Gun not taking cold bluing.....

Okay, I have never used any of those products.

However, just wanted to let you know that... a damp box is nice, and you need some sort of damp area. 50-60 % humidity is fine. If you live in Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, etc. you don't even need a damp box. A tank to boil parts is not necessary to purchase. A hot water kettle or two is all you need. And a piece of PVC pipe with a cap on the bottom end. Just put the part (barreled receiver, etc.) and dump boiling water over the part. Just wanted to let you know that you can do it on the cheap!

Slow rust bluing is not for everything or everyone. It takes patience, and some time. If your part isn't worth the time investment, then you will probably end up frustrated! Have fun with chemistry! Like I said, I haven't used any of those bluing solutions, so hopefully someone chimes in with some experience. And maybe a chemistry degree to let you know about specific alloys and what solution to use on them

I refinished an old double barreled shotgun (wall hanger) with oxpho blue liquid. About 6 coats, buffing with steel wool in between. I started by taking it down to bare steel with a wire wheel on a drill. It did not scratch it at all, just stripped it nicely. Cleaned with acetone. Then oxpho. I’ll look for my pics.

Oxpho

It’s 120 yrs old and was my grandfather’s. Not safe to shoot but looks great for the wall!

Country_Soldier said:

It looks like it has done a really good job, I like the color on that too, it's about the color I am looking for on this rifle I am working on. So far, everyone is saying oxpho-blue, I'm just wondering if anyone has used the others mentioned. If not, I think I might try the oxpho-blue and see what happens

Very nice shotgun BTW. Love old double barrels

Click to expand...

Tetra-Blue is better than Birchwood-Casey, both are handy for doing screw heads and such. Never tried Van's, because after using Oxpho-Blue at a shop I was working at, I have used only that, and the other two for screw heads. They are handy for that, just dip a Q-tip in, apply, and wash off and dry.

I have read a number of accounts of good results with Van’s Blue.
I used oxpho but van’s might be a good option, too. Probably a “bluer” color than oxpho.

"...may have been touched up..." Maybe not with cold bluing. Just a guess. Try using mineral spirits instead of the lacquer thinner to degrease. Metal that doesn't take cold bluing is usually not steel though.
"...Hot Blue and Slow Rust Bluing is better..." Yep, but that's far to expensive in time and money for a $100 single shot .22(It's a Mossberg M321). Rust bluing requires a space where there are no ferrous metals too. Might be better to use one of the bake on finishes like Duracoat, Cerakote or the like. More durable than bluing of any kind and not as expensive to do. Caswell Plating sells kits for every finish there is. $69.99 for a black oxide kit.
http://www.caswellplating.com/everything-for-firearms/gun-metal-bluing.html

This may have been said and I missed it, but it bears repeating if so. Never, never ever dip your applicator into the bottle of any brand of cold bluing after having touched the surface that you are bluing. It will contaminate the remaining solution, rendering it useless after a short time. Best to get a small disposable plastic cup, such as those kept in a dispenser next to the bathroom sink for mouthwash, etc, and pour a tiny amount into that. Even then, you want to use your applicator ONE TIME, throw it away, and get another one for the next coat of bluing.

I currently have very limited resources where I am located but here is a simple question that may or may not apply: Are you sure the receiver isn't aluminum?
Seems easy enough to figure out but I cannot find any description of it. Very common for the cheap single shot receivers to be made of aluminum.

Some steels like different products. Brownells Oxpho blue is one of the best, but you may need to experiment a bit.

Clean, clean, clean. Use acetone or brake cleaner to remove any oil. This includes the 0000 steel wool used to even the coats.

Warm the metal with a hair dryer. Put some bluing solution in a small glass bowl and set it in a large bowl of hot water.

You can get a decent cold blue finish, but it takes some practice and patience.

1stmarine said:

hi,
I am not an expert but I had the same issue with bluing that can be a royal PITA.
When you say cold bluing I hope you don't mean no heat at all. Warming up the metal a bit helps with the bluing and then using the wool-wire and cloth and repeating.
But the composition is what might required a different formulation for the bluing. I ended up buying another type from brownless taht works better.
If you call them and tell them the action they are normally pretty good about recommending a formula that might work best with that alloy.
If you want I can look up mine, I have to find the container somewhere in the shop. I have one for stainless steel too.

Click to expand...

Hello,
Could you, please, to the one you use on stainless steel? Thanks!

Blue Wonder works if you heat the metal up first . With any of them everything must be totally degreased , heat it up & apply . Let it dry & rub it down I use bronze wool & coat as many times as it takes to get the finish you desire .

BBBBill said:

This may have been said and I missed it, but it bears repeating if so. Never, never ever dip your applicator into the bottle of any brand of cold bluing after having touched the surface that you are bluing. It will contaminate the remaining solution, rendering it useless after a short time. Best to get a small disposable plastic cup, such as those kept in a dispenser next to the bathroom sink for mouthwash, etc, and pour a tiny amount into that. Even then, you want to use your applicator ONE TIME, throw it away, and get another one for the next coat of bluing.

Click to expand...

Yep. I buy bulk cotton swabs for this.

Some steels like different cold blues better than others. Oxpho blue is the most universal one I've tried and I've tried lots of them.

Trying to do it in a freezing garage is trying to run uphill into the wind. The metal has to be clean and it works better if the metal and the bluing solution is warm. Hair dryer warm, not torch or heat gun "warm".

One mistake that a lot of people make is not rinsing your steel wool with solvent to remove the oil that's in it.
Like may others I've had the best luck with Oxpho-Blue.
I've never had any luck with Blue Wonder. I've used it on 3 rifles and they all failed in some form or another.
This is a great product http://www.markleesupplies.com/