Aged 30.06 Rifle Cartridge Pen

[Lathemaster]

Image you are walking a battlefield from years past, and there in the mud alongside the path you find a crusted brass rifle cartridge.

This was the idea behind this pen.

I took a 30.06 Remington brass cartridge and a Nosler 155gr 308 FMJ copper bullet to create the lower pen body. It was then "fumigated" to age the brass and copper bullet. Dried and cleaned the casing was left unfinished so that it would continue to age and develop a nice patina.

The top barrel is turned from walnut as is the cap that holds a bronze clip. The walnut is finished with our blend of "wood butter" - organic beeswax and walnut oil. The cap too should continue to develop a patina with use.

The pen is presented in a wooden pen box made in the style of the ammunition boxes used prior to WWII. The box is left rough finished with a coat of amber shellac. The pen sits on a bed of natural excelsior.

Thanks for looking

Mike

 

[lorbay]

Did you mean the clip will too develop a patina and not The cap too should continue to develop a patina with use.??
Lin

 

[SDB777]

I've never 'tried' to make brass go that direction, but I can see the reasoning for it....and I like the idea. Not everything needs to be super shined, polished to a high gloss, and un-natural.....

That box is 'priceless'! I can see spending more time to get the box done then the pen!




Scott (think blue stained pine timber) B

 

[CREID]

If I am not infringing on a secret process. What is the fumigation process you used on that pen?

Curt

 

[ELA]

Very nicely done. I too prefer to let the brass patina from use. The box is just perfect for this pen.

 

[Lathemaster]

Did you mean the clip will too develop a patina and not The cap too should continue to develop a patina with use.??
Lin

Lin

The two wooden pieces of the upper barrel will continue to develop a patine over time.

All the clips I could find are lacquered so it will remain glossy.

Thanks for looking
Mike

 

[Skie_M]

Hmmm ... you could sandblast the clips to remove the laquer ... and then it too would age with time and keep up with the design of the pen.

 

[Lathemaster]

If I am not infringing on a secret process. What is the fumigation process you used on that pen?

Curt

Curt

Not really a secret.

Without going to deep into the chemistry, there are basically two household reagents that will react with brass and copper, white vinegar and ammonia.

Once the cartridge portion is assembled, but before you insert the transmission do the following:

For either process throughly clean the brass and copper with a solvent, I used lacquer thinner. Use gloves, you don't want oi from your fingers on the brass once you clean it.
Plug the ends with beeswax to keep the fumes out of the interior of the cartridge (optional but not a bad idea )

Vinegar

Use a plastic container with a tight fitting lid, pour in about 1" of distilled white vinegar. Suspend the cartridge above the vinegar, not touching, and close the lid. I left the cartridge in the container for about 8 - 10 hours, checking occasionally until you get the effect you are looking for.

The brass and copper will develop a green, blue and brown tarnish.

Remove the cartridge and allow it to air dry throughly. Gently clean the cartridge with a dry clean cloth.

Household Ammonia and Table Salt ( DO NOT BREATH FUMES - DO THIS OUTSIDE ! )

Take a plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Layer 4 - 6 layers of paper towel on the bottom of the container, saturate the paper towels with the ammonia and sprinkle a generous amount of table salt on the paper towels. layer more towels on top the cartridge and saturate with more ammonia. Close the lid on the container. Check after 15 minutes, rotate the cartridge if necessary. Remove when you get the effect you want.

Remove the cartridge and allow it to air dry throughly. Gently clean the cartridge with 0000 steel wool.
I found that the ammonia technique actually etched the cartridge and left the result shown in the pictures. I the vinegar tarnish tended to come off easily even after cleaning.

More experiments needed but this is where I am at the moment.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Wood Butcher]

I've done some brass aging using the patina material from Rockler. If I remove the lacquer with lacquer thinner then rub or dip the part in the liquid it gives a controlled aged look. You do have to re-lacquer post aging with spray lacquer but the entire process is quick and painless I think.
WB

 

[Lathemaster]

Hmmm ... you could sandblast the clips to remove the laquer ... and then it too would age with time and keep up with the design of the pen.

Good point but my thought process was that the rifle cartridge was found on the battlefield but the clip is new to the created pen..

Thanks

Mike

 

[PapaTim]

I like your idea and your execution of it. Really creative and certainly something many will appreciate. The pen box is an absolute knockout. Makes me want to try a pen box with the look of the crates used for curio & relic class rifles. Thanks for sharing.