Blueing question

[4thSBCT]

I've recently been messing around with a home blue kit, its the one in the blue bottle with white label I forget the name right now. Here is my question.
My practice piece for blueing smells like cat piss after I blue it. Any way to get rid of that smell? Thanks

[69Mach1]

Paging mrlonewolf....

[TURBOELKY]

Yeah, that stuff stinks.. Just have your Dog piss on it, to offset the smell... J/K There is a large Industrial Metal supply place out here by my place, and they sell a bottle of "Blue". They have a sample piece of it, and it looks good! I think its the same Man. of the stuff you have, just in commercial grade.

[Mikeb]

I think if you mix a little pacouley oil in with your gun oil you can get it to smell like flowers. Personally I like Kroil or Hoppes or castor oil. You might try a hot water rinse. If the water is hot enough (boiling) it will dry very fast. But remember blueing is just a kind of rust. What it really does is make a place for the oil to live. It is the oil that soaks into the layer of black iron oxide that keeps the bad rust away.
take care
Mike

[mrlonewolf]

The smell that comes from cold bluing is from the Selenium compounds that are in it. That smell is how you can always tell if a gun has been touched up with cold blue.

The smell will go away after a while, yeah I know, not a pretty pleasant odor.

You can always expedite the process by coating your gun with gun oil or just motor oil for a couple of days. It works.

[johnthomas]

Birchwoodcasey.com
Wash the piece in warm soapy water and 000 steel wool, dry with a hair dryer. Wipe down with alcohol and after it dries, apply the blue evenly with cotton balls. Wash again with soapy water and 0000 steel wool. Dry, looks like crap right? Oil it and see if this will be dark enough, if not, start over, it is well worth the time it takes. The smell will go away, and quit putting it in the litter box, lol.

[nicoroshi]

Agreed the smell does lessen after a while.
I am also a fan of the oiling method to help cover the scent.
I have tried Birchwood Casy, and Blue Wonder cold blues.
Both will do the job but for ease of use, and a more factory looking blue my vote goes to Blue Wonder.

Comparison shots:

Birchwood Casy:


Blue wonder:


Or you could rust blue it.
Some Muriatic Acid in a container with the receiver wrapped in a plastic bag for a day will get it going (after a good cleaning). Remove, and let it sit for a couple days until it's completely covered with an even layer of rust. Then boil. The rust will turn black. Now wire bush really well. Two or three time through this, and you'll end up with a nice blue.
Oil well, and you're good to go.
That's probably how I'll do my next milled build.