bluing steel with a torch

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. 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. The cotton gloves insulate your fingers from the heated barrel, and they prevent oils from your skin from getting on the raw steel. Youll get a dark spot right there. However, there are certain characteristics differences between the materials so knowing clearly how to blue stainless steel is really important. The salts will be a gooey caustic mess while theyre cold, and you MUST have covers on the tank when youre not using them, or the salts will climb over the edges of the tank and make a mess on the floor. Fume bluing is another process similar to rust bluing. Ill be buying the stainless tubs and chemicals to do it and go for as close to black as I can get. Isn't the point of the acetone to degrease, why would i grease? The book claims they used wait for it "boiling gasoline" not making this up to clean them. There are many simple ways to achieve good bluing. WebThe gun bluing process Start with 1 gallon of water and add it to a deep fryer that has been thoroughly cleaned. Mess. A Pocket Sundial From a Broken Pocket Watch! You can then u. se a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. You want 0000 steel wool for carding between coats. 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. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Ive cut and pasted this to my notes on the cloud. 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. "mainEntityOfPage": "https://shootingmystery.com/blue-stainless-steel-beginners/", Hang the trigger group again, re-stock and you should be done. The differential cooling causes patterns of colors to appear as well as hardening the part. After that, slowly and steadily stir the solution in, Step 2: Process the components of the gun, Wait for 10 15 minutes and then take out the components. FigureLLC. Hardened steel prevents knife blades from dulling and tools from bending and breaking. kitty litter (I would recommend the unused variety). Thanks, 8 years ago 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. For most of the time, guns that utilize carbon steel components are the prime candidates for bluing but its totally possible to color stainless steel blue as well. It's easy to get it too hot, too quickly - especially with an O/A or oxy-propane torch. Most knives, rifle receivers and barrels are heated to at least 1200F and cooled and drawn at 490F-700F. This is not advisable. The colours range through straw, gold, brown, purple, blue, teal, then black. The steel was mild steel and had very little carbon content. 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. *Potassium Nitrate is an oxidizer. I handed a buddy my wallet and cell phone, and stepped under the safety shower and got wet. Either of these two methods is called 'hot bluing'. the cost of all the tanks you need for rinse & boil-out Please be careful with the cold bluing solutions. Sorry for the misunderstanding. 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. In the hot salt process, you will need, oh, four to six tanks, only one of which will be the heated blueing salts. 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. Blue Bluing Steel Drop a piece of hot charcoal in it and it will burn in the absence of any atmosphere as the nitrate provides the oxygen for the reaction. 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. Higher carbon contents will take longer to heat. I have at least three cold blue solutions in my shop including Oxpho-blue, 44-40 and others. If the solution is still boiling vigorously, then you can expect the bluing to happen naturally. 8 years ago The practice of bluing steel takes time and an exquisite eye for detail. DIY Gun Bluing Use ice cubes. 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. Tenifer get's up to (1077F) last I checked and was the 5th step in Glock heat treating after that they Pakerize it. 84 or Du-Lite 3-0. I used Express Blue #1 on lots of guns, where I want something less labor intensive than slow rust blueing (which I wont describe here): most steel wool isnt oil-free. The color is not oxides, when steel is heated at relatively low heats (300-600 degrees Fahrenheit) it changes colors from light yellow to a deep blue, after 600 it turns back to a steel color. 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. Oil-free steel wool is also sold by woodworking shops. Accidental exposure to the chemicals could result in serious injuries. Did you make this project? "description": "If you want to find out how to blue stainless steel, then you've come to the right place. Only 3 left in stock - order soon. By using our site, you agree to our. Most cold blueing agents contain some selenium dioxide in them to enable to them to react at room temps. We will verify and confirm your receipt within 3 working days from the date you upload it. The process isnt intended for bronze. And then there is the difference between general care and storage vs available daily carried protection pistols living in a some sort of Holster (nylon or leather) , good, bad, take them out or leave them in? 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. Get it Feb 25 - 27. 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!). "@context": "http://schema.org/", Dont scrub the solution onto the gun, just run a patch that is not dripping wet down one complete run on the barrel/action in one smooth stroke. It provides the stainless steel surface with a layer of protection, giving rust and corrosion resistance while reducing potential glare as well. It was left in a flannel gun case in the back of a moist closet for 25+ years. Question Larger flames produce less heat while smaller flames produce a higher heat. I had to sand and restain the stock, and sanded the barrel from 120 down to 400 grit the pitting was so bad. Oh mas oui.Express blueing, slow rust blueing, hot salt blueing, nitre blueing, carbona blueing all are better than cold blueing. 