My Experience with Bluing. I've worked on guns most of my life and recently opened a gunsmith shop to work on guns for other people. You can see detailed instructions for how to do this on my article, How to Repair a Damaged Gun Screw by clicking here. Smooth out the finish with a fresh piece of steel wool before painting on each new layer. Companies that Make the Best Gunsmithing Tools.
Do NOT use cotton balls or Q-tips to apply the bluing. After you have applied the first coat of cold blue solution, then you will need to repeat the following steps: - Clean and degrease. Submerge each component in the water for at least ten minutes to remove any bluing solution residue that may interfere with the gun's performance.
Bluing tends to streak and spot up when using these products. This entails dipping the gun parts in a clean solution bath and then dipping them in a bluing solution for up to a half an hour. Once applied, the parts are placed in a humid cabinet where the vapors can work their magic. The longer you keep it wet, the farther it soaks in and the darker it gets. How to repair bluing on gun barrel roll. It's then neutralized with another solution and washed with hot water, then oiled. However, cold-bluing isn't as durable as hot-bluing because friction against fabrics or other materials can rub it off. Polymer either has to be painted or the dyes mixed into the polymer during casting. Heat the Bluing Liquid. This is a very intensive process and can take months to complete. Guns require specific types of tools and failing to use the right ones will almost surely result in damage to your gun. You will need something to stop up your barrel to prevent cold blue solution from going down your gun's bore.
Wash off each gun part under cold water to remove any excess bluing solution clinging to the body. You went to all that trouble to make the texture perfect, don't lose it by etching the metal by leaving it in the liquid too long. A visit to their website is well worth the time since some educational videos are available. Using Rust Bluing to repair rust pitting. If I use the bluing with some #0000 steel wool to remove the rust, I would then get the metal cold, and blue it at about 40-50 degrees. In the case of silicon, successful formation of an oxide layer is necessary for the proper performance of silicon in computer circuitry and in solar cells. Now you are finally ready to start applying cold blue solution to your gun.
You will tie one end of the wire to a gun part and hold the other end to immerse and suspend the gun part in the bluing solution. Close examination revealed where it occurred, but overall, the one-cent repair came out great. In between, dark velvet-like accumulations are "carded off" using fine steel wool. Your barrel or action can be blued with 3 different options, Matt black, satin black or high gloss finish. How to Cold Blue a Gun. 320-grit is a good choice for removing a lot of finish and rust but isn't so abrasive that it creates really deep scratches. Barrel Honing: Honing a barrel is used to remove built up lead and powder from the bore that cleaning leaves behind. The steel usually arrives "in the white" and requires final filing and polishing. You will also need to know how wide the shaft of the screw and the screw head are.
Hot bluing is also not advised for vintage shotguns or double-barreled shotguns that have been soldered or brazed with silver solder, as the bluing salts will dissolve the soldering. Rub in some fresh bluing while the metal is warm. Soak the Gun in Oil. You'll then need to heat the metal gently, either by leaving it the sun for a few hours or with a blow dryer or heat gun on a low setting. If this is the case, once the red oxide is removed, pitting will remain. This rust layer should be so light that you can rub it off with your fingers. How to repair bluing on gun barrel city. The surface rust is normally removed with a carding brush or wheel, which features very soft and thin wire bristles. Heat Bluing/Case Hardening. Just like wood, metal has a grain that you should sand along with. What really works is "high-temperature engine paint".
Apply each layer with a fresh applicator, and use a fresh piece of steel wool to smooth out each new layer. You can see a picture of it below. Community AnswerNo "bullets" come out of a double barrel shotgun. For example, Winchester changed the metallurgy of their famous lever-action Model 1894s. Use a cotton swab for this.
So unless there is an absolute need for returning the condition to perfect, I always restore. While you can coat an entire gun with this bluing process, most people use this only for touching up spots on gun parts that need to be recoated. The idea is to blend in the finishes and cold-blues often provide an inconspicuous fix for smaller spots. How to repair bluing on gun barre d'outils. This is impressive considering I live in a humid environment and keep the vise my garage which isn't climate-controlled. Now you will use 0000 steel wool to remove any residual cold blue solution and help even out your work. However, if your gun has a very long barrel, a larger piece may be needed. Some hobbyist 'bluers' use a special cleaning oil, followed by acetone (nail polish remover) to clean the metal, while others use denatured alcohol.
Put it on so thin (by spraying it from a distance) that it barely turns gray. We use a lathe and indicate off the bore to within 5 thousandths of a millimeter to make sure the threads are cut concentric to the bore so there is no risk of damaging a moderator. Crown: Barrels are crowned for accuracy or when the muzzle has been damaged. After the first coat, the metal should be slightly darker than it was before. A cautionary note: Some seemingly good candidates won't respond to common bluing efforts. How to Blue a Gun in Easy Way | Bluing a Gun in 2022 Explained. Besides ruining the aesthetics, rust increases the likelihood of a gun jamming or even exploding when fired.
Another technique called rust bluing is rarely done because it takes so long. Rib Dent Removal: The ribs on shotguns are notoriously soft and easily dented, but they can be repaired and straightened. Skilled gunsmiths are harder to come by and some jobs – like stock refinishing and re-bluing – are labor intensive. Occasionally, it also involved a few surprises! It is beautiful and often seen on custom and high-dollar firearms. If you cannot seem to get the metal dark enough, here are the three most common solutions: Number 1 – Heat up the metal to between 90 and 150 degrees F - just warm to the touch. Otherwise, the firearm will develop rust. Does Gun Bluing Prevent Rust? To create this article, 11 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Turnbull Restoration Company is a true master of this art.
High-quality bluing can last for decades, especially if humidity is low in your area and you keep your weapon dry and clean. There are two types of oxidation processes for bluing a gun. Every molecule of steel that is white or gray is chemically active and will absorb the bluing. Apply cold blue solution. The hot-bluing process requires cleaning your gun's parts before dipping them in a heated bluing solution. Cold bluing is not as durable as hot bluing. I cut my sandpaper into strips that were about 3-4 inches long and 1/2 an inch wide. Items you will need. Like the gun cleaning patches, they can be used to apply cold blue solution, water, and oil. The better job that you do smoothing everything out with sandpaper, the better the gun or parts will look after you have applied the cold blue.
Afterwards, reattach the part to the vise block and complete the final three coats on all the areas that you can reach. Before you begin bluing steel, you must prepare the metal. However, we finish differently. Make/Fit V Spring: Replace / Make Firing Pin: Firing pins wear out and sometimes break.
We use the tradtional hot bluing method. Let the metal sit (un-oiled) until light rust forms. If you have brass parts on your gun, you can cold blue them. You can still see it in the picture above. Smaller parts can be held in a stainless steel basket.
These processes are not used commercially today because of the amount of time involved.