My 2nd Krag

[browningautorifle]

unless my cheap hot plate will boil a couple inches of water vigorously enough

I used mine to melt lead in a cast iron pot...it should do the job.

[ssgross]

2 iterations on my receiver tonight fully rusted in 20 minutes in the "sweat pot". The third didn't rust at all after 2 hours, and is boiling now so I think I'm done.
The outer surfaces of the receiver aren't as dark as the side plate and loading gate turned out. Maybe it will get closer after the oil soak.

I did some more reading whilst waiting...that picture I posted from Turnbull restorations earlier ...he is clearly applying mark lee's express blue no. 1, exactly according to the instructions.

[browningautorifle]

Don't know if I'll be able to manage this, it sounds like witchcraft. I might have to send my Marlin off to have it blued after hand polish.

[ssgross]

I might have to send my Marlin off to have it blued after hand polish.

Jim, don't let my learning curve dissuade you. It's not too bad. It's both a science and an art just like marksmanship...at least that's why I like these kind of things. I emailed Turnbull for a quote for this very thing...send them my parts already prepped. They go back to me with a price that was astonishingly high.

The inside of receiver turned out perfect. Bad news the outside lightened considerably after the last boil and card , and I'm not happy with it. Good news is I know why. The finer the final iterations, the darker the color comes out...
https://markleesupplies.com/instructions...scroll down to the "slow" formula and the instructions are identical to all the others, only more detailed in explaining "why" things turn out the way they do.

My last coat, I switched from a wrung out cotton ball to a wrung out square cotton cleaning patch, hoping to get that perfect, light and smooth final coat with no overlap or streaks, but it put it on a bit heavier than the cotton ball (not noticeable when wiping it on, but easily seen after 15 minutes in the sweat pot). I should have known, the extra material of the ball soaks up any excess that doesn't immediately evaporate as you wipe it on. Larger rust particles yield a lighter finish.

I might switch to the Lee Express No. 1 for the barrel, since it takes less boiling. I can boil 20 gallons in my bit brewpot, then pump it into a pvc tube with the barrel. Hell if I'm real clever, I can put a hose fitting at the bottom and top of the tube and circulate boiling water.

[ssgross]

lots of good info here...
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/wp-...g%20manual.pdf
...like the correct height to file down my front sight blade for use with my m1901 sight.

[browningautorifle]

I have a copy of that very book here, had it for years.

[ssgross]

I built a boil tube out of 4in cellular core pvc with a 1500 watt heating element in the bottom. Going to blue the barrel this week.
The receiver has been in the sweat pot at 100F, 85% humidity all night last night, and all day today on it's 4th iteration. It had barely a dusting of rust on it this afternoon when I boiled it. It looks perfect. no streaks or blotches, perfect uniform satin sheen everywhere...only the color is kind of a light grey. It's black coming out of the boil pot, but after even the lightest of carding it returns to a very light shade. Odd because the side plate and loading gate turned out almost jet black. I've been doing the first boil as soon as there is a uniform coat of rust. Maybe I should wait till that first one builds up? The longer it sits, the more "etching" it does. Maybe a deeper etching will produce a darker result? I have been worried about letting it go too long and some areas pitting. Maybe it is like they say...a watched pot will never...rust?

My bottle of mark lee express blue comes in tomorrow. I'm going to try that on the barrel with my boil tube.

[rcathey]

Krag receivers are SUPER hard —that lends itself to the wonderfully smooth action.

It’s not surprising that the color would come out different on the receiver compared to other parts.

Maybe you could try “setting” the rust bluing with an oil soak after boiling but before carding. I don’t know if that would help…I’m just spitballing.

[ssgross]

I let it go all night and all day today. It has barely a hint of dusted rust on it...almost indistinguishable without shining under a light. I'll let it go again tomorrow, then boil and give it a shot before I call it good. I had similar light results on an '03 milled floor plate I practiced on. I have another I will test the lee express on for comparison. If it gets darker, I may sand back just the outside of this receiver and use the lee express.

Krag receivers are SUPER hard —that lends itself to the wonderfully smooth action.

Not disagreeing with you entirely - but for what its worth I read somewhere (in a real book) the reason for the notorious smoothness isn't the hardness, but that the hardening isn't very deep...soft steel under the hardened shell makes it feel like pushing through butter.

[ssgross]

I've cured my parts overnight in boiled linseed oil - the traditional method according to Larry Mr. Potterfield, wiping off all the excess then hanging them up to dry overnight. I wonder if a different curing oil would make it darker? e.g. when I get back newly parked stuff, a liberal coat of RIG grease, rubbing it in good then wiping off the excess, can make manganese phosphate turn almost jet black.