longhunter Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi all made my first tomahawk wrought iron body with 5160 cutting bit needs more work cleaned up , now it aint pretty but was wondering if anyone has used any of the Laurel Mtn browning solution on wrought and what kind of results did you all have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Hello: I have never used that "instant browning" solution from Laurel Mountain so I really can not say how well it works..I do however use my own old formula using boiled down urine, smells to all get out at first when you are cooking it (I suggest you do that OUTSIDE) but once you get in reduced by 80% it does make for a very rich chocolate brown finish that is very durable. (Please see photo) I use 5160 as well as 1060/70 for the bits and mild steel for the axe body and I get some very nice results...then again I am not one to mind doing things the "old way" either so.... JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 So "red headed boy" or "goat fed ferns for three days"? Once I sorta qualified for the first but now my wife tells me I'm more of the latter as she stuffs salad in me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Tim215 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 someone pls explain this boiled urine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 <p style="margin-left: 40px;">fairly self explanitory I thought? take a bottle of xxxx and boil it until it's concentrated, reduced by 80% volume is suggested. The result is a solution that will patinate steel it would seem. I guess using shop bought ammonia might work as well, but where is the fun in that?! <img alt=":D" class="bbc_emoticon" src="http://www.iforgeiron.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.png" title=":D" /></p> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndersMJ Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Just a suggestion for a finish. The blade is covered in dijon mustard and then wrapped in cling film. Let it sit for a day or two and it should stain the steel this way. Could do this with a hawk too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longhunter Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Thanks for the replies guys I dont know about boiling down urine maybe its something the wife can do lol not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin1050 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Are talking about using our own pee or trying to collect from an animal? Cow maybe or horse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Well shop bought ammonia would certainly NOT serve the same way... the boiling process will have removed nearly all ammonia from the solution... I'd say that what's left is likely mostly uric acid with some trace salts. Of course different urine sources would yield varied results. I'd suggest trying horse, cow, goat and whatever else you can get hold of. Try feeding various diets before collecting also. In this way you'll develop a range of hues that you can choose from for any given project. Cats, being desert animals originally, tend to have very concentrated urine... which may mean less boiling to get similar strength solutions. As we, on this forum, have so magnanimously shared our insight with you we will appreciate your sharing the results of your palette research with us in return! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 BTW if you are squeamish about collecting your own I know that the urine of doe deer in estrus is sold as a sort of manly scent for deer hunters. I think it may be a bit pricy but perhaps the convenience factor will seem worthwhile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPH Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Hello: I use to use horse urine until my neighbors moved and took their horses with them..drats..that resulted ina very "tawny" brown finish..very pleasing to the eye when done... Well then I started to use my own and the colour changed from a tawny brown to a dark, almost chocolate brown..I spoke with a chemist friend of mine and he said it's the fact that I am a human (yes,,it is true) and my urine reflects the fact that I eat a far different diet as the horse...Makes sense to me... JPH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 ....I spoke with a chemist friend of mine and he said it's the fact that I am a human (yes,,it is true) and my urine reflects the fact that I eat a far different diet as the horse...Makes sense to me...JPH Very interesting. Yes, we used to have horses and my wife explained to me that the difference in their excretion smell was due to their being vegetarians. I wonder if I could find someone at a historical reenactment that would follow the horses around and collect a jug or two. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farbeyondtherapy Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 i would love to see you trying to collect the pee from a horse, hilarious, please upload pic :) on the other hand if you could also take a picture of the persons face whom you ask for a jug of pee at the reinactment that would be priceless as well. :) love it. but i guess if vegiterian pee is best why mess with perfection? good luck and wash your hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loneforge Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 At first glance this topic was sorta disturbing...But I somehow couldn't look away. I'm a bladesmith and use most everything I make for food prep or general usage. I think I'll avoid this method of steel finishing for obvious reasons! Interesting nonetheless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teenylittlemetalguy Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Just a suggestion for a finish. The blade is covered in dijon mustard and then wrapped in cling film. Let it sit for a day or two and it should stain the steel this way. Could do this with a hawk too. Neat idea Anders. love the look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 As horse xxxx is collected after every race at a racetrack to check for doping it's not an impossible task---the container on a stick method is quite common. I've never used the stuff for patination; but I have used it for vat dying of wool---particularly using indigo and then used the exhaust bath for quenching in---such an amusing smell when the hot steel hits it! As I live in a hot dry climate I wonder if the boiling is needed; reduction by evaporation would be easy out here and as my neighbor runs a small paint horse stud farm I could probably get away with the smells too. JPH you're also in a hot dry climate, have you tried both methods of reduction and see if the results differ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 On a good hot day here in MO you could likely get to boiling temps with solar alone... but then the humidity at around 98 per cent would still make it difficult to reduce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 On a good hot day here we put stock into the lit forge to cool it off and single digit humidities are common. Since you may never feel sweaty you can dehydrate scary fast and it's common for every other sentence to a visiting friend to be "Drink more!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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