bluing steel with a torch

This is a great source that you can learn lots of information from and I'll advise it to to a handfuls of others. Thanks for always being so willing to share, Sir. Use your torch to bring up 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. Hot blueing salts attack soft solders on guns, so it isnt to be done on old shotguns and some older rifles. Stainless steel can only tolerate hot bluing and a limited amount of chemicals. (And taking, out of *your* hide). 6 years ago. The color is not oxides, when steel is heated at relatively low heats (300-600 degrees Fahrenheit) it changes colors from light yellow to a deep blue, after 600 it turns back to a steel color. Knowledge is the power and fear is the opposite of power it cripples the mind and the body and almost always guarantee's a poor decision will be made. I hope to someday have good knowledge to pass on to people, heh. You MUST plug your barrels, gas cylinders, remove your pistons, etc. Do this outside, so you can do this next part: Just whip the steel wool at arms length to extract the excess acetone. Craig, torch bluing is a real thing that has been use a lot in the custom gun world, mostly for screw heads but even for complete muzzle loader creations ( the vendor will be quite proud of his work it seems as cost increases considerably to a finished item). very easy way to get a blue finish on steel - Fit and Finish 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. Next comes the main part. Black iron wire You will need black iron wire to tie around any object you This item: Special Blue Full Metal Butane Torch (Gold) - Refillable Flame Lighter- Culinary Torch - Welding Torch - Adjustable Dual Flame for Desserts, Creme Brulee, BBQ and Baking. What is your opinion of the 2 to 1 lye and potassium nitrate bluing solution? The bottom of the crucible is opened allowing the contents to drop into the rapidly bubbling water. "https://www.pinterest.com/theshootingmystery/", 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. Degrease and heat the items to be blued in a steel pan to about 700F. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. "https://theshootingmystery.tumblr.com/", -Something to hold your piece with, make sure it's appropriate to hold it with so it doesn't get too hot in your hands. 4.3 out of 5 stars 242 ratings-30% $12.99 $ 12. Posted December 21, 2009. Cooking off the more volatile hydrocarbons leaving the heavier ones produces a different effect yet again. This step should be done before heating the steel, as the steel should be quenched immediately after removing from heat. I dont have that much blueing to do in my shop, so I dont use hot salts. I found through my bluing adventure that different oils do act slighty different but ultimately everything I've used has done the job. For the final step, we let the components cool down in water displacing oil. This is all from memory so I might have left some stuff out. | Alpha Detroit", "NRA Family | Gun Manufacturing: Browning vs. Bluing", http://mypeculiarnature.blogspot.com/2014/08/quick-rust-bluing-back-in-black.html, "Radio Kits and Designs for Old and New Styles", "Coating, Oxide, Black, for Ferrous Metals (MIL-DTL-13924D)", "Phosphate and black oxide coating of ferrous metals (MIL-HDBK-205A)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bluing_(steel)&oldid=1142351288, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from October 2020, All articles that may contain original research, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2014, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 22:58. Drift the sights back in from the right side of the barrel. 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 spending most of his career as a firearms expert and enthusiast, he retreated to the great outdoors to raise his family in peace and quiet. Pull it out of the tank and place on a drain rack. Bluing is a passivation process in which steel is partially protected against rust using a black oxide coating. Its much cheaper anyways. If I remember right they then heated them up a bit and applied fish oil orignal and I think latter switching to linseed oil to protect the finish and give it that wet look. It had been thoroughly degreased before my first attempt, but in trying to repair a poor result, I apparently contaminated it a bit. How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method. Soft, low-carbon steel was used, but strong materials were needed for the receivers of firearms. Water is great for rapidly quenching the hot metal, but it could cause thin steel to distort or crack. You can blue heat-treated parts with no ill effects. The colours range through straw, gold, brown, purple, blue, teal, then black. Its the corrosive gift that just keeps on giving. Safety notes: Dont use an aluminum pan. Note that it has to be a different tank from the one you used for Step 2. Blacksmith products to this day may occasionally be found made from blued steel by traditional craftsmen in cultures and segments of society who use that technology either by necessity or choice.