Posted on 10/23/2010 5:46:18 PM PDT by djf
describe so-so
Blueing on a gun is much like to paint on a car. The smooth even finish is almost always due to the prep work on the underlying metal.
Hot bluing is the best.
Hot Blueing or Cold blueing... Hot blueing does a much better job, but requires a good dedicated setup. ( usually easier to have it done by a gunsmith).
Keep in mind that if any screws or parts aren't removed oil will seep out after cleaning. You don't need to remove the barrel, just clean that joint over and over until any seepage is removed.
Hot bluing is definitely the way to go.
Of course, it’s a dirty, corrosive business. I’d send it out to a shop that specializes in it.
This is supposed to be a good manuel.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=364524
This might be worth a try.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=958388
Well, blue. Much better than it was. But not uniform darkness.
I degreased using a good detergent and 0000 steel wool, so I’m pretty confident it was good and clean to start.
Hot bluing by a pro is the way to go. How many of us could successfully spray paint a car after spending hour sanding it down in preparation?
I do lots of things so I am not afraid of doing things myself, but this is for pros if you want a pro finish.
I hear what you’re sayin, but the gun cost me 50 bucks.
I ain’t gonna spend 200 to get it blued!!!
That’s why I decided to try it with what is practically a throw away, that way I at least learn something!
Like others have said, Hot bluing is what you want. Now, if you cant or dont want to pay a gunsmith to do it.. I have had some seriously good luck with a product called blue wonder
http://www.bluewonder.us/ Its very simple to use, the biggest part (as with any refinishing job) is prep. you have to get the gun 100% clean no finger prints, no rust, no oils.
I also do my own parkerizing here at my house.. its a MUCH simpler process than bluing and gives a nice flat black long lasting finish.
VERY interesting!! Thanks!!
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Denatured alcohol is what I use to degrease. Use it outdoors, the vapors can ignite. Wear white cotton gloves to keep your skin oils away from the metal.
OK, you didn’t degrease/de-oil well enough.
First, the 0000 steel wool you used? Did you de-oil that? Because unless it is the type of steel wool you obtain through woodworking outlets, the steel wool probably had some oil in it as well.
To de-oil steel wool, you dunk it in acetone. Or you could buy some 0000 non-oiled steel wool through an outfit like woodworker.com.
OK, next, you need to clean the gun parts. Acetone is the first step in de-greasing. Brownell’s sells a degreaser called “Dicro-Clean 909,” which is used in hot water (just below the boiling point) to dunk gun parts into for 10 minutes to finish stripping any oils off the gun.
But let’s back up a bit: How is the polish on the piece? Blue results are all predicated upon a good polishing job. You need to polish the surface to 320 to 400 grit - no finer, no coarser. If the polish job is uneven, then so will the blueing job.
Lastly, since you lack the facility for hot caustic blueing, might I recommend rust blueing? It will take some patience on your part, but the results can be VERY good, and slow rust blueing is what is still used today on the very finest firearms. If you’re curious, I can explain the process, or I could give you a “fast rust blueing” process, both of which you can easily accomplish at home, without lots of equipment.
Hot blueing is a lot harder to do as you have to ramp the temperature up gradually and not too fast. Probably not the best thing to try first as a novice.
I have a .38 Iver Johnson from the 1890s that still looks like brand new. Shoots good too except I have to use black powder cartridges in it. Not made for smokeless. Good little revolvers.
If you check around some of the gunsmithing forums, you might find someone in your area who does this sort of work out of their garage for a fraction of what a "brick and mortar" gun shop would charge.
Another thought: hot blueing involves an immersion tank large enough to hold a barrelled rifle action. If you tell the gunsmith about the cost concerns, he might make a deal with you if you're willing to wait until he has another customer and needs to use the blueing tanks. He could probably put your revolver in at the same time as the other customer's gun parts.
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