bluing steel with a torch

Can a softly tempered piece be re-tempered harder without going through the hardening procedure again? 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. You wouldnt need salts. Are you sure you want to heat the steel to 700F in that early step? Im asking because theres a guy on YouTube recommending Brown Express first, then several layers of Blue over that. http://www.lowes.com/pd_188198-316-HG-66420_0__?productId=4764059 Then you have to heat the metal. "https://www.reddit.com/user/theshootingmystery" I plan on doing this on a couple of older beaters first. 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]. For larger pieces of steel, you need to use a. 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. Free shipping for many products! Heat the area you'd like to drill just until it starts to glow red, then allow it to cool slowly. 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). When youre done and have neutralized & washed off the Express Blue #1 solution, you then should spray down the barrel with water-displacing oil. "Bluing" is the process of oxidizing steel to create a durable, corrosion-resistant layer. . 4.3 out of 5 stars 242 ratings-30% $12.99 $ 12. When Im polishing on barrels, I polish lengthwise. In the automotive world this is a common practice. 3 years ago (Its Crystalline Potassium Nitrate 100%) $6.18 I rarely use them. Add 5 lbs of regular table salt to the water. 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. Just use distilled water. 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. Heat source You will require at least one burner for bluing salts and two hot water burners. Answer ", https://mgs.edu/making-chisels-skips-newsletter/, http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/heat1.htm. WD-40, as mentioned earlier, is a water-displacing oil compound not a penetrating lube, and for preventing rust, WD-40 actually works pretty well, but it doesnt last like cosmoline or waxy oils used for long-term rust prevention. Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. 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. 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. He started the site to explore the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns. Remove the bolt & trigger group this might require a pin punch on some guns to pull the trigger group.From what little I can see in the picture here . 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. This answer was tested with a utility knife blade and it drilled through with ease. A couple bottles of aged bourbon minimum. : Make sure it is made from Mild Steel or Titanium. 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. Rust bluing was developed between hot and cold bluing processes, and was originally used by gunsmiths in the 19th century to blue firearms prior to the development of hot bluing processes. The blue appearance of the oxide film is also used as an indication of temperature when tempering carbon steel after hardening, indicating a state of temper suitable for springs. ", It greatly helped me to learn how to blue a gun perfectly at home. Repeat 3 times. References You want 0000 steel wool for carding between coats. 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. The "hot" process is an alkali salt solution using potassium nitrite or sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, referred to as "traditional caustic black", that is typically done at an elevated temperature, 135 to 155C (275 to 311F). You can not do this method with Aluminium because it won't reach the temperatures required for bluing, it will just melt. 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. Bluing is a process usually used by gun owners and firearms manufacturers to improve the aesthetic value of their weapons. So you will get a shinier finish. If the solution is still boiling vigorously, then you can expect the bluing to happen naturally. The process was to coat the gun parts in an acid solution, let the parts rust uniformly, then immerse the parts in boiling water to convert the red oxide Fe2O3 to black oxide Fe3O4, which forms a more protective, stable coating than the red oxide; the boiling water also removes any remaining residue from the applied acid solution (often nitric acid and hydrochloric acid diluted in water). Dont pour water in to your bath! Most knives, rifle receivers and barrels are heated to at least 1200F and cooled and drawn at 490F-700F. Let them cool down as you take a closer look at the bluing effect. Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. Ive learned a LOT. I wouldn't recommend either. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. 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 I heat treated a piece of carbon steel to make it less likely to wear (using its edge as a cutting surface in a wood turning application). I am simply trying to learn anything and everything that there is to know about it. In place of using a hot bath (although at a lower temperature) chemically induced method, it is possible through controlling the temperature to heat steel precisely such as to cause the formation of black oxide selectively over the red oxide. Did you ever find out what oil they were using? Being prepared is important if you can not measure the temp. Use hemostats to hold a cleaning patch wetted with the solution and apply in nice, long, even strokes. In this case cooking oil, rather than gun oil, acts to displace water and prevent rust. 