gun bluing

Gahagan

Gahagan

Well-Known Member
I need to blue a knife and want to know a good cold bluing that with penetrate and help keep the knife from rusting.
 
Others more experienced than I may give better advice, but here's my 2 cents: Trick I learned from Wayne Goddard to get an even bluing (not blotchy) - mix a 3 oz bottle of something like Birchwood/Casey Super Blue in a gallon or two of water and dunk your blade in that for awhile rather than wiping straight bluing onto the blade. Trick I learned from a family friend - dunk your blade in a mild etchant and rinse that off before bluing to get better/smoother treatment. So my current method: Clean the blade to remove ANY hand oils using acetone. (1) Dunk it in a light solution of Ferric Chloride - I don't know the exact mix, but a chunk of 5160 dunked in for 40 minutes gives me an even black surface without undue erosion of the steel - then spray wash (2) dunk it in the above mentioned solution of bluing and water for 40 minutes - then spray wash (3) repeat 1 and 2 twice so you have 3 complete cycles. Timing will vary depending on ambient temperature and strength of your solutions. 3 complete cycles give me a good durable coating, but it will not prevent rust - just slow it down enough to make a knife easy to care for. Oil or silicon spray is retained well by this surface - but the sharpened edge is still unprotected bare steel and will rust according to the nature of the steel composition.
 
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Laurel mountain barrel brown and follow the directions for rust blueing. I have used this product and find it very easy to use and gives a pretty durable finish! I have this finish on a folder a carry and for what it's been through its held up really well.
 
I have had good sucess with Brownell's Oxpho blue. It withstands holster wear on my Smith 28 that I did with it and is very durable. The instructions actually say that you don't have to degrease the metal before using- but I do. The liquid seems to work better than the creme.
 
I just ordered a product called Pro Blue that a friend recommended. I'll let you know how it works when it gets here. He said he gets a good black finish with it.
 
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