paint & bake Bluing kit?

[The Last American Hero]

I was chewing the fat with an old cuss at a yard sale about DIY bluing ( I was thinking of buying some big nasty pots and a nasty propane stove) and he mentioned he had blued (browned actually) a flintlock musket kit's barrel with a Home Bluing kit by just heating the barrel on the gas BBQ with a candy thermometer, painting with the bluing and putting it back on the grill for 15minutes.

I can't find any Kit for this sort of process, only paint on Cold (which they say doesn't do much) or $2000+ hot tank set up.

[kcstott]

Look up rust bluing

[The Last American Hero]

Look up rust bluing

thanks. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...prod22820.aspx

Hmmm, this is for an off-the-gun white steel Ruger grip frame:

1)has a bunch of inner recesses that wont show, but might be hard to get the 'velvet' out of.

2)don't really care about perfection, I'm gonna call it 'character' or patina.

I think I'm gonna try a Salt Peter dip. Partly because it gives me an excuse to stock that basic chemical.

[johnthomas]

thanks. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...prod22820.aspx

Hmmm, this is for an off-the-gun white steel Ruger grip frame:

1)has a bunch of inner recesses that wont show, but might be hard to get the 'velvet' out of.

2)don't really care about perfection, I'm gonna call it 'character' or patina.

I think I'm gonna try a Salt Peter dip. Partly because it gives me an excuse to stock that basic chemical.

A friend of mine had three kit black powder guns that he wanted re-blued with plum brown. This kit produces the same finish that was used in the period the guns were first made. It is pretty simple and the results are great if you follow the instructions. You apply this after you put the metal in the oven to a certain temp. I browned the pistols about three times each. The trick is, patience and preparation.

https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/Refinishing/Metal-Finishing/Plum-Brown%E2%84%A2-Barrel-Finish.aspx

[kcstott]

Niter blue has zero durability. So don't expect it to hold up very well if you really plan to use this piece

There's always Cerakote midnight blue

[The Last American Hero]

Niter blue has zero durability. So don't expect it to hold up very well if you really plan to use this piece

There's always Cerakote midnight blue

thx, no short cuts I guess.

any tips on what ratio of salt-peter to water I'm supposed to boil up?

[kcstott]

thx, no short cuts I guess.

any tips on what ratio of salt-peter to water I'm supposed to boil up?

Zero water. Salt peter melts and you should not boil it. It melts at 633˚F so any water would have flashed to steam a long time ago.

I take it you don't understand what Niter blueing is?? it's the exact same as just heating up the steel with a torch and getting it to turn blue. The reason you use salt peter is you have a very controlled temp range to work in.

Problem is you have a 650˚F molten salt that can burn you bad enough to kill you. and thats no joke.

It's why it is recommended for small parts so only small quantities are needed. It can also cause warping with thin parts due to the high temp.

I don't recommend this unless you really understand what you are doing and have good safety gear cause you will need it.

[The Last American Hero]

Zero water. Salt peter melts and you should not boil it. It melts at 633˚F so any water would have flashed to steam a long time ago.

I take it you don't understand what Niter blueing is?? it's the exact same as just heating up the steel with a torch and getting it to turn blue. The reason you use salt peter is you have a very controlled temp range to work in.

Problem is you have a 650˚F molten salt that can burn you bad enough to kill you. and thats no joke.

It's why it is recommended for small parts so only small quantities are needed. It can also cause warping with thin parts due to the high temp.

I don't recommend this unless you really understand what you are doing and have good safety gear cause you will need it.

What do you think of home made lye/salt-peter boil at 280' F? That seems to be the "real" bluing, and takes place at lower temps in water solution.

[kcstott]

I think you'd be better off sending it to Hot flash and being done with it.

you know the ratio is 10 lbs to the gallon right??

You can make all the hot blue home brew solution you want but Hot blue requires Five tanks....

Boiling cleaner degreaser, Hot Rinse, Hot blue, cold rinse, Water displacing oil

you can do it with less but you will have less then satisfactory results.

[LynnJr]

There was a guy in Idaho who did it for $55 but he might have passed away by now? His name was Mel Doyle