I tried rusting brass in ammonia without much luck, could be because its brass though. Have you tried cinnamon and paint? Not real rust but it comes out looking pretty close and you can seal it with a matte sealer to keep it weather proof without the gloss look.

I wanted some rusted garden tools for an arrangement. I bought some for 1.00 at Big Lots that had wooden handles and painted metal parts. REALLY CHEAP! I used paint stripper on the metal part. Once the paint was stripped they rusted almost overnight. I stuck the handles down in a compost pile and they got old looking real quick. So the trick for me was to find cheap metal stuff that has a painted surface. There are some good tips here too;

Here is a link that might be useful: Make it rust

I can never get what I want rusty,just stuff I don't want to rust. But I do paint a fake rust on some things,here is the angel I bought a couple weeks ago at a yard sale,I got her arms cut off and painted the silver metal rust,and her lavender. In the background are a few garden tools I painted with a fake rust. The angel I want to mount on the roof of the little greenhouse table,as soon as I get some trim on the edges.

{{gwi:142742}}

once upon a time. rusted tools were thrown out or hid.

love your rusted painted look kudzukween(-: and LOL at Dustyknees that is so true....