Jax - Aluminum Blackener, 2 oz, item no. 45.96701

Hardly works

Love how this instantly darkens the metal and STAYS on.

I used Jax Aluminum Blackener to try to restore/ refinish the Aluminum Barrel Shroud on my 44 year old 1976 Charter Arms Target Bulldog .357 Magnum. Carrying in a leather holster on many backpacking trips and also using the gun for 50 foot indoor bullseye matches for 2 seasons, eventually the black anodized finish began to wear off near the muzzle on both sides of the barrel. I 1st tried Birchwood Casey's Aluminum Black and found the finish didn't survive holster use very long. Then I tried Birchwood Casey's Aluminum Touch-up Pen, which was nothing more than black paint. Next was Jax, and it was no better than BC's chemical. The only solution I can imagine would be anodizing the aluminum again, if that is at all possible. As for the final finish with both blackeners, it was always a mottled appearance following cleaning, degreasing, rinsing, applying, rinsing, buffing, clear coating, et.al.... instructions to a "T". No matter what, the finish is not long lasting and always goes on unevenly with light/ dark mottled results. The final cost with shipping and hazmat fees + 8% tax was $18.33 for 2 oz bottle. UPDATE 6/24; I Bought a 2 oz. bottle to touch up a 4" Aluminum barrel Shoud as stated. Clearcoat paint wears off after also. I do not know if the solution is reuseable. 2 oz. was 50 times more than I needed to use in my attempt to put a decent blackened finish on the barrel shroud.