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. These processes were later abandoned by major firearm manufacturers as it often took parts days to finish completely, and was very labor-intensive. 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.. You can also heat the oil to create different effects. My apologies for the background noise in the first half of the video We had compressors running where I The part that is to race the other is heated normally up to about 220 especially if it is an aluminum casting like a cylinder head. If there is any finish left on the metal, it will interfere with the bluing pr This will keep the bluing from adhering to the sharpened edge. My first time wasnt a stunning success. It had been thoroughly degreased before my first attempt, but in trying to repair a poor result, I apparently contaminated it a bit. Various processes are used for the oxidizing process. The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. 4 years ago Also, the results you indicate are typical of still having some oil on the gun. Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. Heat the gun parts. 1/16-inch pivot wire has a circumference of ~0.2in. 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. The steel will pull some of the carbon out of the oil while quenching and harden the outer portion of the metal. You can then u. se a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. Contemporary heat-treatable steels did not exist or were in their infancy. 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 Where/how did you think I got to the point I could make nice guns? One can generally use the same solution to brown as to blue. I plan on doing this on a couple of older beaters first. The cotton gloves insulate your fingers from the heated barrel, and they prevent oils from your skin from getting on the raw steel. Once you strip the blue & rust, then you can see what youre dealing with. What I forgot to mention in all of this is a detail that seems mundane, but it critically important: Wear cotton gloves. Use a steel tool to stir (remember the fumes). "author": "Christopher Graham", Hot bluing should never be attempted on aluminium, as it reacts it usually dissolves in the caustic salt bath. This signifies that the steel is tempered. You can then use a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. Youll get a dark spot right there. 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. You can blue heat-treated parts with no ill effects. It will first turn gold, then orange, then red, purple, blue and then dark grey! 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. Just take them from the comments he posts. Haha. Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. : Make sure it is made from Mild Steel or Titanium. If you tempered the steel with a blow torch, set the metal on an anvil or another large steel surface to conduct the heat. They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. A few safety items: Pull it out of the tank and place on a drain rack. } Initially case hardening was used but did not offer any aesthetics. Free shipping. The blueing salt bath will be at about 286 to 292F, and as it is bubbling away, it is losing water, and the boiling point of the solution keeps climbing. New guns are typically available in blued finish options offered as the least-expensive finish, and this finish is also the least effective at providing rust resistance, relative to other finishes such as Parkerizing or hard chrome plating or nitriding processes like Tenifer. Heating it again to a lower temperature will not introduce additional martensite. 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. It is usually sold in a 1lb bottle for $3, you'll need 3 or 4 pounds probably. 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). You might need two applications to clean up more deeply rusted spots. Stand on end over some paper towels to drain. Also: Do not allow the solution to run, drip or sag. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience :) ). DIY Gun Bluing Now securely hold your piece with whatever you have chosen. gas coverage is another big one. 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. Instead of applying the acid solution directly to the metal parts, the parts are placed in a sealed cabinet with a moisture source, a container of nitric acid and a container of hydrochloric acid. Metal Finishing Guru. All blued parts still require oiling to prevent rust. Historically, razor blades were often blued steel. In this case cooking oil, rather than gun oil, acts to displace water and prevent rust. The difference is immersion in boiling water for bluing. Once the solution reaches its boiling point, turn down the burner to about one-third of the boiling temperature and let it stay there. 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. 2 years ago, For the record The gentleman said multiple times that the plastic container shown in the pictures was just for the instructional photos and to be sure that the container is made of metal for this process, (Homer Simpson smacking his forehead: "DOH! 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. 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. 8 years ago Posted December 21, 2009. And I work alone in my shop, and lack the required (IMO) safety facilities that are needed. 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. Heat source You will require at least one burner for bluing salts and two hot water burners. To heat this, I use a Coleman camp stove and a 15# jug of LPG gas. (NaOH from Ebay soap supplies). Bluing involves an electrochemical conversion coating resulting from an oxidizing chemical reaction with iron on the surface selectively forming magnetite (Fe3O4), the black oxide of iron. "@context": "http://schema.org/", Depending on what solution you use, the tank temperature must be maintained somewhere between 240 and 310 degrees Fahrenheit. Large scale industrial hot bluing is often performed using a bluing furnace. Think big scars. Either that or the steel wool. 