Different colors can be achieved through variations of this method including quenching in oil instead of water. Youll get a dark spot right there. Its durable and wears well. Youre a gunsmith who has a lot of nice guns! I can keep a Krylon can always handy for touch-ups. Wear thick gloves and a face mask before you quench your steel so the water or oil doesnt splash onto your hands. Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. When youre done and have neutralized & washed off the Express Blue #1 solution, you then should spray down the barrel with water-displacing oil. I handed a buddy my wallet and cell phone, and stepped under the safety shower and got wet. Theyll usually go in from the right, and be drifted out from the left (ie, drifting them from left to the right as the muzzle is pointed away from you). Safety is the number one priority so protect your body as much as possible. Now, using the information above, you should have little problem bluing your firearms on your own. The parts can often be put together with little or no forces need and friction lock together and the one parts shrinks and the other part expands. Your 700F temp is too high, IMO. . Copyright 2023 Flixsterz. Add in the 250F+ temperatures of the salts when they hit your skin, and youre both burned thermally and chemically in seconds. It is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. NaOH will quickly and completely dissolve aluminum. Then, you can put the components back into the bluing tank and increase the temperature until you see the blued steel. Commercial products are widely sold in small bottles for cold bluing firearms, and these products are primarily used by individual gun owners for implementing small touch-ups to a gun's finish, to prevent a small scratch from becoming a major source of rust on a gun over time. Heat source You will require at least one burner for bluing salts and two hot water burners. Put 600 grit compound on a wheel, use a little too much pressure and youll be gob-smacked at how fast it can cut material off the gun. Holy crap, did that reaction hurt like hell. this article statement Step 3: Suspend the components in the bluing solution tank, However, if the bluing effect isnt satisfactory, then you can try giving the components an acid bath (using, Step 4: Rinse the components in a cold water tank then transfer them to a hot one, Step 5: Submerge the components in a tank filled with water displacing oil, Address: 4455 Camp Bowie Blvd, Ste 114 #852, Fort Worth, TX 76107. But the article was very informative. This is how Colt made their rifles and pistols prior to Civil War you can read all about the process. Dont touch the metal with your bare hands since it could cause severe burns. just fyi, the old school method of case hardening steel is to get the piece so hot that a magnet will no longet stick to it and quickly quench it in used motor oil. If you cant, just get them out of the case and allow air to circulate around them. Ill go into parkerization later this week. Ill be buying the stainless tubs and chemicals to do it and go for as close to black as I can get. The actual temperature of the steel depends on the carbon content inside. "Rust bluing" and "fume bluing" provide the best rust and corrosion resistance as the process continually converts any metal that is capable of rusting into magnetite (Fe3O4). I used Brownells Plum Brown, a product that requires that the barrel be heated to 275 degrees to activate the reaction. Dang it all. Its essential to keep stirring the tank to prevent the forming of hot and cold areas. That means 50-60 revolutions to make a foot. For the color change to be uniform you have to remove the grease, oil, paint etc or it looks blotchy. Its a good process for processing lots of guns, but I simply cannot recommend it for people who just want to do a gun here or a gun there.. Theres a reason why I buy up clapped-out guns and stuff where people look at me with a WTF?! Even with safety glasses and a full-face shield, a rubber apron, rubber boots, etc it is possible to get salts into your eyes and all over the rest of you. Drill bits and gun barrels are common examples. Spilling salts at this temperature will instantly result in fire, because the KNO3 is a powerful oxidizer all on its own, and the added thermal energy will light anything on fire all alone. The color is oxide, but I believe you can scrape it off. This is a great time to point out that leaving guns in gun cases, especially the woolen/fleece cases, in the back of a closet, is one of the most sure-fire ways to rust the value completely out of a gun. You can reassemble the gun after. With a simple heating and quenching process, you can make your steel last for much longer! "@type": "Article", Larger flames produce less heat while smaller flames produce a higher heat. Free shipping for many products! I heat treated a piece of carbon steel to make it less likely to wear (using its edge as a cutting surface in a wood turning application). Alternatively. It is usually inadvisable to use cold bluing as a touch-up where friction is present. The cross section and size of parts affect the outcome of the finish and time it takes to