Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. Blacksmith products to this day may occasionally be found made from blued steel by traditional craftsmen in cultures and segments of society who use that technology either by necessity or choice.[5]. Cold bluing is not particularly resistant to holster wear, nor does it provide a large degree of rust resistance. I think DGs method is a lot safer than mine. JUST DONT. Ferrari installs valve seats in their aluminum cylinder heads via robot. Thoroughly degrease the area to be reblued with acetone. Before you start, it might do you well to mark the sight base on each side of the dovetail with a Sharpie marker, so you can see when the sight begins to move. Heat the gun parts. I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. 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. Then, you can put the components back into the bluing tank and increase the temperature until you see the blued steel. the cost of all the tanks you need for rinse & boil-out "width": "1500", SO, DG; unless I missed it, I am assuming the torch is used separate from heating the tank/ container with the boiling solution. Reply
4.3 out of 5 stars 242 ratings-30% $12.99 $ 12. That way, you can still use your oven for the rest of the evening. On another thread, we can go into nitre blueing, which is basically heating pins/screws/bits/bobs to 600F in a molten salt bath. You can experiment ultimately what oils to use. "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. That surface rust on the barrel could be polished off easily. Heating white, degreased steel to 550 to 600F results in brilliant colors. It can soften up some paints and plastics. You can then u. se a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. The hot washing soda tank typically used in gunsmith shops is caustic washing soda, and if you leave the gun in long enough, youll start to see corrosion on the gun before you get to the blueing step. Why do you bother with all this crap?. Once you see it turn golden, the process has started and colours will change fairly quickly! I tried heating the barrel in sections (as Brownells says is ok) but did not get a very good result, being unable to get a uniform heat in any =thing approaching more than a few inches at a time. Rinse them in a cold water tank after. Let them cool down as you take a closer look at the bluing effect. I agree used oil works better and adding some copper and graphite seems to deepen the color and add more purple or plum to it. Wait for a day to let the bluing properly cure before you do anything else to it. Its a pretty straightforward process. Color case hardening is the predecessor of all metal coloring typically employed in the firearms industry. 4 years ago Brownells has steel tanks, and there are some steel/stainless long/thin tanks available from other sources. Isn't the point of the acetone to degrease, why would i grease? Once the steel is clean, you can begin heating it up. 8 years ago Alternatively. 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. Wear thick gloves so you dont burn yourself.
Brilliant blues. Depending on what solution you use, the tank temperature must be maintained somewhere between 240 and 310 degrees Fahrenheit. 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. Thanks for always being so willing to share, Sir. You can also heat the oil to create different effects. "https://theshootingmystery.tumblr.com/", It is generally employed on smaller parts such as pins, screws, sights, etc. In the nitre bluing process, polished and cleaned steel parts are immersed in a bath of molten saltstypically potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate (sometimes with 9.4 grams (0.33oz) of manganese dioxide per pound of total nitrate). Heat the Steel. Keep posting like this. 3. Now you can start.Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. As I'm bluing round pieces I slowly and evenly rotate the piece over Dont drop or try to bend the steel once its removed. Its a good process, but it isnt a 1:1 replacement for blueing. When polishing something like the above rifle/shotgun, youve got a pretty light coat of rust, without severe pitting. As mentioned, cold bluing can be done at room temperature with decent results. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thanks for the lesson, DG. ], on Introduction. Note that it has to be a different tank from the one you used for Step 2. 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 2. And for the next (after the next) installment, how to do hard case coloring. Heating will make the metal better in absorbing the bluing liquid. To temper the steel so it isn't brittle, place it in an oven heated to 375 F for 3 hours, and then it let it cool overnight. This crucible was heated to 730C (1,350F) for up to 6hours (the longer the heat was applied the thicker the case hardening). 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 ? % of people told us that this article helped them. Shooting Mystery is an independent website that provides content for informational purposes only. 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. That said, heres the truth: The best blueing you can have on a gun is simple, safe to do, but takes a long time. Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. 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). Blow torches only heat a small concentrated area. kitty litter (I would recommend the unused variety). "@context": "http://schema.org/", An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. The inside barrel was saved by the fact it was so full of lead fouling. Following the treatment in the bluing tank, relocate the components to a cold water tank. FigureLLC. Any gun. Accidental exposure to the chemicals could result in serious injuries. 