fe(III)(NO3)3)
Sodium Hyposulphite............8 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon
(use at boiling temperature, brass can be immersed
or the solution may be "painted" on)

HARDWARE GREEN:
Iron (ferric) Nitrate..........1 ounce (Fe(III)(NO3)3)
Sodium Thiosulfate.............6 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon
(use at 160F)

RED:
Iron (ferric) Nitrate..........6 ounces (Fe(III)(NO3)3)
Sodium hyposulphite............6 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon
(use at 170F will speed up this reaction)

BLUE:
Sodium Hyposulphite............8 ounces Lead Acetate...................4 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon
(use at boiling temperature)
or
Lead Acetate...................2 to 4 ounces
Sodium Thiosulfate.............8 ounces
Acetic Acid....................4 ounces
Water..........................1 gallon
(use at 180F. This color will change if
not lacquered [DO NOT LACQUER FIREARM CARTRIDGES]
Take your chances with the color change.)

BLUE BLACK:
Copper Carbonate...............1 pound
Ammonium Hydroxide.............1 quart
Water..........................3 quarts
(Add the water after the carbonate and hydroxide
have been mixed. There must be excess Copper
Carbonate. Use at 175F. This color can be fixed
(made more permanent) by quickly dipping in a 2.5%# Sodium Hydroxide solution.)

BLACK:
Ammonium Hydrosulfide...........2.25 ounces
Potassium sulfide...............1 ounce
Water...........................1 gallon
(use at room temperature or COOLER for best results)

BROWN:
Potassium Chlorate..............5.5 ounces
Nickel Sulfate..................2.75 ounces
Copper Sulfate..................24 ounces
Water...........................1 gallon
(use at boiling temperature)

SAFETY:
1. NEVER taste any of these chemicals.
2. Keep very far out of the reach of children.
3. Most Nitrates are good oxidizing agents and
should not be stored with anything flammable.
4. Acetic Acid has a VERY strong pungent odor.
Use in well ventilated areas. This acid can
be airborne in vapor form. If you feel that
you have breathed enough of it to feel
uncomfortable, leave the area and drink a
carbonated soft drink. "Have a Coke" Do not underestimate this chemical.
5. Many of these chemicals may stain your skin or
clothing. Wear rubber gloves and protective
clothing including glasses of some sort.
6. Steam can cause serious burns. Solutions of salts
can actually exceed the boiling point of water.
The steam from these solutions can be very dangerous.
BE CAREFUL WITH STEAM AND BOILING SOLUTIONS.
7. Feel free to change concentrations for experimentation
purposes but do not change the ingredients in any
one recipe.
8. Always be fully awake and alert around chemicals.

CONVERSIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS:
Ounces are assumably troy ounces, even when dealing
with liquids or solutions. Do not use fluid ounces.
1 ounce = 31.103 grams = 480 grains
1 quart = 0.25 gallon = 946.4 mL
1 gallon = 3.785 L

[JagerDog]

I like the Dykem idea. Used it a bunch for laying out machining projects. It's thickness is very close to zero. Pretty durable, but comes off with acetone, MEK, etc. Many times more durable than Sharpie.

[thenodnarb]

I've wondered about powder coating. It would add a few thousandths to the case, but its durable and can take resizing at least a few times. If done right, it would not reduce headspace(don't spray the bottom) Only problem is the curing process. The heat would anneal the whole case. hmm...

[zoid52]

I just use a sharpie on the base of the case.

[rsrocket1]

I use a Sharpie at the base of the case, but it comes off every time you tumble the brass. No biggie, I remark them every time.

[8mmFMJ]

I shoot in the desert. The 5x5 plot of dirt that my brass lands in is usually pretty easy to pick up.

[Revoman]

Yeah, I always wondered if anodizing would work too?

[croue]

From www.finishing.com forum on brass anodizing:

"Hi, John. I'm pretty confused here. Is the issue anodizing of brass or anodizing of titanium?

Titanium can be anodized with a thin light-defracting coating for jewelry use or with a heavy coating for anti-gall applications. But when titanium racks are used in aluminum anodizing solution, the intention is not to anodize the racks, that's just a consequence of its use. The solution used, 10 percent sulfuric acid, generates a very thin anodization layer on the titanium, thin enough that it is still conductive enough to use for a rack.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Copper cannot be usefully anodized. Zinc can be anodized but only at very high voltages (hundreds of volts). My understanding is that brass cannot be anodized. Letter 1785 alludes to an historical oxidized finish for brass without making any claim, though, that electricity has anything to do with it."

The other 'letter' he mentions discusses a blue-green coating on old scientific instrments. I believe that is the patina finish I'm going to try in the next few weeks.