achieve. First, let us go through a couple of bluing concepts that you have to know in order to achieve the desired result. Thank you all who had a part in the production of this important information! Please be careful with the cold bluing solutions. I saw you reference a coleman stove and propane tank for heating solution. I rarely use them. SO, DG; unless I missed it, I am assuming the torch is used separate from heating the tank/ container with the boiling solution. This is often achieved without chemicals by simply heating the steel until a blue oxide film appears. Use Hot Bluing And Cold Bluing To Give Your Steel That So you will get a shinier finish. What I forgot to mention in all of this is a detail that seems mundane, but it critically important: Wear cotton gloves. Also: Do not allow the solution to run, drip or sag. I like 1.5 wide shop cloth myself). on Introduction. Cold blues will This works well for me. Metal ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Its easy enough to color metal with a torch, but it has always been a hit-or-miss process for me, and when it was a big hit, I was rarely able to re-create how it got that way. -Something to hold your piece with, make sure it's appropriate to hold it with so it doesn't get too hot in your hands. Pour in some acetone, and while wearing rubber gloves (dishwashing gloves are OK), put in a pad of 0000 steel wool, swish it around and pull it out. 1. You will need:-2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil)-oil -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any goo I have in the past few years became more and more. This crucible was heated to 730C (1,350F) for up to 6hours (the longer the heat was applied the thicker the case hardening). "I am nearly 16 and can not wait until I have my drivers license. it washes off with water. Answer Most cold blueing agents contain some selenium dioxide in them to enable to them to react at room temps. Cold bluing is not particularly resistant to holster wear, nor does it provide a large degree of rust resistance. 35% Potassium nitrate (aka saltpeter), http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-36054.html. Posted December 21, 2009. ", not only fun, but also profitable. "dateModified": "2022-03-27", Color case hardening is the predecessor of all metal coloring typically employed in the firearms industry. Bluing (steel) - Wikipedia How to Colour Steel With HEAT : 5 Steps (with Pictures) By the time I was done it looked like it was a beat up 5 year old gun rather than a 1930s bolt .22 that came from a scrap yard. Bluing only works on steel, cast iron, or stainless steel parts for protecting against corrosion because it changes iron into Fe3O4; it does not work on non-ferrous material. DG thank you. You can not do this method with Aluminium because it won't reach the temperatures required for bluing, it will just melt. Its a good process, but it isnt a 1:1 replacement for blueing. Safety notes: Dont use an aluminum pan. Some people might not have a tank long enough to contain a barreled action to boil out. An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. The loose oxide was then carded (scrubbed) off, using a carding brush - a wire brush with soft, thin (usually about 0.002in (0.051mm) thick) wires - or wheel. Blue Best Gun Bluing In comparison, rust, the red oxide of iron (Fe2O3), undergoes an extremely large volume change upon hydration; as a result, the oxide easily flakes off, causing the typical reddish rusting away of iron. Theres a reason I didnt pursue a career in chemistry. I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. Remove any previous finish. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. Ships from and sold by Direct-Wholesale. When the liquid stops bubbling, remove the metal from the container and wipe off any excess liquid. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. Although the steel parts, such as anOrdains watch hands, are near enough miniscule, each The book claims they used wait for it "boiling gasoline" not making this up to clean them. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. DG should receive a stipend for his valuable contributions to TTAG. "https://theshootingmystery.tumblr.com/", Usually they would pack the parts in crucibles and surround them with leather, wood, coal,bone etcThey would heat them up to 1200F to 1500F and hold them at this temp. I just had my first experience rust browning a barrel. Metal parts that look black or blue-black are usually blued (rather than painted). Hes claiming that method is more durable than Blue alone. Sometimes at this point, I come just a fraction away from the heat to go through colours a bit slower. Oil and grease really are the enemy because youre trying to (literally) corrode the metal. Free shipping. Heating up a tank on the kitchen stove. I use a pickling paste. I want to add rainbow color to safety razor blades that would be used again, how can I do this? Dont scrub the solution onto the gun, just run a patch that is not dripping wet down one complete run on the barrel/action in one smooth stroke. Treating with an oiled coating enhances the protection offered by the bluing. Itll evaporate rather rapidly, but still, dont whip it at cars or house finishes. "https://www.reddit.com/user/theshootingmystery" You might also want to read our article on how to easily darken stainless steel or blacken stainless steel for more ways to personalize your gear. Water is great for rapidly quenching the hot metal, but it could cause thin steel to distort or crack. How to Blue Stainless Steel in 5 Easy Steps: Complete Guide Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. Learn more Steel is a common durable alloy, and while most steel used in tools is already tough, you can harden it even more to prevent wear and tear. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience :) ). I can't stress how important the degreasing step is! You can then use a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. Dont. For larger pieces of steel, you need to use a. Dont pour water in to your bath! You can then u. se a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. You can make your own desiccant packs with kitty litter (I would recommend the unused variety). You have entered an incorrect email address! I use it, oh so cautiously in making my biodiesel. However, rust bluing small areas often match, blend, and wear better than any cold bluing process. The reason I ask is that when you heat steel that is in the white to 600F, you get a brilliant blue all on its own. It was left in a flannel gun case in the back of a moist closet for 25+ years. Then you sight down the barrel and you see dips and waves in the barrel profile. I ended up with some spots where the browning did not take, and a few dull spots, most of which I was able to buff out with steel wool soaked with gun oil. Reply If everything appears good, then you can transfer the components into a hot water tank. Its much cheaper anyways. Cold blueing is OK for touchups, at best. Please note: As you are working with heat, please be smart, use your common sense, do the bluing process in a well ventilated area and keep a wet towel to hand. Im asking because theres a guy on YouTube recommending Brown Express first, then several layers of Blue over that. Not only does it give you an alchemical feeling of satisfactionbut it also gives the metal a finish to stop corrosion. That way, you can still use your oven for the rest of the evening. Your container should be relatively larger than your object. RF: Expect a write-up from me on Rust blueing and parkerizing in the next couple of weeks. It is one smoooooth profile, from one end to the other. By using our site, you agree to our. With. How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Once the steel is clean, you can begin heating it up. Either that or the steel wool. The wire is extremely small in diameter, so you have to take that into consideration. In place of using a hot bath (although at a lower temperature) chemically induced method, it is possible through controlling the temperature to heat steel precisely such as to cause the formation of black oxide selectively over the red oxide. Just use distilled water. Still, you will find that cold blues dont last. Ive dealt with strong acids and strong bases in lab work, and I fear the strong bases more. OK, Buffing wheels, which Im making their own break-out response from the blueing salt issue: Buffing wheels are useful things in a gun shop. It cannot rust any further. BUT like so many power tools on guns, it is possible to create expensive screw-ups to fix on guns with power tools, and buffing wheels are no exception. These work by depositing a coating of copper selenide on the surface. It is generally employed on smaller parts such as pins, screws, sights, etc. The bottom of the crucible is opened allowing the contents to drop into the rapidly bubbling water. You work on nice guns! I think DGs method is a lot safer than mine. For this reason, it is considered not to add any appreciable thickness to precisely-machined gun parts. If cold bluing is the only practical option, the area should be kept oiled to extend the life of the coating as much as possible. This is not necessary as long as you can hold your item appropriately and not cover where it is to be heated. Heat the Steel. ", the wrong quality steel. Degrease and heat the items to be blued in a steel pan to about 700F. Oil binds with the metal and prevent it from getting air/chemicals to corrode. Another good test for determining when the steel is ready is seeing if a magnet sticks to its surface. Very true. Thank you, DG! Heat the gun parts. Did you make this project? How do I do this? If you havent done it before, wait until I mention some items about it. Thanks for always being so willing to share, Sir. The parts are then boiled in distilled water, blown dry, then carded, as with rust bluing. If you want to blue something fast I have a cheap hot blue method: Lowes stump remover: The de-greasing you do directly affects the uniformity of the browning or blueing. It repeats the process adn by the time the head moves on to the next station all the parts are seated presumably for the life of the head. This item: Special Blue Full Metal Butane Torch (Gold) - Refillable Flame Lighter- Culinary Torch - Welding Torch - Adjustable Dual Flame for Desserts, Creme Brulee, BBQ and Baking. Shooting Mystery is reader-supported. That doesnt happen easily or by accident. Bluing, being a chemical conversion coating, is not as robust against wear and corrosion resistance as plated coatings, and is typically no thicker than 2.5 micrometres (0.0001 inches). Help 'blueing' with OA torch There are also methods of cold bluing, which do not require heat. Hot NaOH is so alkaline it is great as dissolving organic materials. }, Thoroughly degrease the area to be reblued with acetone. DIY Gun Bluing I don't understand why you are submerging it in oil? You wouldnt need salts. "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", Im not responsible for marital discord as a result of gun projects attempted on the kitchen stove. 