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. Either of these two methods is called 'hot bluing'. I learned something slightly different than what you are teaching and that is I am willing to pay people like you to do this kind of stuff for me. Reply Just let any residual matter evaporate/dry. ", informative and did not use technical language and concepts that would have left me floundering and none the wiser. The rod was heated and the plate 2" square was inserted and the rod shrunk onto it. I believe the change of color is due to a growing thickness of an oxide layer. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. You'll probably be fine following these instructions - you'll probably be OK driving home a little drunk, too. Participated in the Explore Science Contest. I really appreciate you taking the time to share it DG. Wipe them down with WD-40 on a regular basis. Now securely hold your piece with whatever you have chosen. Safety is the number one priority so protect your body as much as possible. You might need two applications to clean up more deeply rusted spots. It turns out I have. NaOH is nasty stuff. 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. 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. You can reassemble the gun after. He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns. I like parkerization on some of my milsurps. Youll need some shop rolls, ranging from 180 to 400 grit (typical 4-packs are 180, 240, 320 and 400 grit, in 1, 1.5 or 2. Dang it all. Just take them from the comments he posts. Ill be buying the stainless tubs and chemicals to do it and go for as close to black as I can get.
to blue / heat anodize stainless steel WHERE or when would the torch get used? 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. YouTube - Nitre bluing a few gun parts. 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.. It also looks good on AK type weapons of which I have three to park. Wait for 10 15 minutes and then take out the components. I'm trying to be positive and constructive, and think this is: for an amateur to stick a very hot torch-heated metal object into a plastic container filled with oil is simply dumb (ok, more polite: "irresponsible") at best, highly dangerous at worst. (And taking, out of *your* hide). Hardened steel prevents knife blades from dulling and tools from bending and breaking. Try it on some unimportant pieces first. Note: I know a plastic container is pictured but always use a metal one!
You have to apply the bluing fluid. "keywords": ["how to blue stainless steel"], With a simple heating and quenching process, you can make your steel last for much longer! 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. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. Wear disposable nitrile gloves, work in adequate ventilation, bag and dispose of all rags/towels used in the process in their own bags, and quickly. ", The rust then turns to black-blue Fe3O4. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. I can't stress how important the degreasing step is! To remove pitting and keep the barrel profile intact requires skill with a file, and that requires hands-on training. It is not nice stuff. Very true. You MUST plug your barrels, gas cylinders, remove your pistons, etc. Also: Do not allow the solution to run, drip or sag. I just had my first experience rust browning a barrel. No. Bluing is often a hobbyist endeavor, and there are many methods of bluing, and continuing debates about the relative efficacy of each method. (You say the rod was heated, but it couldn't have been, as it was on the inside. You work on nice guns! This answer was tested with a utility knife blade and it drilled through with ease.
How to Blue/Re-Blue a Gun - The Truth About Guns "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Shootinglogo.png" Wear thick gloves and a face mask before you quench your steel so the water or oil doesnt splash onto your hands. You can get a IR non-contact thermometer for less than $20 at Harbor Freight. 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. 3 years ago. A Pocket Sundial From a Broken Pocket Watch! How to colour steel with heat (hot oil finish) is a simple but effective way of achieving a desired colour of choice.The colours are fantastic and often come out in a beautiful two-tone shine. "datePublished": "2022-03-27", The differing rate of cooling for each area produced a different color creating that rainbow effect.
DIY Gun Bluing I now want to reverse the process so I can drill and tap the metal tip. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. You heat the outside member only when you do a shrink fit.). They should start gassing up approximately 2 to 3 minutes after exposure. 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. 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. So I buffed down the barrel with steel wool and started over heating the barrel in the oven before taking it outside to add the solution (which is nitric acid). It takes practice. "headline": "How to Blue Stainless Steel in 5 Easy Steps: Complete Guide", Go on and start bluing! Ill go into parkerization later this week. Its for mild steel, which must be greased, oiled or otherwise coated with something to stop it from rusting almost immediately. Once you strip the blue & rust, then you can see what youre dealing with. The melting point for KNO3 is 633F. Itll take perhaps 20 minutes to really dry down. In the automotive world this is a common practice. If you are referring to torch bluing, the Next wash your piece in your chosen degreaser for a minute or so to get rid of all grease/fingerprints that was on the metal. 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.