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. If you have a wood or phenolic handle, use a propane torch to heat the blade only for about two minutes. Your 700F temp is too high, IMO. It's worth noting that there can be some additives in motor oil that release hydrocarbons when burnt which is a known carcinogens to the body (in other words: Bad Stuff!). 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. It is also used by machinists, to protect and beautify tools made for their own use. The tempering reduces the amount of martensite and thus makes the steel softer. Heat the area with a torch until it stops sweating. 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]. There can be different layers you have to apply. Its durable and wears well. I handed a buddy my wallet and cell phone, and stepped under the safety shower and got wet. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. { How do I do this? You dont want to affect the hardness of your steel in critical areas like actions, bolts, bolt lugs, barrels, chambers, etc. I am simply trying to learn anything and everything that there is to know about it. 5. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques.Have fun doing it! In my case I drilled/threaded the metal piece and made a holder with a threaded end. Once it's cooled down, take the object out of the oil and place it on a piece of paper/cloth and let it set for about 20 minutes. Modern home hobbyist versions of this process typically use a hydrogen peroxide and salt solution, sometimes with vinegar, for the rusting step to avoid the need for more dangerous acids.[7]. Not every manufacturer puts bittering agents in the solution and as one poison control nurse told me: (t)here is nothing you can do and it aint the good death.. If everything appears good, then you can transfer the components into a hot water tank. Fume bluing is another process similar to rust bluing. It will instantly vaporize into steam and splash all over you. WebThe gun bluing process Start with 1 gallon of water and add it to a deep fryer that has been thoroughly cleaned. Heating will make the metal better in absorbing the bluing liquid. 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. However, there are certain characteristics differences between the materials so knowing clearly how to blue stainless steel is really important. Add in the 250F+ temperatures of the salts when they hit your skin, and youre both burned thermally and chemically in seconds. Also thanks DG! Submerge in water and scrape edge. Bluing is also used in seasoning cast-iron cookware, to render it relatively rust-proof and non-stick. For larger pieces of steel, you need to use a. Then you pull it out and scrape off the oil along the blade edge. Hot blueing is a good process, especially if you have a lot of iron to shove through the blueing process quickly. 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. I now want to reverse the process so I can drill and tap the metal tip. The plate turned blue just like you ible and I was told this was an effect of compression fitting.the rod didn't change colour even though it had the heat applied to it so was it actually the compression fit that changed the plates colour. There is something really rewarding about this technique. "publisher": { Browning a gun gives you a nice, even brown patina finish of red rust on a gun. Add the two together and you have what is akin to rocket fuel in your face a way of oxidizing almost any organic material with insufficient water for cooling into a furious flame. How to Colour Steel With HEAT : 5 Steps (with Pictures) Dont want to get any of the liquid on you its 700F. Ships from and sold by Direct-Wholesale. This is one of the reasons rust and fume bluing are generally more rust-resistant than other methods. Besides those, you must also have water displacing oil and cleaning solution (Dicro-Clean 909). Heat the Steel. While the rod may heat some by conduction, it wouldn't get hot enough to start the color-forming process. Why do you bother with all this crap?. Brownells has steel tanks, and there are some steel/stainless long/thin tanks available from other sources. }, That said, heres the truth: The best blueing you can have on a gun is simple, safe to do, but takes a long time. Wipe them down with WD-40 on a regular basis. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. 'Browning' is controlled red rust Fe2O3, and is also known as 'pluming' or 'plum brown'. List Price: $18.64 $18.64. Very helpful! Its the corrosive gift that just keeps on giving. ], I want to add rainbow color to safety razor blades that would be used again, how can I do this? Enjoy! You have a degreased gun, and now you need to get the metal hot enough that the reaction will oxidize the steel as much as possible. This is often achieved without chemicals by simply heating the steel until a blue oxide film appears. When the liquid stops bubbling, remove the metal from the container and wipe off any excess liquid. "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Shootinglogo.png" It can soften up some paints and plastics. Here is a simple way to get a blued finish on steel. Usually, you can find the manufacturers recommended ratio in the product manual. Theres nothing wrong with your method, but is is very hazardous, especially to people who have never done anything like it before. Drill bits and gun barrels are common examples. 