I think DGs method is a lot safer than mine. In comparison, rust, the red oxide of iron (Fe2O3), undergoes an extremely large volume change upon hydration; as a result, the oxide easily flakes off, causing the typical reddish rusting away of iron. You wouldnt need salts. NaOH is nasty stuff. Battery acid is childs play compared to blueing salts. 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! Red rust is Fe2O3, and is incomplete rust it will continue allowing the surface to corrode over time hence the oil or wax. I handed a buddy my wallet and cell phone, and stepped under the safety shower and got wet. Dang it all. Use a coffee can or similarly shaped container as your quenching chamber. If a bank transfer is made but no receipt is uploaded within this period, your order will be cancelled. After So you said the polishing is key for the coloring process. 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. It is usually sold in a 1lb bottle for $3, you'll need 3 or 4 pounds probably. When the liquid stops bubbling, remove the metal from the container and wipe off any excess liquid. Quenched steel is harder, but it becomes more brittle. THANKS DG. When heat treating a forged blade you get the whole knife glowing, then submerge just the blade in the oil for 8 seconds. Hot NaOH is so alkaline it is great as dissolving organic materials. [ Heating up a tank on the kitchen stove. Not blessed with a climate controlled safe. To obtain oil-free steel wool, get some acetone in a container (say, an old, clean yogurt container you were going to throw away anyway). Its nice when something can be re-used a time or two, especially when used in diversified ways. Once you get the colour you want, go outside to your oil container and fully quench your object into the oil! They should send you a stipend for your time. 2. For the process your metal should be nicely polished for the best results.The more shinier the polish the more your end result will glow. I can' If you are new to the subject and are in need of detailed instructions, then youve come to the right place. 6 years ago. Both ingredients are super cheap. 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. Note that it has to be a different tank from the one you used for Step 2. If youre interested, just ask and I can provide more details. This signifies that the steel is tempered. So you will get a shinier finish. Heat the gun parts. Make sure the piece is chemically clean, sandblasting followed by power wire brushing is good then stop heating when you hit purple because the heat will travel. A Pocket Sundial From a Broken Pocket Watch! Heat the area with a torch until it stops sweating. To shrink, I assumed you heated the steel plate only, to expand the hole in it. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. Old school smiths use something called washing soda to strip oil off guns. Before operating your torch, read all instructions so you know how to handle it safely. 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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. this article statement 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. 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. "datePublished": "2022-03-27", What is your opinion of the 2 to 1 lye and potassium nitrate bluing solution? This is how Colt made their rifles and pistols prior to Civil War you can read all about the process. Keep them in that state while you heat them but be sure to not boil up the tank. For the color change to be uniform you have to remove the grease, oil, paint etc or it looks blotchy. If the sights need to be stripped & blued, follow the same procedure, but dont polish on them. WebThe gun bluing process Start with 1 gallon of water and add it to a deep fryer that has been thoroughly cleaned. Use a backing block of wood or even a Pink Pearl rubber eraser. $3.59. Ive used this method in a pinch to make a tap from a cheap mild steel bolt to chase out galled female threads. This method must not be used on critically heat-treated parts such as receivers, slides or springs. It is usually inadvisable to use cold bluing as a touch-up where friction is present. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. YouTube - Nitre bluing a few gun parts. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Blow torches only heat a small concentrated area. -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. "@type": "Organization", Bluing Stainless Steel: What You Can and Cant Do - Forging World Use a smaller toaster oven if your piece of steel fits inside. This finish allows them to be stored in high-moisture conditions, like sports bags, without rusting. For this reason, it is considered not to add any appreciable thickness to precisely-machined gun parts. You have entered an incorrect email address! JUST DONT. Fill a heat-safe container with water or oil deep enough to submerge your steel. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. . Again, dont mess around with these chemicals and only handle them with extreme attention. It was left in a flannel gun case in the back of a moist closet for 25+ years. Cold blueing is OK for touchups, at best. 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! This process leaves a deep blue-black finish. Hi SteelJunkee Method is as follows: Fit rod into drill and set at constant speed Clean rods with acetone on clean rag Use butane and propane mix blow torch to achieve colour range Quench in water Dry The weird thing is that they look great for around 4-5 days then deteriorate. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. Its the corrosive gift that just keeps on giving. The steel will pull some of the carbon out of the oil while quenching and harden the outer portion of the metal. Reply Then you pull it out and scrape off the oil along the blade edge. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Harden-Steel-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Harden-Steel-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Harden-Steel-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid1214287-v4-728px-Harden-Steel-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"