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. It is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. Your 700F temp is too high, IMO. It, too, must be oiled to provide any significant rust resistance. By using our site, you agree to our. [4], Bluing can also be done in a furnace, for example for a sword or other item traditionally made by a blacksmith or specialist such as a weapon-smith. No. Larger flames produce less heat while smaller flames produce a higher heat. Old school smiths use something called washing soda to strip oil off guns. You then oil or wax over the finish when youre done. And for the next (after the next) installment, how to do hard case coloring. Youre a gunsmith who has a lot of nice guns! Some people might not have a tank long enough to contain a barreled action to boil out. It would be a good idea to get some gloves on. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 914,567 times. Wear thick gloves so you dont burn yourself. Battery acid is childs play compared to blueing salts. Usually, you can find the manufacturers recommended ratio in the product manual. Thermometers and stirring tools are also needed, as well as something to heat up the tanks. Degrease a pad of 0000 steel wool with acetone. This is not necessary as long as you can hold your item appropriately and not cover where it is to be heated. "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Shootinglogo.png" Alternatively, You could store them in a hard case (like a pelican with a purge) and throw some desiccant packs in there as well. Thanks for always being so willing to share, Sir. I hope to someday have good knowledge to pass on to people, heh. Not blessed with a climate controlled safe. 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. Its durable and wears well. 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. I am using bronze, is it for a polish? The differential cooling causes patterns of colors to appear as well as hardening the part. You can reassemble the gun after. 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. The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. occasionally I'll buff it afterwards. on Step 1. The steel was mild steel and had very little carbon content. However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. This step should be done before heating the steel, as the steel should be quenched immediately after removing from heat. Higher carbon contents will take longer to heat. { There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. 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. But the article was very informative. When putting water in your boil-out tank, use distilled water if you have water with high mineral content. It provides the stainless steel surface with a layer of protection, giving rust and corrosion resistance while reducing potential glare as well. Quenched steel is harder, but it becomes more brittle. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. Turn the heat on and give a good regular stirring until it gets very hot and starts to steam. Shooting Mystery is reader-supported. This method must not be used on critically heat-treated parts such as receivers, slides or springs. You have to apply the bluing fluid. Just let any residual matter evaporate/dry. Alternitavely you can leave it in the oil bath to stabilize. Ive dealt with strong acids and strong bases in lab work, and I fear the strong bases more. The mixed fumes of the acids produce a uniform rust on the surface of the parts (inside and out) in about 12 hours. COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. 5. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques.Have fun doing it! Every true outdoorsmans dream! 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' Whats the difference between Brown Express and Blue Express? Approved. 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. it would appear these sights are drifted into dovetails. I can keep a Krylon can always handy for touch-ups. 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. Todos los derechos reservados. 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. 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. Cold bluing is not particularly resistant to holster wear, nor does it provide a large degree of rust resistance. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Add in the 250F+ temperatures of the salts when they hit your skin, and youre both burned thermally and chemically in seconds. It is slow rust blueing. For the final step, we let the components cool down in water displacing oil. 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. Youll get a dark spot right there. Itll take perhaps 20 minutes to really dry down. And thats about everything you need to know about stainless steel bluing. Here is a simple way to get a blued finish on steel. on Introduction, Hello my name is Joe and Im doing a project where Im trying to achieve the same outcome. Aluminium (Al) and polymer parts cannot be blued, and no corrosion protection is provided. Heating will make the metal better in absorbing the bluing liquid. Your container should be relatively larger than your object. My first time wasnt a stunning success. The salts here will be slightly less corrosive (ie, just the pure KNO3, no lye), but at 600F, you have a big physical risk right in front of you. I can then get the temp to be 600F spot-on in a lead melting pot. Blow torches only heat a small concentrated area. "image": { Metal Finishing Guru. Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. "publisher": { Theres nothing wrong with your method, but is is very hazardous, especially to people who have never done anything like it before. It is hazardous. for 6-8 hours. 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. Please be careful with the cold bluing solutions. 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 You dont want to affect the hardness of your steel in critical areas like actions, bolts, bolt lugs, barrels, chambers, etc. My current rifle builds are going to be parkerzied. Oil binds with the metal and prevent it from getting air/chemicals to corrode. 