'Browning' is controlled red rust Fe2O3, and is also known as 'pluming' or 'plum brown'. Dont drop or try to bend the steel once its removed. 3.3k. 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.. 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. JUST DONT. You need to constantly be adding in a bit of water to bring the boiling point back down into the range you need. "Rust bluing" and "fume bluing" provide the best rust and corrosion resistance as the process continually converts any metal that is capable of rusting into magnetite (Fe3O4). Christopher Graham writes all the content and reviews on this site with the help of his team of hunters and shooters. Brownells has steel tanks, and there are some steel/stainless long/thin tanks available from other sources. Where/how did you think I got to the point I could make nice guns? Any gun. "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", Its a good process, but it isnt a 1:1 replacement for blueing. Blue Metal Shell 13 in 1 Welding Torch Nozzle Tip Cleaner For Welder Soldering. Quenched steel is harder, but it becomes more brittle. In my case I drilled/threaded the metal piece and made a holder with a threaded end. It had been thoroughly degreased before my first attempt, but in trying to repair a poor result, I apparently contaminated it a bit. Next comes the main part. Hot NaOH is so alkaline it is great as dissolving organic materials. NaOH will quickly and completely dissolve aluminum. Dont. on Introduction, looks nice but you are using what is known as heat treatment which will darken steel, not using bluing salts as in gun bluing of rifle barrels all in all very nice instructable, Reply This article received 28 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Its oiled in production to keep it from rusting on store shelves. I use it, oh so cautiously in making my biodiesel. You are nitre blueing here. 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. "@type": "Article", Right now I'm working on excavator replacement pins! Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques. List Price: $18.64 $18.64. on Introduction. Next, suspend the components in a cleaning solution tank to get rid of dirt, oil, grease, and crud. It can soften up some paints and plastics. The difference is immersion in boiling water for bluing. 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. Gas burners can usually do the job for this. Dang it all. After that, slowly and steadily stir the solution in the tank to dissolve the salt. Bluing is a process usually used by gun owners and firearms manufacturers to improve the aesthetic value of their weapons. 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). How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method OOMAN 2.28K subscribers Subscribe 872 112K views 4 years ago My apologies for the background Vegetable oil has a higher boiling point, so the hot steel will take longer to cool and reduce the chance of it cracking. In this case cooking oil, rather than gun oil, acts to displace water and prevent rust. The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. When polishing something like the above rifle/shotgun, youve got a pretty light coat of rust, without severe pitting. "@type": "ImageObject", { All those materials the leather and bone the coal where sources of carbon and other trace elements. Fe3O4 requires chemicals and/or heat to push the iron to full oxidation. Do NOT wipe/touch your metal with anything after degreasing as the whole purpose of cleaning was then for nothing. This is not necessary as long as you can hold your item appropriately and not cover where it is to be heated. RF: Expect a write-up from me on Rust blueing and parkerizing in the next couple of weeks. Blue or Black rust is complete passivation of the steel surface Fe3O4. Prepare the components of the metal surface before you attempt to blue using your tools. If your barrel has heavier pitting, now were into filing to remove pitting, and thats something I cant teach people in mere text. Its easy enough to color metal with a torch, but it has always been a hit-or-miss process for me, and when it was a big hit, I was rarely able to re-create how it got that way. 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. They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. Its the corrosive gift that just keeps on giving. "author": "Christopher Graham", Glad that there are folks like you around. I have done a cold blue on a very rusted .22 for a friend. They should start gassing up approximately 2 to 3 minutes after exposure. Similarly, stainless steel parts may be immersed in a mixture of nitrates and chromates, similarly heated. Alternatively. Hopefully these concepts suggest caution and diligence for what you are doing. Did you ever find out what oil they were using? The inside barrel was saved by the fact it was so full of lead fouling. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. 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. - Ballachy", "Bluing of Steel by Heat Treatment: Why and How it Happens? Oil and grease really are the enemy because youre trying to (literally) corrode the metal. I can't stress how important the degreasing step is! 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. It costs an arm and a leg, and you can buy 0000 so cheaply at Wally World that it makes the acetone method worth your while. "@type": "ImageObject", It is vastly appreciated even by those of us who will probably never use it. It cannot rust any further. When everything is set up, put on your protective gear and then get down to business. 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. Itll evaporate rather rapidly, but still, dont whip it at cars or house finishes. 3 years ago. I ended up with some spots where the browning did not take, and a few dull spots, most of which I was able to buff out with steel wool soaked with gun oil. Ill detail why. Think big scars. 