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View Full Version : Can you blue a stainless gun at home?


CaliforniaSon
09-25-2013, 9:12 AM
I looked around and didn't see anything so I figured I would ask...

Is it possible to blue a stainless gun at home or do you have to send it somewhere? I have seen blueing kits and how to guides for repairing already blued guns, but am curious if you can blue a stainless one.

I ask because I have a .270 and a mini-14 that are both stainless and I just don't like the way it looks on them and am thinking about blueing them if possible.

Thank you in advanced!

halifax
09-25-2013, 9:20 AM
I think the blueing process is a controlled rust. Not sure how that would work on SS.

Sorry, I can't give you a better answer.

RickD427
09-25-2013, 9:26 AM
You cannot do a rust blue finish on stainless. The alloys in the stainless will not react to the blueing salts in the same way that carbon steel does.

There are several options. The spray-on/bake-on finishes will work on stainless. There are some "high-tech" methods of producing a black oxide finish on stainless, but there pretty much beyond the homeshop level of difficulty.

I have a stainless rifle barrel that was given a black oxide treatment by Robar that came out real nice.

CaliforniaSon
09-25-2013, 9:33 AM
I saw a couple of different things for 'spray on', but wasn't sure how to actual go about it. One guy said he actually used truck bed liner spray in stuff on his and it almost made me cringe! (haha)

Does anyone have any recommendations for spray / bake techniques? I wouldn't mind sending them out to someone, but I'd rather do it at home as I have both of them and wanna save some cash if I can.

By the way, thank you for your replies so far!

coma13
09-25-2013, 9:57 AM
http://www.caswellplating.com/metal-finishing-solutions/stainless-steel-blackener.html

milotrain
09-25-2013, 10:17 AM
I just got a chassis with Cerakote and it's my first bit of Cerakoted anything. The finish is very smooth, baked on and not shiny or plastic like powder. I'd highly recommend it. Not the polished look of blue or Black Oxide but it's quite pretty.

I did a little checking because most Stainless barrels are 416 which is not a pure stainless so might take a black oxide well (well ish). I've got a Remington 700 stainless action that came with a bit of rusting on the rear bolt catch/cocking piece (just called remmy and they confirmed that the piece is 416). I took the bolt apart, pulled out the cocking piece, cleaned the piss out of it and dunked it in a cold black oxide from caswell.

A few things about the process as it is finicky.
1. I don't use the BO stopper chemical just the blue liquid.
2. Clean it like crazy while wearing plastic gloves.
3. Polish sand or SOS the whole surface so that any hard coatings are gone
4. Clean it like crazy with acetone while wearing plastic gloves.
5. Submerge it in the BO solution. Agitate it 1 min.
6. Submerge it in a distilled water bath. Agitate 30 seconds.
7. Polish it with a buffer and rubbing compound or similar.
8. Acetone the snot out of it as above
9. Do the whole process again. (I do small parts three or four times)

It starts to get a deep even black polish after the second and third steps.

Finally heat the part to around 360 degrees and dunk it in used motor oil. This step would make me concerned about doing it to a barrel but it is vital for the process to keep rust from forming and to freeze the black oxide process. I've got a few parts that I was concerned about doing this with and they have all formed light rust in places.

The shroud below is anodized aluminum. The cocking piece is 416 that's been Black Oxided with the regular stuff.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4aTQkyh9ppc/UkMpyXphH6I/AAAAAAAAByc/tpt6U6h5aqM/w460-h616-no/photo+%25283%2529.JPG

Speedpower
09-25-2013, 3:22 PM
The best to blacken a Stainless is Melonite or hard hat finish offered by Severns Customs located in 1180 JACOBSEN LANE GARDNERVILLE, NV 89410


https://severnscustom.com/Hard_Hat_Treatment.html

kcstott
09-25-2013, 4:07 PM
Way to expensive to Blue stainless.

My recommendation Cerokote. you can get it done in black, or blue black, that mimics very well a blued gun, or darn near any color of the rainbow. it a very durable finish and is far from paint.

Gunsmith Dan
09-26-2013, 12:22 AM
The Caswell Stainless Steel Blackener is like Cold Blue for normal steel, it is not very wear resistant. SO it will work great for mixing bowls but not parts that rub against each other.

YES there is a Hot Caustic Bluing for Stainless Steel that works the same way as Hot Caustic Bluing/ Hot Black Oxide. It has almost the same hardness and black color, just the chemicals used for the bath are slightly altered. We did offer the service but interest for it was to low to make a profit doing it so we mothballed the equipment.

CaliforniaSon
09-26-2013, 2:29 PM
This is why I ask you guys stuff, you have all given me amazing ideas and routes to take.

Thank you all!!

CaliforniaSon
10-26-2013, 4:57 PM
Have any of you guys dunked an entire barrel into the Caswell stuff? Any tips on how to go about it? I ordered 16oz of it and am wondering if it will harm the inside of the barrel/grooves or if I can literally just drop the gun in and let it sit for a few minutes. I was also thinking about filling the barrel with silicone to prevent the caswells from getting in - think I need to or will it be fine?