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. In the hot salt process, you will need, oh, four to six tanks, only one of which will be the heated blueing salts. This is an alternative method for creating the black oxide coating. They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. Dont drop or try to bend the steel once its removed. NaOH is nasty stuff. 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. Its nice when something can be re-used a time or two, especially when used in diversified ways. } The reason why blued guns rust is that something was allowed to attack the surface blueing and get through it to new steel or the blueing job wasnt deep enough to complete passivate the surface from red rust. Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. For more information on using a blowtorch and protecting the steel, scroll down! That said, heres the truth: The best blueing you can have on a gun is simple, safe to do, but takes a long time. Always wear goggles and gloves when operating a propane blow torch. 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. Cold blues will I think DGs method is a lot safer than mine. Itll evaporate rather rapidly, but still, dont whip it at cars or house finishes. It is caused by a layer of oxide that forms when the steel is heated. Cold blueing solutions usually just dont wear well. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. Fume bluing is another process similar to rust bluing. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. The reason I ask is that when you heat steel that is in the white to 600F, you get a brilliant blue all on its own. Last Updated: May 13, 2022 The colours range through straw, gold, brown, purple, blue, teal, then black. Ive cut and pasted this to my notes on the cloud. I have cut and polished 4 pieces of mild steel to demonstrate different colour stages. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. }. Acetone is also useful for de-greasing the barreled action. You are nitre blueing here. When heat treating a forged blade you get the whole knife glowing, then submerge just the blade in the oil for 8 seconds. Once you strip the blue & rust, then you can see what youre dealing with. My apologies for the background noise in the first half of the video We had compressors running where I had to shoot this This video shows how to blue steel parts using an oven or torch and quenching in oil This method is not the professional method using bluing salts but can be done in your home with a torch or if you have access to a high temperature oven This method will provide your parts some protection from corrosion and show how to achieve different colors in the steel by varying temperatures I am not a professional so please spare me the that s not hot bluing and other criticisms If you don t like it turn it off Hope this comes in handy for someone, How to take apart disassemble and put together assemble a 1911 pistol 1st method, Stevens 20 Gauge Break Action Shotgun Project - Part 4 Cold Bluing with Brownells Oxpho-Blue Creme, Van's Instant Gun Bluing - Removing Gun Rust, Cold bluing Steel blackening How to use Tifoo Black Devil - burnishing steel, Gun Bluing - Colt Official Police 38 Special, Vintage Screwdriver Cold Bluing Br nierung Restore No 2, Slow rust bluing O1 knife blades part two, Easy and Fast bluing touch up Presto Gun Blue Pen, DuraBlue Spray-on Bluing Aerosol Application Process Polished Version, Axe Restoration Part Two Bluing With Birchwood Casey Superblue, Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black Super Blue and Metal Work on a Tanfoglio TA22S, Gun Bluing using cold blue and heat Weihrauch HW35 E Restoration, Perma Blue Gun Blue Paste Birchwood Casey. Dont just leave them on a surface that could corrode or burn), get a new patch into the hemostats, soak, wring out, and keep going. His enthusiasm for handling firearms and hunting gear inspired him to create the Shooting Mystery blog. 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. Brand: Logix. Oxides come after its been heated to a red heat and cooled. When the first patch gets really funky, then drop that in your plastic garbage container (remember, these patches have been soaked in acid solutions! Keep a fire extinguisher near your workstation in case of a fire. I don't understand why you are submerging it in oil? "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", The cotton gloves insulate your fingers from the heated barrel, and they prevent oils from your skin from getting on the raw steel. 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. Right now I'm working on excavator replacement pins! Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. 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. Wipe them down with WD-40 on a regular basis. Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. Hot blueing salts attack soft solders on guns, so it isnt to be done on old shotguns and some older rifles. If you do not get crazy and over heat the steel there is no reason to be fearful of the process. Also, the results you indicate are typical of still having some oil on the gun. Use a coffee can or similarly shaped container as your quenching chamber. However, oil may spill and create a fire hazard if the steel is put into the oil too quickly. Remember the oil is probably gonna release some smoke/fumes once the piece is quenched so as said before: please do this step in a well ventilated area. Tenifer get's up to (1077F) last I checked and was the 5th step in Glock heat treating after that they Pakerize it. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Fill a heat-safe container with water or oil deep enough to submerge your steel. Similarly, stainless steel parts may be immersed in a mixture of nitrates and chromates, similarly heated. This process leaves a deep blue-black finish. 