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 "logo": { Robert Farago is the former publisher of The Truth About Guns (TTAG). Have proper ventilation and use proper modern safety gear! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Great column, and thanks for all the responses to various questions and comments. Dont want to get any of the liquid on you its 700F. Then wipe off all excess oil and look at your beautiful finished object! The mixture is heated to 310 to 321C (590 to 610F) and the parts are suspended in this solution with wire. Examples of this finish are common on older pocket watches whose hands exhibit what is called 'peacock blue', a rich iridescent blue. of the steel than do not even try this on something that is anything other than artistic in nature! Cold bluing is not particularly resistant to holster wear, nor does it provide a large degree of rust resistance. very easy way to get a blue finish on steel - Fit and Finish Stand on end over some paper towels to drain. It is named after the blue-black appearance of the resulting protective finish. After three coats, washing and drying, the finish was not too bad, considering I was (and am) a rank amateur. Old school smiths use something called washing soda to strip oil off guns. this produces better, less turbulant gas flow, which will reduce heat traces. So basically, youll want the rifle in the vise with the muzzle pointed to your left. Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. These processes were later abandoned by major firearm manufacturers as it often took parts days to finish completely, and was very labor-intensive. That means 50-60 revolutions to make a foot. Then, you can put the components back into the bluing tank and increase the temperature until you see the blued steel. Safety is the number one priority so protect your body as much as possible. this article statement -An old container filled with your chosen degreaser (unleaded petrol), -Your desired polished metal object/s (very important! If a bank transfer is made but no receipt is uploaded within this period, your order will be cancelled. 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. The melting point for KNO3 is 633F. ", not only fun, but also profitable. Process that partially protects steel against rust, This article is about the historical uses of black oxide. 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). 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. However, if the bluing effect isnt satisfactory, then you can try giving the components an acid bath (using Hydrochloric Acid). occasionally I'll buff it afterwards. I like 1.5 wide shop cloth myself). I have cut and polished 4 pieces of mild steel to demonstrate different colour stages. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. Last Updated: May 13, 2022 Haha. Could I use stainless steel earrings that I have got? SO, DG; unless I missed it, I am assuming the torch is used separate from heating the tank/ container with the boiling solution. There's also blued hardware available, like nuts, bolts, screws, and hinges. DG thank you. Its much cheaper anyways. How to Harden Steel: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Once the solution reaches its boiling point, turn down the burner to about one-third of the boiling temperature and let it stay there. How do I do this? At least one of the cold bluing solutions contains selenium dioxide. You have entered an incorrect email address! gas coverage is another big one. How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Aluminium (Al) and polymer parts cannot be blued, and no corrosion protection is provided. It also looks good on AK type weapons of which I have three to park. Now you slide the cold rod in, and the plate cools, gripping the rod. Copyright 2023 Flixsterz. For this Instructable I'm using thread cutting oil. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. Go on and start bluing! LOGIX 20910 Butane Torch, Cooking Torch, Torch for Creme Brulee, Refillable, 9.6 oz, Blue Steel . Heat the gun parts. Heating white, degreased steel to 550 to 600F results in brilliant colors. For larger pieces of steel, you need to use a. Below is a link to a video I found on YouTube that shows the process. You have to apply the bluing fluid. Thats one way to get dyspeptic to write articles! Knowledge is the power and fear is the opposite of power it cripples the mind and the body and almost always guarantee's a poor decision will be made. "Cold" bluing is generally a selenium dioxide based compound that colours steel black, or more often a very dark grey. 5. Above you can see some example pictures of the colour shades that can be achieved with this techniques.Have fun doing it! Fill the tank with a suitable amount of water then add in the bluing salt using the correct ratio. Acetone is also useful for de-greasing the barreled action. You can reassemble the gun after. Fortunately, this is easily had at any hardware store: WD-40 is a water displacing product, not a lubricant (contrary to widespread advertising). 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. It is usually sold in a 1lb bottle for $3, you'll need 3 or 4 pounds probably. Alternitavely you can leave it in the oil bath to stabilize. 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. High temperatures and dangerous chemicals mean that a moment of carelessness can make you pay a heavy price. When Im polishing on barrels, I polish lengthwise. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Every true outdoorsmans dream! Most waters in the Rockies clear out to the west coast will have high(er) dissolved solids in them. Historically, razor blades were often blued steel. 