Mea culpa. Though it may seem tricky at first, youll be glad to have figured it out because knowing how to blue stainless steel will come in handy from time to time. After The rod was heated and the plate 2" square was inserted and the rod shrunk onto it. Ive learned a LOT. Are you sure you want to heat the steel to 700F in that early step? This crucible was heated to 730C (1,350F) for up to 6hours (the longer the heat was applied the thicker the case hardening). Question We will verify and confirm your receipt within 3 working days from the date you upload it. It is usually inadvisable to use cold bluing as a touch-up where friction is present. on Introduction, looks nice but you are using what is known as heat treatment which will darken steel, not using bluing salts as in gun bluing of rifle barrels all in all very nice instructable, Reply WD-40, as mentioned earlier, is a water-displacing oil compound not a penetrating lube, and for preventing rust, WD-40 actually works pretty well, but it doesnt last like cosmoline or waxy oils used for long-term rust prevention. The wire is extremely small in diameter, so you have to take that into consideration. All About Bluing Steel Stainless Steel Necessary Gears and Tools Procedure Step 1: Ready the bluing tank Step 2: Process the components of the gun Step 3: Suspend Either that or the steel wool. How do I do this? Accidental exposure to the chemicals could result in serious injuries. If you have a wood or phenolic handle, use a propane torch to heat the blade only for about two minutes. Should something happen, seek medical help right away. I tried heating the barrel in sections (as Brownells says is ok) but did not get a very good result, being unable to get a uniform heat in any =thing approaching more than a few inches at a time. Approved. Shooting Mystery is reader-supported. If youre interested, just ask and I can provide more details. This article has been viewed 914,567 times. Theyll usually go in from the right, and be drifted out from the left (ie, drifting them from left to the right as the muzzle is pointed away from you). Your container should be relatively larger than your object. While I am certain that I could do it myself, you already have all the bits and parts and stuff so it is worth my dollars to buy a gunsmiths time to have this done for me. This is often achieved without chemicals by simply heating the steel until a blue oxide film appears. -An old container filled with your chosen degreaser (unleaded petrol), -Your desired polished metal object/s (very important! Isn't the point of the acetone to degrease, why would i grease? ")You're ABSOLUTELY right. This will remove all the traces of the bluing solution and other chemicals. Do NOT wipe/touch your metal with anything after degreasing as the whole purpose of cleaning was then for nothing. "@type": "Article", Before operating your torch, read all instructions so you know how to handle it safely. A couple bottles of aged bourbon minimum. But since this was my first project, with an inexpensive kit as a learning tool, and as I intend to do this again with a much more expensive kit, my trials and errors and your voice of experience will be very useful the next time around. With a simple heating and quenching process, you can make your steel last for much longer! Ill detail why. The cotton gloves insulate your fingers from the heated barrel, and they prevent oils from your skin from getting on the raw steel. You want 0000 steel wool for carding between coats. Use a steel tool to stir (remember the fumes). We have all kinds of rifles and shotguns with recievers made from non-Fe alloys again we do not give it a second though or break out the hardness tester. Bluing only works on steel, cast iron, or stainless steel parts for protecting against corrosion because it changes iron into Fe3O4; it does not work on non-ferrous material. Did you make this project? If your barrel has heavier pitting, now were into filing to remove pitting, and thats something I cant teach people in mere text. Can a softly tempered piece be re-tempered harder without going through the hardening procedure again? Last Updated: May 13, 2022 [4], Bluing can also be done in a furnace, for example for a sword or other item traditionally made by a blacksmith or specialist such as a weapon-smith. I heat treated a piece of carbon steel to make it less likely to wear (using its edge as a cutting surface in a wood turning application). Follow the instructions. I don't understand why you are submerging it in oil? That doesnt happen easily or by accident. Dont leave cold blue solutions around anywhere pets or kids could get at them. Gee, Im thinkin Duro or cero coat maybe even Krylon might be a good enough.. 5 years ago, I found that heating will turn steel silver ~> gold ~> violet ~> blue. this produces better, less turbulant gas flow, which will reduce heat traces. Dont want to get any of the liquid on you its 700F. Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. 500F-600F is often all that is needed and the parts can be done over and over again you just have to clean between each attempt. My apologies for the background noise in the first half of the video We had compressors running where I had to shoot this This video shows how to blue steel parts using an oven or torch and quenching in oil This method is not the professional method using bluing salts but can be done in your home with a torch or if you have access to a high temperature oven This method will provide your parts some protection from corrosion and show how to achieve different colors in the steel by varying temperatures I am not a professional so please spare me the that s not hot bluing and other criticisms If you don t like it turn it off Hope this comes in handy for someone, How to take apart disassemble and put together assemble a 1911 pistol 1st method, Stevens 20 Gauge Break Action Shotgun Project - Part 4 Cold Bluing with Brownells Oxpho-Blue Creme, Van's Instant Gun Bluing - Removing Gun Rust, Cold bluing Steel blackening How to use Tifoo Black Devil - burnishing steel, Gun Bluing - Colt Official Police 38 Special, Vintage Screwdriver Cold Bluing Br nierung Restore No 2, Slow rust bluing O1 knife blades part two, Easy and Fast bluing touch up Presto Gun Blue Pen, DuraBlue Spray-on Bluing Aerosol Application Process Polished Version, Axe Restoration Part Two Bluing With Birchwood Casey Superblue, Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black Super Blue and Metal Work on a Tanfoglio TA22S, Gun Bluing using cold blue and heat Weihrauch HW35 E Restoration, Perma Blue Gun Blue Paste Birchwood Casey. It would be a good idea to get some gloves on. Not blessed with a climate controlled safe. Next, suspend the components in a cleaning solution tank to get rid of dirt, oil, grease, and crud. I wish this article had come out sooner, since I did not know that 0000 steel wool may have oil in it. Dont mess with hot salts. February 20, 2016 at 16:12. Thanks for the lesson, DG. Bear in mind not to touch the walls of your container as you don't want to disturb the process of what's happening! I now want to reverse the process so I can drill and tap the metal tip. Because so many people are trying to do this sort of thing on the cheap, thats when I start thundering in my warnings about safety. You can not do this method with Aluminium because it won't reach the temperatures required for bluing, it will just melt. However, due to the unique qualities of stainless steel, you cant simply blue the material however way you like. How to Blue (Bluing) Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method OOMAN 2.28K subscribers Subscribe 872 112K views 4 years ago My apologies for the background After that, slowly and steadily stir the solution in the tank to dissolve the salt. Its easy enough to color metal with a torch, but it has always been a hit-or-miss process for me, and when it was a big hit, I was rarely able to re-create how it got that way. Pour in The blue appearance of the oxide film is also used as an indication of temperature when tempering carbon steel after hardening, indicating a state of temper suitable for springs. Black oxide provides minimal protection against corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic action. Remember the oil is probably gonna release some smoke/fumes once the piece is quenched so as said before: please do this step in a well ventilated area. Then wipe off all excess oil and look at your beautiful finished object! I dont use hot salt blueing because much of my work is on older double guns, which have ribs that are soft-soldered into place. Im not responsible for marital discord as a result of gun projects attempted on the kitchen stove. Probably the main one is the content of so-called "carbon, "I was looking at making a set of plate armor and I wanted to see how to harden the breastplate. Bluing is also used for providing coloring for steel parts of fine clocks and other fine metalwork. on Introduction, Hello my name is Joe and Im doing a project where Im trying to achieve the same outcome. Steps to Hot Blue Steel with a Torch As I'm bluing round pieces I slowly and evenly rotate the piece over the flame to equally disburse the heat. JUST DONT. You will get it. Brownells has a product that will strip blueing and rust (Fe3O4 and Fe3O2, respectively) and not corrode the underlying steel.Remove the barrel & action from the stock. Posted December 21, 2009. These processes were later abandoned by major firearm manufacturers as it often took parts days to finish completely, and was very labor-intensive. You can also heat the oil to create different effects. Also remember, by adjusting the heat you can get whatever color you want. Think big scars. Heat the gun parts. This heating forms the blue on the plate. Ive cut and pasted this to my notes on the cloud. "Rust bluing" and "fume bluing" provide the best rust and corrosion resistance as the process continually converts any metal that is capable of rusting into magnetite (Fe3O4). It is also used by machinists, to protect and beautify tools made for their own use. 1. polish it very well 2. clean very well 3. quick dip in dilute FeCl (4:1) is what I use 4. rinse in cold running water and pat An iron wire, stainless dipper, and part basket are required to handle the guns components and adjust the bluing solution as well. Sometimes at this point, I come just a fraction away from the heat to go through colours a bit slower. Old school smiths use something called washing soda to strip oil off guns. Fortunately, this is easily had at any hardware store: WD-40 is a water displacing product, not a lubricant (contrary to widespread advertising). Blow torches only heat a small concentrated area. When you add water to a hot salt tank, you get an explosion of steam, and you need to develop some skill in adding the water with a very fine copper pipe on your water hose to prevent steam blow-outs spattering salts all over you. Fill a heat-safe container with water or oil deep enough to submerge your steel. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. The object on the left is a custom mild steel potentiometer knob! I can keep a Krylon can always handy for touch-ups. Metal Finishing Guru. The difference is immersion in boiling water for bluing. Your tanks better be tight, your stands for the tanks better be rigid, youd better have top-of-the-line fire extinguishers (NB the plural) available to you. Safety is the number one priority so protect your body as much as possible. I wouldn't recommend either. You wouldnt need salts. 6 years ago. Not every manufacturer puts bittering agents in the solution and as one poison control nurse told me: (t)here is nothing you can do and it aint the good death.. The parts must be observed constantly for colour change. Every true outdoorsmans dream! It will instantly vaporize into steam and splash all over you. