Bluing question

[bigj0hn]

I just inherited an old Ithica Model 37 and the bluing is worn off a decent amount of the gun. I have read an equal number of reviews for and against birchwood casey perma blue kit. What are your thoughts? Should I try it myself or send it out to get done, if so can anyone recommend a gunsmith they trust?

Thanks guys.

[kcstott]

How old is the gun. You may be doing more damage then good.

[bigj0hn]

The serial number dates it 1958 I believe.

[Dutch Henry]

The cold blue solutions are good for touching up scratches but that's about it. If you want a nice re-blue job, send it to someone that specializes in gun bluing. You'll be much happier with the results.

[general_disarray_prk]

Rust Blue it yourself.

Cold blue makes your shotty stinky.

[kcstott]

About a $500 shot gun in near perfect condition. With bluing work needing to be done I'd put it at about $300
My suggestion is to either slow rust blue it yourself or send it to Hot Flash bluing services. Or Midwest gun works for a full restoration.
It won't be cheep but it will look like you just bought it.

You want to sell it??

[bigj0hn]

About a $500 shot gun in near perfect condition. With bluing work needing to be done I'd put it at about $300
My suggestion is to either slow rust blue it yourself or send it to Hot Flash bluing services. Or Midwest gun works for a full restoration.
It won't be cheep but it will look like you just bought it.

You want to sell it??

Sorry kcstott my dad let me have it after I promised I would never sell it. Honestly I'm pretty excited to get it cleaned up and take it to the sporting clays range.

What is the difference between cold bluing and rust bluing?

[kcstott]

Clod bluing is a chemical treatment to the surface of the steel and it never works very well, blotchy, spotty, varying shades of blueblack.

Rust brown or rust blue, two slightly different processes uses a chemical and a humidity cabinet to build a layer of rust. you card the rust down. 0000 steel wool or carding wheels and apply another coat, card down and repeat. this builds a very dark near black brown layer that is harder then hot salts bluing.
Rust bluing is the same process above but with a boiling water bath to convert each new layer to a black color

It's time consuming but it's cheep and damn beautiful

Brownells has the chemicals and instructions,

[yari]

^ rust blueing is beautiful. You can control how dark it gets by the number of coats applied. I finish all my steel guns with it. I don't mind the extra time. I tend to start talking to them while brushing them, none of the them have done me wrong it does take time.

[kcstott]

^ rust blueing is beautiful. You can control how dark it gets by the number of coats applied. I finish all my steel guns with it. I don't mind the extra time. I tend to start talking to them while brushing them, none of the them have done me wrong it does take time.

And they won't run off and leave you like a woman will.


Here's and example of rust bluing with only eight cycles of rusting and boiling.


This is Plum brown finish but it's very close to a true rust brown finish.




Lie I said the only difference in the technique is a boil after carding to turn the rust back. thats it's if you want it brown don't boil it if you want it black boil it. simple as that.
The best jobs usually take about fifteen to twenty cycles

Some of the most expensive shot guns in the world are old school rust browned



and Rust blued



the one on the bottom is $78200. in the New york gun room for Holland and Holland

[bigj0hn]

Thanks guys! I think I will go for the rust bluing process. Did you get the fancy trough from brownels or use something different? Wil I have to still remove all existing bluing before starting this process?

[kcstott]

Yeah you need to remove all the blueing and polish to the desired finish.

Do not polish with anything wax based. like rouge or Tripoli.

None of those pic are my work those were all stolen from google.

but laurel mountain forge works great.

[general_disarray_prk]

What is the difference between cold bluing and rust bluing?

Cold Blueing REEKS.

It's best suited for spot touch up work.

For complete coverage, it'll offer blotchy results at best.

But most importantly cold blue smells like rotten eggs - and it never stops giving off the smell. You'll know when you're handling a cold blued firearm the first time someone hands it to you, and you're wiffing the air wondering where the hell the smell is coming from

Lots of threads here and on other forums on Rust Blueing - it's all out there. Pick and choose your info for your situation.

You can easily do it in an apartment, and wind up with excellent results.

IMHO: No need for burners or fancy equipment (as some articles call for) - just utilize boiled tap water from a few large pots heated on your stove top. For something more sturdy than foil turkey pans that won't fold over at the worst possible moment, you can immerse your parts in the boiling tap water utilizing a large flat plastic Rubbermaid container. And actually, in hindsight from my experience, small apartment bathrooms are great for the rust blue process, as you can quickly and easily get them nice and humid from a hot running shower. All in all, you can do this for $25 TOTAL in materials (bluing solution, Rubbermaid container, card brush from Brownells). Water from the tap and Wire Coat Hangers are for the most part, free.

Card it outside, on your deck, over lots of newspaper - mess wise, carding is the worst part of the process. The results are great when it's over, but getting there is a friggin' mess if there ever was one.

Use Brownells classic rust blue - it's the best and the most reasonable.

Remember: 80% of the outcome is directly related to proper surface preparation, meaning don't cut corners.

Here's a good link fomr CG: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=376334

[yari]

I actually blast all surfaces with 80 grit aluminum oxide. After the rusting and carding it comes out polished looking. The uniform blasted finish helps keep the bluing from coming out blotchy.

[general_disarray_prk]

I actually blast all surfaces with 80 grit aluminum oxide. After the rusting and carding it comes out polished looking. The uniform blasted finish helps keep the bluing from coming out blotchy.

Woops - I forgot about the blaster - can't do that in your Apt (so it helps to know someone with one)