Degrease and heat the items to be blued in a steel pan to about 700F. 99. 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. This is a great source that you can learn lots of information from and I'll advise it to to a handfuls of others. Central Texas. One of the reasons I hand-polish up to 600 and buff only above that is that when you see one of my barrels (by holding it up to a light source, and sighting down the barrel from the muzzle at your eye to the breech out at arms length), you see no dips, waves, ripples, etc. 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. -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. 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. Oil-free steel wool is also sold by woodworking shops. Different colors can be achieved through variations of this method including quenching in oil instead of water. Blue Metal Shell 13 in 1 Welding Torch Nozzle Tip Cleaner For Welder Soldering. These processes were later abandoned by major firearm manufacturers as it often took parts days to finish completely, and was very labor-intensive. Oxides come after its been heated to a red heat and cooled. - Ballachy", "Bluing of Steel by Heat Treatment: Why and How it Happens? The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. No one can even tell you what the heat treat is on a 1895 Mauser for instance yet we do not wet ourselves before we shoot one! Accidental exposure to the chemicals could result in serious injuries. We strongly advise that you only push through with this process if you are absolutely confident that you are able to perform the necessary precautions. 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. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. WD-40, as mentioned earlier, is a water-displacing oil compound not a penetrating lube, and for preventing rust, WD-40 actually works pretty well, but it doesnt last like cosmoline or waxy oils used for long-term rust prevention. I dont use hot salt blueing because much of my work is on older double guns, which have ribs that are soft-soldered into place. Dont pour water in to your bath! tighter your arc, the less the heat input will be. The color is not oxides, when steel is heated at relatively low heats (300-600 degrees Fahrenheit) it changes colors from light yellow to a deep blue, after 600 it turns back to a steel color. Craig, torch bluing is a real thing that has been use a lot in the custom gun world, mostly for screw heads but even for complete muzzle loader creations ( the vendor will be quite proud of his work it seems as cost increases considerably to a finished item). While the rod may heat some by conduction, it wouldn't get hot enough to start the color-forming process. to blue / heat anodize stainless steel Heres instructions from Mark Lee Supplies on using their Express Blue #1. I didnt drop outta my mommas womb being able to do this stuff. It can soften up some paints and plastics. It is caused by a layer of oxide that forms when the steel is heated. Once you see it turn golden, the process has started and colours will change fairly quickly! Life is good. Any more advice is welcome SteelJunkee Joined May 6, 2018 Messages 891 2mm wire has a circumference of ~0.25in. Alternatively, You could store them in a hard case (like a pelican with a purge) and throw some desiccant packs in there as well. Hes claiming that method is more durable than Blue alone. Color case hardening is the predecessor of all metal coloring typically employed in the firearms industry. Hot blueing is a good process, especially if you have a lot of iron to shove through the blueing process quickly. We will verify and confirm your receipt within 3 working days from the date you upload it. Ill wait for and look forward to your article! on Step 1. I wouldnt use this bluing method for these items. I wouldn't recommend either. Metal If a bank transfer is made but no receipt is uploaded within this period, your order will be cancelled. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 914,567 times. Again, dont mess around with these chemicals and only handle them with extreme attention. 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. "logo": { 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. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. You can blue heat-treated parts with no ill effects. 1. polish it very well 2. clean very well 3. quick dip in dilute FeCl (4:1) is what I use 4. rinse in cold running water and pat If you need to use a blow torch, focus the flame tip on the area you want hardened. "https://www.pinterest.com/theshootingmystery/", This step should be done before heating the steel, as the steel should be quenched immediately after removing from heat. *700F is very close to the heat treatment temperature of some steels. But since this was my first project, with an inexpensive kit as a learning tool, and as I intend to do this again with a much more expensive kit, my trials and errors and your voice of experience will be very useful the next time around. You should put the brass drift (which you can make out of a piece of brass rod about 1/4 in diameter) on the sight base, and then start tapping the end of the drift with a small hammer. NaOH will quickly and completely dissolve aluminum. Black iron wire You will need black iron wire to tie around any object you They are still sometimes used by gunsmiths to obtain an authentic finish for a period gun of the time that rust bluing was in vogue, analogous to the use of browning on earlier representative firearm replicas. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Bluing is also used for providing coloring for steel parts of fine clocks and other fine metalwork. Help 'blueing' with OA torch Then remove it from the degreaser, don't be tempted to wipe it off with anything. Copyright 2023 Flixsterz. The "hot" process is an alkali salt solution using potassium nitrite or sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, referred to as "traditional caustic black", that is typically done at an elevated temperature, 135 to 155C (275 to 311F). I can see my wife walking in and shaking her headabout as vigorously as when I asked if I could use the dishwasher to clean some tools. Blue or Black rust is complete passivation of the steel surface Fe3O4. My current rifle builds are going to be parkerzied. Theres a reason I didnt pursue a career in chemistry. Heat source You will require at least one burner for bluing salts and two hot water burners. List Price: $18.64 $18.64. It greatly helped me to learn how to blue a gun perfectly at home. "@context": "http://schema.org/", of the steel than do not even try this on something that is anything other than artistic in nature! In literally 10 seconds on a buffing wheel incorrectly applied, I could screw that up to a point where it might take be eight+ hours of hand polishing to recover my prior results. Wear thick gloves and a face mask before you quench your steel so the water or oil doesnt splash onto your hands. Rinse them in a cold water tank after. Haha. Further, I probably would have used a coarser wet-dry to prep the raw steel (this was a kit Kentucky long rifle) rather than the 1500 grit I used. Picture Information. I use a pickling paste. 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. Let them cool down as you take a closer look at the bluing effect. I like parkerization on some of my milsurps. Either of these two methods is called 'hot bluing'. Another good test for determining when the steel is ready is seeing if a magnet sticks to its surface. To shrink, I assumed you heated the steel plate only, to expand the hole in it. Brand: Logix. However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. Where/how did you think I got to the point I could make nice guns? on Introduction, Hello my name is Joe and Im doing a project where Im trying to achieve the same outcome. But the article was very informative. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques. Even a fingerprint will affect the consistency of the colour. Be patient in the first few minutes as the metal needs to reach the temperatures where it changes colour! How do I do this? There are also methods of cold bluing, which do not require heat. I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. 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 ? 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. You can make a Caustic Soda KNO3 water bath: 65% Lye (aka sodium hydroxide) When heat treating a forged blade you get the whole knife glowing, then submerge just the blade in the oil for 8 seconds. it washes off with water. One can generally use the same solution to brown as to blue. Make sure to check every nook and cranny of the components so that you can find any discoloration or blemishes. Ventilation is important. Red rust is Fe2O3, and is incomplete rust it will continue allowing the surface to corrode over time hence the oil or wax. Also: Do not allow the solution to run, drip or sag. Follow the instructions. Bluing is also used in seasoning cast-iron cookware, to render it relatively rust-proof and non-stick. The "turning blue" process has nothing to do with hardening of the steel, or its compression. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method Cooking off the more volatile hydrocarbons leaving the heavier ones produces a different effect yet again. As mentioned, cold bluing can be done at room temperature with decent results. Vegetable oil has a higher boiling point, so the hot steel will take longer to cool and reduce the chance of it cracking. It is generally employed on smaller parts such as pins, screws, sights, etc. How to remove discoloration from heat? - Forums - Miller Welding Mea culpa. Pour in They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. That said, heres the truth: The best blueing you can have on a gun is simple, safe to do, but takes a long time. ", "I have very limited knowledge as to how metal can be manipulated for different applications. I'm a professional knifemaker and use many very high-temp methods including quenching 1,600F steel in pre-heated oil - I know what I'm talking about, 'cause I still have 10 fingers and my eyesight. Thanks, 8 years ago When putting water in your boil-out tank, use distilled water if you have water with high mineral content. I used Brownells Plum Brown, a product that requires that the barrel be heated to 275 degrees to activate the reaction. on Introduction. Question Many older browning and bluing formulas are based on corrosive solutions (necessary to cause metal to rust), and often contain cyanide or mercury salts solutions that are especially toxic to humans. To remove them, you put the action/barrel into a sturdy vise (padded with soft jaws) and you use a piece of brass rod to drift the sights out. 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. Both ingredients are super cheap. Then, use a pair of tongs to carry the steel to a container filled with water or vegetable, and submerge the hot metal in the liquid. Alternitavely you can leave it in the oil bath to stabilize. Colour case hardening occurs when soft steels were packed in a reasonably airtight crucible in a mixture of charred leather, bone charcoal and wood charcoal. The use of stainless steel alloy varies a lot from one manufacturer to the other and thats why the bluing effect wont always be consistent. The easier of the two methods, hot bluing only requires some degreasing agent, a heating apparatus (a blow torch is perfect for this), and any kind of oil. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. Repeat 3 times. "height": "800",