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. DG thank you. The usual mistake on buffing wheels is using too coarse a compound, and then the wheel becomes quite aggressive in removing material. Note: I know a plastic container is pictured but always use a metal one! you may benefit from the use of a gas lense as well. The practice of bluing steel takes time and an exquisite eye for detail. If you drop a piece of paper in there, or hydrocarbon compounds (like oil or grease on your part). I handed a buddy my wallet and cell phone, and stepped under the safety shower and got wet. The melting point for KNO3 is 633F. Follow the instructions. Not only does it give you an alchemical feeling of satisfactionbut it also gives the metal a finish to stop corrosion. Even with safety glasses and a full-face shield, a rubber apron, rubber boots, etc it is possible to get salts into your eyes and all over the rest of you. I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. Rinse them in a cold water tank after. Besides those, you must also have water displacing oil and cleaning solution (Dicro-Clean 909). By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. The content is not meant to be a replacement for professional service advice. This is as deadly as the lye-based hot salts, but more for the temperature of a large batch of salts. Also thanks DG! 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]. Never know when it will come in handy. Safety notes: Dont use an aluminum pan. 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. 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. Its for mild steel, which must be greased, oiled or otherwise coated with something to stop it from rusting almost immediately. The steel will pull some of the carbon out of the oil while quenching and harden the outer portion of the metal. on Introduction. Use a steel tool to stir (remember the fumes). The parts are then oiled and allowed to stand overnight. Youll want to clamp on the barrel directly under the sight youre about to drift out. This finish allows them to be stored in high-moisture conditions, like sports bags, without rusting. Thanks, 8 years ago Dont mess with hot salts. Bluing is also used for providing coloring for steel parts of fine clocks and other fine metalwork. Heat the Steel. They should send you a stipend for your time. Seriously, this is interesting and thank you for posting it, but I hope to never be in a position where I need to use either of these techniques! Browning a gun gives you a nice, even brown patina finish of red rust on a gun. 2. It is slightly caustic, so be careful you dont leave it on the gun for long. 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! I have in the past few years became more and more. The mixture is heated to 310 to 321C (590 to 610F) and the parts are suspended in this solution with wire. 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. Drift the sights back in from the right side of the barrel. Depending on the manufacturers manual, youll have to prepare roughly 6 to 8 tanks to perform the bluing effectively and efficiently. [ And I work alone in my shop, and lack the required (IMO) safety facilities that are needed. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I wish this article had come out sooner, since I did not know that 0000 steel wool may have oil in it. The higher temperatures of the other processes as well as their caustic nature could weaken the soldered joints and make the gun hazardous to use. You need to adjust the boiling point of the salts for your altitude. Oil and grease really are the enemy because youre trying to (literally) corrode the metal. Vegetable oil has a higher boiling point, so the hot steel will take longer to cool and reduce the chance of it cracking. I wouldnt use this bluing method for these items. I really appreciate you taking the time to share it DG. 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. 8 years ago On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. This is all from memory so I might have left some stuff out. Still, you will find that cold blues dont last. Mess. 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. The thickness of the oxide is a function of how hot you heat the steel (The color is due to interference of light reflecting from the surface of the oxide coating, and light reflecting from the oxide-steel interface). Alternatively, you can press the pad of steel wool between your hands over the container of acetone, and then put it on some paper towels to dry. Examples of this finish are common on older pocket watches whose hands exhibit what is called 'peacock blue', a rich iridescent blue. Mea maxima culpa - and I left my comment up rather than delete the thread (for now) just so I could reply and admit the My Dumb, rather than skulk away cleanly >;-), Question The differing rate of cooling for each area produced a different color creating that rainbow effect. 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. Also: Do not allow the solution to run, drip or sag. There can be different layers you have to apply. It can soften up some paints and plastics. Buffing wheels have their purpose, but they take real skill to use without making a mess of guns, starting with the selection of the wheel (theres, oh, at least six types of buffing wheel), choice of type of compound, choice of grit of compound, choice of wheel speed (many buffers have only one speed, and there are some jobs where you really want a 3-phase motor on your buffer with a VFD to adjust the speed down from 1800 or 3600 RPM) and so on. If you want it smoother/shinier, you can polish up to 600 grit, with wet-or-dry paper. Stainless steel can only tolerate hot bluing and a limited amount of chemicals.

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bluing steel with a torch