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. I wore latex gloves, as Brownells recommended, but used a pot holder to handle the hot barrel, and that may have been the source. These include hot bluing, cold bluing, niter bluing, and so on. You can then use a soft brush to gently remove all the residue of the cleaning solution on the components. tighter your arc, the less the heat input will be. OK, Buffing wheels, which Im making their own break-out response from the blueing salt issue: Buffing wheels are useful things in a gun shop. Itll evaporate rather rapidly, but still, dont whip it at cars or house finishes. In this case cooking oil, rather than gun oil, acts to displace water and prevent rust. The tempering reduces the amount of martensite and thus makes the steel softer. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. Blue or Black rust is complete passivation of the steel surface Fe3O4. Make sure to check every nook and cranny of the components so that you can find any discoloration or blemishes. NaOH is nasty stuff. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Its a pretty straightforward process. Also Dont get the 275-300F bath on you. For the color change to be uniform you have to remove the grease, oil, paint etc or it looks blotchy. Add in the 250F+ temperatures of the salts when they hit your skin, and youre both burned thermally and chemically in seconds. Dont just leave them on a surface that could corrode or burn), get a new patch into the hemostats, soak, wring out, and keep going. Ill be saving this for the future. Here is a video by Clevinger Customs illustrating it: I use the Brownells nitre blueing salts, which are a combination of sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, and potassium nitrate. Im talking like 90+ minutes to heat the salt bath to 285F. This is how Colt made their rifles and pistols prior to Civil War you can read all about the process. "logo": { I pulled the temp off the top of my head. *Potassium Nitrate is an oxidizer. DG should receive a stipend for his valuable contributions to TTAG. In colloquial use, thin coatings of black oxide are often termed 'gun bluing', while heavier coatings are termed 'black oxide'. Itll take perhaps 20 minutes to really dry down. This is a great time to point out that leaving guns in gun cases, especially the woolen/fleece cases, in the back of a closet, is one of the most sure-fire ways to rust the value completely out of a gun. % of people told us that this article helped them. They have their place, but doing a whole gun with them isnt that place. Spilling salts at this temperature will instantly result in fire, because the KNO3 is a powerful oxidizer all on its own, and the added thermal energy will light anything on fire all alone. YouTube - Nitre bluing a few gun parts. Youll have a hot caustic degreaser tank (about 10 minutes), then a cold rinse tank, then into the hot salts for, oh, 15 to 20 minutes, then out into the hot rinse, then into a cold running rinse tank, then into a water displacing oil tank for 20 minutes or so. Glad that there are folks like you around. Seriously, this is interesting and thank you for posting it, but I hope to never be in a position where I need to use either of these techniques! And I work alone in my shop, and lack the required (IMO) safety facilities that are needed. Prepare the components of the metal surface before you attempt to blue using your tools. 3D Printed Futuristic Space Age Wall Clock. I wouldnt use this bluing method for these items. Mess. highfour, case hardening is a bit different from what you describe.. Usually, the steel needs some time in a medium that will allow carbon to penetrate the surface, and we are talking 15 minutes to several hours. Nowadays, even mild steel does have a certain amount of carbon in the alloy, which can explain your observations, if you google "super quench," you should find a waterbased quench that is rumoured to do the same, but in my humble opinion, water can do just that as well. Ok you gotta help me out herewhen I was studying mechanical engineering a good few years back a project I done involved using a compression fit of 1/4" thick plate steel into 1" thick steel rod, both mild steel. In literally 10 seconds on a buffing wheel incorrectly applied, I could screw that up to a point where it might take be eight+ hours of hand polishing to recover my prior results. Do this outside, so you can do this next part: Just whip the steel wool at arms length to extract the excess acetone. Browning a gun gives you a nice, even brown patina finish of red rust on a gun. You want to be in the range of 600 to 650F. I am using bronze, is it for a polish? Ive dealt with strong acids and strong bases in lab work, and I fear the strong bases more. In the nitre bluing process, polished and cleaned steel parts are immersed in a bath of molten saltstypically potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate (sometimes with 9.4 grams (0.33oz) of manganese dioxide per pound of total nitrate). Heating will make the metal better in absorbing the bluing liquid. Theres nothing wrong with your method, but is is very hazardous, especially to people who have never done anything like it before. WebStep 1: Preparing Your Materials You will need: -2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil) -oil -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any good You MUST plug your barrels, gas cylinders, remove your pistons, etc. I've never done anything like this but want to try. Thanks, 8 years ago Do all the prep you would for express or rust blueing, especially degreasing. - Ballachy", "Bluing of Steel by Heat Treatment: Why and How it Happens? I use a pickling paste. To remove pitting and keep the barrel profile intact requires skill with a file, and that requires hands-on training.