Now you slide the cold rod in, and the plate cools, gripping the rod. Dont touch the metal with your bare hands since it could cause severe burns. Then, you can put the components back into the bluing tank and increase the temperature until you see the blued steel. (Its Crystalline Potassium Nitrate 100%) $6.18 Oxides come after its been heated to a red heat and cooled. This answer was tested with a utility knife blade and it drilled through with ease. Red rust is Fe2O3, and is incomplete rust it will continue allowing the surface to corrode over time hence the oil or wax. Hardening will cause it to be more brittle, which could cause the hammer to chip and cause injury. WebThe gun bluing process Start with 1 gallon of water and add it to a deep fryer that has been thoroughly cleaned. It would be a good idea to get some gloves on. Bluing may be applied by immersing steel parts in a solution of potassium nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and water heated to the boiling point, 275310F (135154C) depending on the recipe. Why do you bother with all this crap?. Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. pliers, mole grips, -An old metal container (I know, a plastic container is pictured but always use a metal one) filled high enough with oil to completely submerge your steel object would be ideal. You turn up your nose at crap guns? Technically speaking, bluing is more or less a conversion of red iron oxide (Fe2O3) to black iron oxide (Fe3O4). For this reason, it is considered not to add any appreciable thickness to precisely-machined gun parts. it washes off with water. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. Just use distilled water. This crucible was heated to 730C (1,350F) for up to 6hours (the longer the heat was applied the thicker the case hardening). Most knives, rifle receivers and barrels are heated to at least 1200F and cooled and drawn at 490F-700F. 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. You have to apply the bluing fluid. Think big scars. A couple bottles of aged bourbon minimum. My advice to people here: Unless youre a professional, and youre working in a shop with all the required safety gear (a cold water shower within a couple feet of the tanks, and an eyewash station next to the tanks, and someone working in the same shop every moment youre working on the salt tanks), DONT. That said, heres the truth: The best blueing you can have on a gun is simple, safe to do, but takes a long time. ", the wrong quality steel. Again, dont mess around with these chemicals and only handle them with extreme attention. The potassium nitrate will liquefy at around this temperature and blue your items at a relatively quick speed. The "turning blue" process has nothing to do with hardening of the steel, or its compression. This article was very, "I've been working with steel since I was a child, and reviewing these proper methods and skills makes my projects, "It surely educated me on several points. Pour in Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). Did you ever find out what oil they were using? Brilliant blues. NaOH is nasty stuff. For this Instructable I'm using thread cutting oil. -An old container filled with your chosen degreaser (unleaded petrol), -Your desired polished metal object/s (very important! Heres instructions from Mark Lee Supplies on using their Express Blue #1. Haha. Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. That doesnt happen easily or by accident. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. It is usually inadvisable to use cold bluing as a touch-up where friction is present. I use kerosene to wet my paper from 500 on up. Note: I know a plastic container is pictured but always use a metal one! This is not necessary as long as you can hold your item appropriately and not cover where it is to be heated. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. FigureLLC. 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. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. That surface rust on the barrel could be polished off easily. Also, the results you indicate are typical of still having some oil on the gun. It is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. I have always wondered about storage in gun soft cases or the foamed Hard cases, and humid or dry, heat and cold. I have cut and polished 4 pieces of mild steel to demonstrate different colour stages. 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. The tank of distilled water you heat with a camp stove, the kitchen stove (Im not responsible for marital discord and disruptions of conjugal relations) or some other much larger heat source to a boil. Just dont. At least one of the cold bluing solutions contains selenium dioxide. 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. An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. http://cdn.spectrumbrands.com/~/media/Spectracide/Files/MSDS/SpectracideStumpRemoverGranulesSDSApr15.ashx. 