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). Glad that there are folks like you around. Heat the gun parts. 84 or Du-Lite 3-0. ", not only fun, but also profitable. Keep a grade B fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire. fascinated with blacksmithing, but have not had an income to even get it started. Please be careful with the cold bluing solutions. At least one of the cold bluing solutions contains selenium dioxide. Now, using the information above, you should have little problem bluing your firearms on your own. 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). 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. 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. 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. Check out the video:https://hackaday.io/project/21947-makers-vise/log/60914-coloring-steel-with-magnetism. $36.73. I wouldnt use this bluing method for these items. Thank you, DG! 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. Dont drop or try to bend the steel once its removed. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. It is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. "headline": "How to Blue Stainless Steel in 5 Easy Steps: Complete Guide", 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 generally employed on smaller parts such as pins, screws, sights, etc. However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. The ideal setup is a pair of long sleeve gloves along with splash goggles and a face mask. Degrease and heat the items to be blued in a steel pan to about 700F. Being prepared is important if you can not measure the temp. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. 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 Youll want to clamp on the barrel directly under the sight youre about to drift out. 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! Polish to at least 400 grit. 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. Blue or Black rust is complete passivation of the steel surface Fe3O4. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Best Gun Bluing 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. 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. You then oil or wax over the finish when youre done. Then wipe off all excess oil and look at your beautiful finished object! You want 0000 steel wool for carding between coats. Ill detail why. For more information on using a blowtorch and protecting the steel, scroll down! Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. 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. Bluing is often a hobbyist endeavor, and there are many methods of bluing, and continuing debates about the relative efficacy of each method. The bottom of the crucible is opened allowing the contents to drop into the rapidly bubbling water. Use a smaller toaster oven if your piece of steel fits inside. Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. ", the wrong quality steel. A Garden Gun Cultivates a Newfound Fascination, AZ Judge Dan Slayton Refuses to Reduce $2m Bail in Flagstaff Campus Self Defense Case, State Judge Issues Order Blocking Enforcement of Illinois Firearms Ban Act Statewide, Protecting and Serving: Springfield, IL Police Seized Homeowners Gun After Investigating Her Report of a Prowler UPDATED, Chicagos Failed Mayor Lori Lightfoot Loses in Reelection EffortBadly, http://www.lowes.com/pd_188198-316-HG-66420_0__?productId=4764059, http://cdn.spectrumbrands.com/~/media/Spectracide/Files/MSDS/SpectracideStumpRemoverGranulesSDSApr15.ashx. Red rust is Fe2O3, and is incomplete rust it will continue allowing the surface to corrode over time hence the oil or wax. How to Blue/Re-Blue a Gun - The Truth About Guns Ive cut and pasted this to my notes on the cloud. Torch I rarely use them. This article has been viewed 914,567 times. How to Harden Steel: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Picture Information. 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. With. This article received 28 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Dont touch the metal with your bare hands since it could cause severe burns. It turns out I have. The steel was mild steel and had very little carbon content. In the automotive world this is a common practice. How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dwEQfHK1tk_ZeaA4PniOA/", 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. Blue It is slightly caustic, so be careful you dont leave it on the gun for long. This process leaves a deep blue-black finish. *Potassium Nitrate is an oxidizer. Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. 3.3k. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). SO, DG; unless I missed it, I am assuming the torch is used separate from heating the tank/ container with the boiling solution. When youre done, attach the thermometer to the tank and fire up the burner. Oil-free steel wool is also sold by woodworking shops. Its nice when something can be re-used a time or two, especially when used in diversified ways. This is a great source that you can learn lots of information from and I'll advise it to to a handfuls of others. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. 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. This will remove all the traces of the bluing solution and other chemicals. Even a fingerprint will affect the consistency of the colour. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. Bluing also helps to maintain the metal finish by resisting superficial scratching, and also helps to reduce glare to the eyes of the shooter when looking down the barrel of the gun.
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bluing steel with a torch