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. Ive used this method in a pinch to make a tap from a cheap mild steel bolt to chase out galled female threads. The cabinet is then sealed. Ventilation is important. Rust bluing is also used on shotgun barrels that are soldered to the rib between the barrels, as hot bluing solutions melt the solder during the bluing process. Always wear goggles and gloves when operating a propane blow torch. Mea culpa. Some people might not have a tank long enough to contain a barreled action to boil out. I like parkerization on some of my milsurps. The object on the left is a custom mild steel potentiometer knob! One can generally use the same solution to brown as to blue. All blued parts still require oiling to prevent rust. This step should be done before heating the steel, as the steel should be quenched immediately after removing from heat. Thanks for always being so willing to share, Sir. Following the treatment in the bluing tank, relocate the components to a cold water tank. The name of the process actually comes from the blue-black appearance of the black iron oxide. 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. The only way to do that is to heat it until the metal de-magnetises, quench it again, and then temper to the desired hardness. Is the torch used to heat metal ..ONLY.with Cold bluing? Interesting and informative as always. If you have very light, fine pitting, you can polish this out. Its durable and wears well. This signifies that the steel is tempered. 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]. Mix equal parts of cream and liquid Brownells Oxpho Blue. 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. Theres a reason I didnt pursue a career in chemistry. Hot blueing is a good process, especially if you have a lot of iron to shove through the blueing process quickly. Put all the components into the tank and wait for 5 15 minutes. How to remove discoloration from heat? - Forums - Miller Welding However, the chemicals from the bluing process can accomplish uneven staining on aluminium and polymer parts. 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. Often it does provide an adequate cosmetic touch-up of a gun's finish when applied and additionally oiled on a regular basis. Hot. 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. *700F is very close to the heat treatment temperature of some steels. (NaOH from Ebay soap supplies). Metal Finishing Guru. Wear safety glasses and gloves while working with hot metal. Fill a heat-safe container with water or oil deep enough to submerge your steel. 2. It is generally employed on smaller parts such as pins, screws, sights, etc. It, too, must be oiled to provide any significant rust resistance. Once you strip the blue & rust, then you can see what youre dealing with. You can use a heat gun, a blow dryer, or a torch for this. I want to add rainbow color to safety razor blades that would be used again, how can I do this? Ships from and sold by Direct-Wholesale. When you add water to a hot salt tank, you get an explosion of steam, and you need to develop some skill in adding the water with a very fine copper pipe on your water hose to prevent steam blow-outs spattering salts all over you. Brilliant blues. It is one smoooooth profile, from one end to the other. Cold blueing solutions usually just dont wear well. Thermometers and stirring tools are also needed, as well as something to heat up the tanks. 2. Soft, low-carbon steel was used, but strong materials were needed for the receivers of firearms. It is also used by machinists, to protect and beautify tools made for their own use. Technically speaking, bluing is more or less a conversion of red iron oxide (Fe2O3) to black iron oxide (Fe3O4). Then you can express blue it with a propane torch and a tank of boiling water. Before operating your torch, read all instructions so you know how to handle it safely. Add 5 lbs of regular table salt to the water. I thought there was something that could help improve the colors but wasnt sure until I came across this. Not only does it give you an alchemical feeling of satisfactionbut it also gives the metal a finish to stop corrosion. Please note: As you are working with heat, please be smart, use your common sense, do the bluing process in a well ventilated area and keep a wet towel to hand. Bluing is also used in seasoning cast-iron cookware, to render it relatively rust-proof and non-stick. blue steel If you are new to the subject and are in need of detailed instructions, then youve come to the right place. Very true. 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. You'll probably be fine following these instructions - you'll probably be OK driving home a little drunk, too. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. With a simple heating and quenching process, you can make your steel last for much longer! Gee, Im thinkin Duro or cero coat maybe even Krylon might be a good enough.. When the liquid stops bubbling, remove the metal from the container and wipe off any excess liquid. Keep a grade B fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire. Premium fencing blades are often offered with a blued finish. Should something happen, seek medical help right away. Treating with an oiled coating enhances the protection offered by the bluing. That would be a hot salt blueing mix. 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! He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. The downsides are: the safety issue, which I laid out above, and which youve made clear. Your 700F temp is too high, IMO. Can a softly tempered piece be re-tempered harder without going through the hardening procedure again? And for the next (after the next) installment, how to do hard case coloring. Pull it out of the tank and place on a drain rack. An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. When the first patch gets really funky, then drop that in your plastic garbage container (remember, these patches have been soaked in acid solutions! 2 years ago Large scale industrial hot bluing is often performed using a bluing furnace.

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