From R. H. Angier's "Firearm Blueing and Browning"
O.K., I promised you I'd dig out my notes. Guess what? Can't find them. There's too many bookcases in my house and only three bookcases are dedicated to one topic. That leaves me scrambling around and I couldn't dig out my notes from Lassen College. That'll take too much time and I'm trying to finish the chapter on Battery Wagner (see Bedtime Stories or Sharpshooter Tales at the blackpowder forum of
http://www.thehighroad.org ). Instead, I found the book which I purchased used for $5 many years ago (shop second hand, it's cheaper!
)
Be sure the finish is rough. You don't want a glossy finish to parkerize and it needs a rough finish. That's why they said blast it! O.K., rough sanding but be sure your work is consistent.
Here's the formulas (from pages 147-148).
From
F. R. G. Richards, a British firm whose phosphatising was called by them as
Fermangan is this solution:
Phosphoric acid D. 1.5 61 grs
Manganese dioxide 37 grs
Water (distilled) 1 U.S. quart
"The pieces are boiled for 1/2 to 1 1/2 hours, either making up the water evaporated, or evaporating it to 1/3 of its original volume. As the magganese dioxide does not dissolve but remains in suspension, the bath must be kept boiling briskly to secure a uniform coating. Further evaporation results in rougher coatings covered with fairly strongly adherent powdery manganese dioxide.
"The coating consists of mixed basic manganese and iron phosphates, is rougher and noticeably darker than the Coslett-proproduced and offers considerably greater resistence to rust."
Formula #2 Parkerising as described by
Field & Bonney
Phosphoric acid 365 grains
Manganese dioxide 22 grains
Water (distilled) 1 quart
"The pieces are boiled in this for 2 to 4 hours, then rinsed first in cold, then in hot water, dried in sawdust and brushed to free them from adherent sawdust. They are then heated on a hot plate to 'hissing' temperature, at which water dropped onto it is immediately thrown off, and at this temperature dipped in linseed oil, drained and gently warmed until dry. This is simply the Coslett or Fermangan treatment.
"The above data are sufficient for the occasional phosphatising of smaller parts, for which finished appearance is of secondary importance, and wheer special measures to promote economy would be unprofitable on account of the very small quantities of ingredients used."
After treatment The finished parts are transferred without rinsing to a drying oven or hot sawdust, so as to dry as quickly as possible, then dipped in linseed or vaseline oil, which sensibly darkens the colour. Their appearance is improved by rubbing or brushing with a bristle brush and a mixture of 1 part solid paraffin and 2 parts turpentine, or one of 3 parts of minearl oil and 1 part turpentine, which also slightly increases their resistence to rust.
Note: we did it differently at Lassen but as I've said, I can't find my notes.
