Rust Blue Prep Help

[terrapinflyer25]

I was just wondering if anyone is familiar with this process and how they prep the parts that you want to re-finish before you apply the first coat of Rust Blue.
This is my first project like this Im kinda shooting from the hip here so to speak. Some people have said to sand blast but I dont have access to one. The instructions that came with the product are vague and like Ive already said I have absolutely no experience whit any of this. Some constructive input would be greatly appreciated.

[4thSBCT]

I rub parts as best I can with some high grit sand paper, then wash with hot soapy water and then rinse and be sure not to touch. Then I apply rust blue, wait an hour then apply another coat then 4 hours later I boil and card.

[7,62x39]

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showth...4&page=1&pp=35 very extensive discussion here, more than you could ever even want to know about rust blue

[DB2]

The AK files thread is great if your doing an AK, or any style gun you want to have a matte or semi matte finish. I personally bead blast with glass to clean the surface.

You will read that glass beads are not the best to use. I do not agree. You will get a very nice semi-matte finish.

You can also use sand paper. You will see people state not to polish the parts, as they will not take the blue. This isn't true. I just finished restoring a Reminigton 550-1 .22 rifle. I bead blasted first, and sanded all the parts with sand paper. Worked my way to 1000 grit. The finished result looks like a factory polished blue job.

As far as degreasing. I like to wipe my freshly blasted/sanded parts down with MEK. It will take every lick of grease/ dirt off, and leave no residue.

[general_disarray_prk]

Your parts need to be Oil Free for the bluing effect to be consistent, thus any hint of machine or hand oil will foul your job up!

Wash your parts in a solution of boiling hot water and TSP (TriSodiumPhosphate). You can buy TSP in a Cardboard Box at Orchard Supply Hardware.
The wash and rinse needs to be done in either a new/clean/oil free bucket or Rubbermaid container.

Now rinse the parts off with boiling hot water - twice. Dry off all remaining water with a blow dryer.

Place cleaned parts in new/clean plastic bags until you can abrasive blast them - no longer than the next day if possible.

Blow off abrasive blast dust and then perform your first "swabbing" of the bluing solution on your parts.

The rest is out there -HTH

[terrapinflyer25]

Your parts need to be Oil Free for the bluing effect to be consistent, thus any hint of machine or hand oil will foul your job up!

Wash your parts in a solution of boiling hot water and TSP (TriSodiumPhosphate). You can buy TSP in a Cardboard Box at Orchard Supply Hardware.
The wash and rinse needs to be done in either a new/clean/oil free bucket or Rubbermaid container.

Now rinse the parts off with boiling hot water - twice. Dry off all remaining water with a blow dryer.

Place cleaned parts in new/clean plastic bags until you can abrasive blast them - no longer than the next day if possible.

Blow off abrasive blast dust and then perform your first "swabbing" of the bluing solution on your parts.

The rest is out there -HTH

Thanks for the hint, I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works out.

[Barabas]

This is also a good place to point out why you always clean spotless whatever you're going to put into an abrasive cabinet. You do not want to contaminate the surface of a freshly cleaned firearm with dirty, oily abrasive. Sand blasting is a finishing process, not a cleaning process.

I see so many guys trying to put dirty parts in the cabinet. Don't do it.