[5]. just fyi, the old school method of case hardening steel is to get the piece so hot that a magnet will no longet stick to it and quickly quench it in used motor oil. Please note: As you are working with heat, please be smart, use your common sense, do the bluing process in a well ventilated area and keep a wet towel to hand. Dont want to get any of the liquid on you its 700F. Gee, Im thinkin Duro or cero coat maybe even Krylon might be a good enough.. Thats one way to get dyspeptic to write articles! Heat source You will require at least one burner for bluing salts and two hot water burners. It repeats the process adn by the time the head moves on to the next station all the parts are seated presumably for the life of the head. You have a degreased gun, and now you need to get the metal hot enough that the reaction will oxidize the steel as much as possible. Now securely hold your piece with whatever you have chosen. The book claims they used wait for it "boiling gasoline" not making this up to clean them. DG should receive a stipend for his valuable contributions to TTAG. However, if the bluing effect isnt satisfactory, then you can try giving the components an acid bath (using Hydrochloric Acid). It was left in a flannel gun case in the back of a moist closet for 25+ years. They melt at, oh, somewhere about 280F. To remove them, you put the action/barrel into a sturdy vise (padded with soft jaws) and you use a piece of brass rod to drift the sights out. It is also used by machinists, to protect and beautify tools made for their own use. The cross section and size of parts affect the outcome of the finish and time it takes to achieve. After the Civil War they switched to another process. 84 or Du-Lite 3-0. Rinse them in a cold water tank after. I have also had good results with 5w/30 motor oil, I've also used two-stroke oil with good results. ", not only fun, but also profitable. Let them cool down as you take a closer look at the bluing effect. I believe the change of color is due to a growing thickness of an oxide layer. ", https://mgs.edu/making-chisels-skips-newsletter/, http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/heat1.htm. The use of stainless steel alloy varies a lot from one manufacturer to the other and thats why the bluing effect wont always be consistent. A couple bottles of aged bourbon minimum. Before you start, it might do you well to mark the sight base on each side of the dovetail with a Sharpie marker, so you can see when the sight begins to move. Step 3: Suspend the components in the bluing solution tank, However, if the bluing effect isnt satisfactory, then you can try giving the components an acid bath (using, Step 4: Rinse the components in a cold water tank then transfer them to a hot one, Step 5: Submerge the components in a tank filled with water displacing oil, Address: 4455 Camp Bowie Blvd, Ste 114 #852, Fort Worth, TX 76107. It is one smoooooth profile, from one end to the other. The steel will pull some of the carbon out of the oil while quenching and harden the outer portion of the metal. Use a steel tool to stir (remember the fumes). Always wear goggles and gloves when operating a propane blow torch. 2023 All Rights Reserved by Shooting Mystery. Tenifer get's up to (1077F) last I checked and was the 5th step in Glock heat treating after that they Pakerize it. (You say the rod was heated, but it couldn't have been, as it was on the inside. Its for mild steel, which must be greased, oiled or otherwise coated with something to stop it from rusting almost immediately. It's worth noting that there can be some additives in motor oil that release hydrocarbons when burnt which is a known carcinogens to the body (in other words: Bad Stuff!). First, let us go through a couple of bluing concepts that you have to know in order to achieve the desired result. Bluing, being a chemical conversion coating, is not as robust against wear and corrosion resistance as plated coatings, and is typically no thicker than 2.5 micrometres (0.0001 inches). It provides the stainless steel surface with a layer of protection, giving rust and corrosion resistance while reducing potential glare as well. (NaOH from Ebay soap supplies). you could also heat this size tank with anything from a hibatchi up to a Weber charcoal grill or you could put it on top of a wood-burning stove or even a kitchen stove. Thanks for the lesson, DG. . Bluing may be applied by immersing steel parts in a solution of potassium nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and water heated to the boiling point, 275310F (135154C) depending on the recipe. These work by depositing a coating of copper selenide on the surface. I'm trying to be positive and constructive, and think this is: for an amateur to stick a very hot torch-heated metal object into a plastic container filled with oil is simply dumb (ok, more polite: "irresponsible") at best, highly dangerous at worst. Approved. Cold blueing solutions usually just dont wear well. Rinse them in a cold water tank after. "url": "https://shootingmystery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/How-to-Blue-Stainless-Steel-in-5-Easy-Steps.jpg" Todos los derechos reservados. I wore latex gloves, as Brownells recommended, but used a pot holder to handle the hot barrel, and that may have been the source. Ill be buying the stainless tubs and chemicals to do it and go for as close to black as I can get. (Its Crystalline Potassium Nitrate 100%) $6.18 If you cant, just get them out of the case and allow air to circulate around them. Accidental exposure to the chemicals could result in serious injuries. You might be able to start at 320 grit. The thickness of the oxide is a function of how hot you heat the steel (The color is due to interference of light reflecting from the surface of the oxide coating, and light reflecting from the oxide-steel interface). If you tempered the steel with a blow torch, set the metal on an anvil or another large steel surface to conduct the heat. It costs an arm and a leg, and you can buy 0000 so cheaply at Wally World that it makes the acetone method worth your while. kitty litter (I would recommend the unused variety). If cold bluing is the only practical option, the area should be kept oiled to extend the life of the coating as much as possible. Think big scars. I wasnt planning on doing it for a few