How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil 4 years ago Theres a reason why I buy up clapped-out guns and stuff where people look at me with a WTF?! This is a great source that you can learn lots of information from and I'll advise it to to a handfuls of others. Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. Bluing is a process usually used by gun owners and firearms manufacturers to improve the aesthetic value of their weapons. Your tanks better be tight, your stands for the tanks better be rigid, youd better have top-of-the-line fire extinguishers (NB the plural) available to you. The process isnt intended for bronze. 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. And thats about everything you need to know about stainless steel bluing. Great column, and thanks for all the responses to various questions and comments. There are many methods you can use to blue the steel. Metal parts that look black or blue-black are usually blued (rather than painted).
How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method Referring to the post that started all of this; Dyspeptic Gunsmith says: However, if the bluing effect isnt satisfactory, then you can try giving the components an acid bath (using Hydrochloric Acid). Ive cut and pasted this to my notes on the cloud. Be careful since considerable heat might be generated in the process. I use kerosene to wet my paper from 500 on up. DG thank you. I hope to someday have good knowledge to pass on to people, heh. Just remove the blue/rust, degrease, dry, then blue/card/boil-out/oil/drain. Thanks, 8 years ago I found through my bluing adventure that different oils do act slighty different but ultimately everything I've used has done the job. If youre interested, just ask and I can provide more details. Again, dont mess around with these chemicals and only handle them with extreme attention. Use a coffee can or similarly shaped container as your quenching chamber. The usual mistake on buffing wheels is using too coarse a compound, and then the wheel becomes quite aggressive in removing material. When heat treating a forged blade you get the whole knife glowing, then submerge just the blade in the oil for 8 seconds. 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. Then you have to heat the metal. this article statement 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. Then you can express blue it with a propane torch and a tank of boiling water. The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. Frequent TTAG commenter Dyspeptic Gunsmith saw the gun above in our postA Garden Gun Cultivates a Newfound Fascinationand answered reader questions about blueing/reblueing a gun thusly: If the rust is very fine and there is still substantial blueing left on the gun, you might want to strip the blueing. Could I use stainless steel earrings that I have got? Just use distilled water. 1/16-inch pivot wire has a circumference of ~0.2in. 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. You dont want to affect the hardness of your steel in critical areas like actions, bolts, bolt lugs, barrels, chambers, etc. To harden steel, start by heating the metal directly with a blow torch until it turns a cherry red color. -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. You should keep guns in a safe, if you can. 500F-600F is often all that is needed and the parts can be done over and over again you just have to clean between each attempt. The parts are then boiled in distilled water, blown dry, then carded, as with rust bluing. I have in the past few years became more and more. And I work alone in my shop, and lack the required (IMO) safety facilities that are needed. 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. That doesnt happen easily or by accident.
Blued Pivot Steel I don't understand why you are submerging it in oil? -something to hold your object with i.e. The ideal setup is a pair of long sleeve gloves along with splash goggles and a face mask. Heating up a tank on the kitchen stove. "image": { However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. It, too, must be oiled to provide any significant rust resistance. 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. } Thank you, DG! This will keep the bluing from adhering to the sharpened edge. Whats the difference between Brown Express and Blue Express? . Heres instructions from Mark Lee Supplies on using their Express Blue #1. Many double-barreled shotguns are soft soldered (lead) or silver brazed together and many of the parts are attached by that method also. It is a difficult product to apply evenly, offers minimal protection and is generally best used for small fast repair jobs and touch-ups.[2][3]. The content is not meant to be a replacement for professional service advice. Interesting and informative as always. Use a backing block of wood or even a Pink Pearl rubber eraser. ", 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. You can improve your results by doing two things: 1. Stand on end over some paper towels to drain. Repeat 3 times. 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. The bottom of the crucible is opened allowing the contents to drop into the rapidly bubbling water. -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).