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 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. It is always essential to remove all oils from metals you want to blue, even if the cold blueing solution claims you dont need to do so. The name of the process actually comes from the blue-black appearance of the black iron oxide. So, you start with a clean gun, in the white, you play a propane torch over the gun to get it to the point where the blueing solution just will readily steam, but barely sizzle, and then you brush on the blueing compound. Do NOT wipe/touch your metal with anything after degreasing as the whole purpose of cleaning was then for nothing. 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. If you have a wood or phenolic handle, use a propane torch to heat the blade only for about two minutes. I think I was drinking heavily (and likely doing stupid things in my shop with high heat and flammables at the time, possibly while juggling chainsaws) at the time I made that comment - without reading carefully. "width": "1500", Cold blues will react with steel at room temperature, but you get more aggressive reactions when you heat the gun to, oh, 150 to 200F. 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! "Cold" bluing is generally a selenium dioxide based compound that colours steel black, or more often a very dark grey. You can also heat the oil to create different effects. Wait for 10 15 minutes and then take out the components. Hot NaOH is so alkaline it is great as dissolving organic materials. Use a smaller toaster oven if your piece of steel fits inside. of the steel than do not even try this on something that is anything other than artistic in nature! You then oil or wax over the finish when youre done. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. $36.73. The rust then turns to black-blue Fe3O4. 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. http://www.lowes.com/pd_188198-316-HG-66420_0__?productId=4764059 I wore latex gloves, as Brownells recommended, but used a pot holder to handle the hot barrel, and that may have been the source. Cold blueing solutions usually just dont wear well. I really appreciate you taking the time to share it DG. References 35% Potassium nitrate (aka saltpeter), http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-36054.html. As I'm bluing round pieces I slowly and evenly rotate the piece over the flame to equally disburse the heat. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. The hotter the steel, the further the oxygen can diffuse through the oxide coating, so the coating builds thicker before it protects the steel from further oxidation. I have at least three cold blue solutions in my shop including Oxpho-blue, 44-40 and others. Ill go into parkerization later this week. Hot. Any more advice is welcome SteelJunkee Joined May 6, 2018 Messages 891 You should keep guns in a safe, if you can. Also buffing wheels pre blue. "datePublished": "2022-03-27", I rarely use them. While I am certain that I could do it myself, you already have all the bits and parts and stuff so it is worth my dollars to buy a gunsmiths time to have this done for me. Black oxide provides minimal protection against corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic action. Even at room temperature, the salts are highly caustic and will eat into your eyes or skin in seconds not minutes. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Are you sure you want to heat the steel to 700F in that early step? Then you pull it out and scrape off the oil along the blade edge. 'Browning' is controlled red rust Fe2O3, and is also known as 'pluming' or 'plum brown'. Just take them from the comments he posts. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. Very true. You can improve your results by doing two things: 1. You MUST plug your barrels, gas cylinders, remove your pistons, etc. You wouldnt need salts. Hot blueing salts attack soft solders on guns, so it isnt to be done on old shotguns and some older rifles. It is usually sold in a 1lb bottle for $3, you'll need 3 or 4 pounds probably. You want to be in the range of 600 to 650F. 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. Ive gotten hot blue salts on me splashed into my hair. Many double-barreled shotguns are soft soldered (lead) or silver brazed together and many of the parts are attached by that method also. Then wipe off all excess oil and look at your beautiful finished object! "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Shootinglogo.png" I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. Theres nothing wrong with your method, but is is very hazardous, especially to people who have never done anything like it before. 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). I wish I had known more about the process, heating (I was working outside on a 60 degree day) I may have to check with my friend to see if it needs reblued again, Im sure he never shot it. 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). Brownells has steel tanks, and there are some steel/stainless long/thin tanks available from other sources. you could also heat this size tank with anything from a hibatchi up to a Weber charcoal grill or you could put it on top of a wood-burning stove or even a kitchen stove. I wouldnt use this bluing method for these items. "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", These work by depositing a coating of copper selenide on the surface. Probably the main one is the content of so-called "carbon, "I was looking at making a set of plate armor and I wanted to see how to harden the breastplate. It is also used by machinists, to protect and beautify tools made for their own use. Though it may seem tricky at first, youll be glad to have figured it out because knowing how to blue stainless steel will come in handy from time to time. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. it would appear these sights are drifted into dovetails. LOGIX 20910 Butane Torch, Cooking Torch, Torch for Creme Brulee, Refillable, 9.6 oz, Blue Steel . "dateModified": "2022-03-27", Glad that there are folks like you around. The differing rate of cooling for each area produced a different color creating that rainbow effect. Fortunately, this is easily had at any hardware store: WD-40 is a water displacing product, not a lubricant (contrary to widespread advertising). 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.. Both ingredients are super cheap. When putting water in your boil-out tank, use distilled water if you have water with high mineral content. Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. Check out the video:https://hackaday.io/project/21947-makers-vise/log/60914-coloring-steel-with-magnetism. Keep heating the steel until you notice a blue color form on the metal. 1/16-inch pivot wire has a circumference of ~0.2in. Higher carbon contents will take longer to heat. Do this outside, so you can do this next part: Just whip the steel wool at arms length to extract the excess acetone. Theres a reason why I buy up clapped-out guns and stuff where people look at me with a WTF?! Vegetable oil has a higher boiling point, so the hot steel will take longer to cool and reduce the chance of it cracking. *Potassium Nitrate is an oxidizer. WebStep 1: Preparing Your Materials You will need: -2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil) -oil -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any good Cold bluing is not particularly resistant to holster wear, nor does it provide a large degree of rust resistance. Examples of this finish are common on older pocket watches whose hands exhibit what is called 'peacock blue', a rich iridescent blue. | Alpha Detroit", "NRA Family | Gun Manufacturing: Browning vs. Bluing", http://mypeculiarnature.blogspot.com/2014/08/quick-rust-bluing-back-in-black.html, "Radio Kits and Designs for Old and New Styles", "Coating, Oxide, Black, for Ferrous Metals (MIL-DTL-13924D)", "Phosphate and black oxide coating of ferrous metals (MIL-HDBK-205A)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bluing_(steel)&oldid=1142351288, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from October 2020, All articles that may contain original research, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2014, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 22:58. Historically, razor blades were often blued steel. Soft, low-carbon steel was used, but strong materials were needed for the receivers of firearms. However, oil may spill and create a fire hazard if the steel is put into the oil too quickly. Share it with us! Rust bluing is also used on shotgun barrels that are soldered to the rib between the barrels, as hot bluing solutions melt the solder during the bluing process. YouTube - Nitre bluing a few gun parts. For hazzalandy: carbon content has nothing to do with the color process, it is only the temperature you heat to, and to a lesser extent, the time spent hot. "@type": "Organization", 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. A non-linear resistance property of the blued steel of razor blades, foreshadowing the same property later discovered in semiconductor diode junctions, along with the ready availability of blued steel razor blades, led to the use of razor blades as a detector in crystal set AM radios that were built by servicemen (as foxhole radios) or by prisoners of war during World War II.[8]. Question Ventilation is important. Hot bluing is the current standard[6] in gun bluing, as both it and rust bluing provide the most permanent degree of rust-resistance and cosmetic protection of exposed gun metal, and hot bluing takes less time than rust bluing. Also thanks DG! "author": "Christopher Graham", 5 years ago, I found that heating will turn steel silver ~> gold ~> violet ~> blue. 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. 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). Interesting and informative as always. It, too, must be oiled to provide any significant rust resistance. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience :) ). } I like 1.5 wide shop cloth myself). First, let us go through a couple of bluing concepts that you have to know in order to achieve the desired result. You might need two applications to clean up more deeply rusted spots. Youre just using stump remover to do it. "https://www.facebook.com/Shooting-Mystery-110244180901951", Whats the difference between Brown Express and Blue Express? Then you sight down the barrel and you see dips and waves in the barrel profile. This is how Colt made their rifles and pistols prior to Civil War you can read all about the process. Here is a simple way to get a blued finish on steel.

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