RogerT Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Hi. Does anyone know how to change the colour on your brass? I've seen shooters having red or green cases and I vaugely remember something about a solution that you soak your brass in before reloading them to get the colour, but I've forgotten all about it. Anyone here with chemistry knowledge? The purpose is the easily find my own spent rifle cases on the range to avoid full size calibration of the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerT Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 and to all of you who almost had an answer, I can save you the time to search on Google... Here is what I found (yes, I know, always search first, post questions later...): 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 REFERENCES: Meyer, Walter R. title: Plating and Finishing Guidebook ninth edition - 1940 pp.72-75 (cited) Metal Finishing Guidebook twenty-eighth edition - 1960 article by Hall, Nathaniel title: Coloring of Metals pp. 477-479 (cited) Krause, Hugo title: Metal Coloring and Finishing (not cited) Hiorns, A. H. title: Metal Coloring (not cited) Field, S and Bonney, S.R. title: Chemical Coloring of Meta ls (not cited) -Royce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Interesting. I would think tinting your brass green would be a great way to lose it at a range covered in grass, though. I also wonder if any of those chemicals will weaken the cases significantly. I just use the 'ol sharpie across the base of the case. DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Sweeney Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 A few of the solutions use Acetic Acid. I'm not too keen on the idea of dipping the cases in an acidic solution just to color them. The Sharpie pen method works, and doesn't attack the brass. The root of the problem is identifying the brass after firing. Rather than use a chemical solution on your cases, ink them, spread a tarp or pick a spot already clear of brass. And you want to do this for what? Getting the same brass back. There are easier ways than chemical solutions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g56 Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Acetic acid is vinegar, I wouldn't get too worried about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 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. Vinegar has acetic acid in it, but it is quite dilute. Glacial acetic acid is some pretty potent stuff. It tastes as tangy as 6 molar hydrochloric acid, and is a lot more volatile, so you get a bunch of fumes from it, and they make your eyes water. Also, human skin is a lot more resistant to acid than most metals are. Even if acetic acid won't burn you, it likely will react moderately with brass. DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Exposure to strong acetic acid will take off many layers of skin. I know. I had no fingerprints for a week or two once. Darn my mostly-law-abiding nature. Feeling dust particles on glass was an interesting experience, but picking up hot cups of coffee was not. Yow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InTheBlack Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 Some of those recipes called for lead acetate. IIRC, lead acetate is one of the most dangerous chemical forms of lead WRT biological uptake. It gets into your system very easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chbrow10 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Has anyone tried any of these? I'm interested in the results. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njl Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I would think using one of the Sharpie methods or some kind of dye similar to Sharpie would be far safer to apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Surely there must be some commercial solution available without playing home chemist ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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