months. Again, dont mess around with these chemicals and only handle them with extreme attention. There's also blued hardware available, like nuts, bolts, screws, and hinges. Before operating your torch, read all instructions so you know how to handle it safely. Free shipping for many products! Then the crucibles would be removed from the furnace and placed over boiling hot water and air would be bubbled through the water and the parts would be dropped into the water. Picture Information. Thermometers and stirring tools are also needed, as well as something to heat up the tanks. Every true outdoorsmans dream! Heat the Steel. When youre using polishing paper, you think that 600 grit is very fine, and it is taking you hours to polish out something to 600. Mea culpa. If the magnet doesnt stick, its ready to be pulled away from the heat. Ill wait for and look forward to your article! The parts are then oiled and allowed to stand overnight. Share it with us! Submerge in water and scrape edge. Apply heat to your object and heat up gently and equally. Battery acid is childs play compared to blueing salts. If you are new to the subject and are in need of detailed instructions, then youve come to the right place. My dad keeps his in a big safe with large desiccant packs that he threw in there. Use a backing block of wood or even a Pink Pearl rubber eraser. this produces better, less turbulant gas flow, which will reduce heat traces. I guess Ill have to just be happy drying toilet paper. This article has been viewed 914,567 times. Alternatively. Besides those, you must also have water displacing oil and cleaning solution (Dicro-Clean 909). Cold blues will react with steel at room temperature, but you get more aggressive reactions when you heat the gun to, oh, 150 to 200F. For this reason, it is considered not to add any appreciable thickness to precisely-machined gun parts. Not only does it give you an alchemical feeling of satisfactionbut it also gives the metal a finish to stop corrosion. Please be careful with the cold bluing solutions. OK, now with the sights out and the trigger group off, you can put on the rust/blue remover on the barrel/action. 2 years ago It will first turn gold, then orange, then red, purple, blue and then dark grey! Hang the trigger group again, re-stock and you should be done. Many older browning and bluing formulas are based on corrosive solutions (necessary to cause metal to rust), and often contain cyanide or mercury salts solutions that are especially toxic to humans. on Introduction, Hello my name is Joe and Im doing a project where Im trying to achieve the same outcome. (meaning oxygen atoms are able to attach themselves to the outer layer of the steel)We did this with an electromagnet! You have entered an incorrect email address! How do I do this? At the end of this heating process the crucible is removed from the oven and positioned over a bath of water with air forced through a perforated coil in the bottom of the bath. The color is oxide, but I believe you can scrape it off. 1. You will need:-2x containers (one of them preferably being metal for the oil)-oil -unleaded petrol/Acetone/Terpentine/Rubbing alcohol or any goo Large scale industrial hot bluing is often performed using a bluing furnace. Cold blueing is OK for touchups, at best. Gun companies dont/wont do it because they want to make quick money, and today its all phosphates and bake-on appliance paint (you didnt think a guy who calls Glocks cheez-whiz was going to sing the praises of Duracote or Cerakote, did you?). The torch comes in when you first apply the Express Blue. Question I am using bronze, is it for a polish? "name": "Shooting Mystery", After that, slowly and steadily stir the solution in, Step 2: Process the components of the gun, Wait for 10 15 minutes and then take out the components. When youre done, attach the thermometer to the tank and fire up the burner. I ended up with some spots where the browning did not take, and a few dull spots, most of which I was able to buff out with steel wool soaked with gun oil. ", steel". How to Blue Bluing Steel Using Oven Or Torch and Oil Method Heat the area with a torch until it stops sweating. We will verify and confirm your receipt within 3 working days from the date you upload it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 Life is good. To harden steel, start by heating the metal directly with a blow torch until it turns a cherry red color. Frequent TTAG commenter Dyspeptic Gunsmith saw the gun above in our postA Garden Gun Cultivates a Newfound Fascinationand answered reader questions about blueing/reblueing a gun thusly: If the rust is very fine and there is still substantial blueing left on the gun, you might want to strip the blueing. Many double-barreled shotguns are soft soldered (lead) or silver brazed together and many of the parts are attached by that method also. High temperatures and dangerous chemicals mean that a moment of carelessness can make you pay a heavy price. The melting point for KNO3 is 633F. Im asking because theres a guy on YouTube recommending Brown Express first, then several layers of Blue over that. If you drop a piece of paper in there, or hydrocarbon compounds (like oil or grease on your part). steel Hardened steel prevents knife blades from dulling and tools from bending and breaking. Mix equal parts of cream and liquid Brownells Oxpho Blue. Both ingredients are super cheap. I have to finish my M76 and Galil first and buy the materials. It turns out I have. At least one of the cold bluing solutions contains selenium dioxide. When putting water in your boil-out tank, use distilled water if you have water with high mineral content.

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