4. Once you get the colour you want, go outside to your oil container and fully quench your object into the oil!Note: I know a plastic container is Hot. Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. 1/16-inch pivot wire has a circumference of ~0.2in. Ferrari installs valve seats in their aluminum cylinder heads via robot. 5. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques.Have fun doing it! References Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. "author": "Christopher Graham", ", steel". When youre using polishing paper, you think that 600 grit is very fine, and it is taking you hours to polish out something to 600. Its for mild steel, which must be greased, oiled or otherwise coated with something to stop it from rusting almost immediately. This is one of the reasons rust and fume bluing are generally more rust-resistant than other methods. $36.73. I had to sand and restain the stock, and sanded the barrel from 120 down to 400 grit the pitting was so bad. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 13 in 1 Metal Shell Welding Torch Nozzle Tip Cleaner For Welder Soldering at the best online prices at eBay! "keywords": ["how to blue stainless steel"], The steel is also used for producing great police flashlights with awesome durability. In order to confirm the bank transfer, you will need to upload a receipt or take a screenshot of your transfer within 1 day from your payment date. List Price: $18.64 $18.64. -2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil), -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any good degreaser, -metal object/s (I used mild steel, Please note this method should NOT be used on tempered/hardened steel as you will effect the properties of the metal). What did you use for polishing your pieces and Im guessing you polished then added the chemicals after?Thanks, Joe, Question Blue or Black rust is complete passivation of the steel surface Fe3O4. Brownells has a product that will strip blueing and rust (Fe3O4 and Fe3O2, respectively) and not corrode the underlying steel.Remove the barrel & action from the stock. An ideal temperature is 180 degrees Fahrenheit but it also depends on the manual. Torch Never know when it will come in handy. Did you ever find out what oil they were using? Polish to at least 400 grit. If the sights need to be stripped & blued, follow the same procedure, but dont polish on them. They melt at, oh, somewhere about 280F. For modern uses of black oxide, see, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "How To Remove Rust From A Gun Without Damaging Bluing? http://cdn.spectrumbrands.com/~/media/Spectracide/Files/MSDS/SpectracideStumpRemoverGranulesSDSApr15.ashx. Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. Youre just using stump remover to do it. Metal Finishing Guru. Its a pretty straightforward process. WebBluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. There can be different layers you have to apply. (You say the rod was heated, but it couldn't have been, as it was on the inside. At least one of the cold bluing solutions contains selenium dioxide. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. Dont drop or try to bend the steel once its removed. this produces better, less turbulant gas flow, which will reduce heat traces. Premium fencing blades are often offered with a blued finish. tighter your arc, the less the heat input will be. YouTube - Nitre bluing a few gun parts. This answer was tested with a utility knife blade and it drilled through with ease. How to Harden Steel: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Bluing is most commonly used by gun manufacturers, gunsmiths, and gun owners to improve the cosmetic appearance of and provide a measure of corrosion resistance to their firearms. Repeat 3 times. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. Hot bluing should never be attempted on aluminium, as it reacts it usually dissolves in the caustic salt bath. My apologies for the background noise in the first half of the video We had compressors running where I You are nitre blueing here. If there is any finish left on the metal, it will interfere with the bluing pr If you do not get crazy and over heat the steel there is no reason to be fearful of the process. So As one newish to refined firearms ownership, what is the best way to store and protect a pistol or rifle from rusting, especially in areas like Oregon or Washington, Silicon socks, or ?