Cold Blue...will it last?

This pic doesn't show it well, but I cold blued the barrel on the TC Hawken that I picked up on Ebay. I got the gun for free, but the barrel on it was trashed. The ebay barrel had been cold blued once upon a time, but it was mostly worn off and I was going to let it age naturally. I didn't like the dark shiney blue on the trashed barrel.

It was kind of "patchy" too, so I mixed some cold blue with a little water, and wiped her down. I like how it turned out, instead of a dark or black type of blue, it came out kind of a "smokey" grey after I put some Ballistol on it.

Now I was letting my Jeager barrel, which has always been "in the white", age to a dark grey, but I liked how the TC looked, so I went ahead and did it. She turned the same nice smokey dark grey. Looks nice.

But, I expect it to wear off fast where I carry the rifles, we'll see. I guess I can always touch it up after hunting seasons, or just leave the "carry wear" on the barrel. Or...??

By the way, the Plains Pistol just wanted to be in the picture for some reason. She was jealous.

Forgot to mention I got the factory finish off that TC, and did an oil finish on it, which turned out really good. There was a nice dark chunk of wood under the brown-dyed poly-something-or-other finish.

noelf2 said:

I'm fond of the gray "rubbed back" look of cold blue using a scotch-brite pad and ballistol. My fowler has the same gray finish.

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Has it held up well?

I have two pistols that had been rusted badly, a Ruger SBH and a Colt 1911A1, and had both of them parkerized, but they both have a green tint to them.

I like it.

TheOutlawKid said:

Ever thought about browning the barrel? Hawken type rifles look great with browned barrels. Mr.Frontiergander has a good write up on how he browned a barrel...that kit gun came out better looking that a finished gun..his steps for the build are very easy to follow and shows that anyone can do it. You will have to do a search for the write up though...but well worth the search and read. It was a Traditions Hawken

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So far, my laziness has prevented me from doing a "real" brown job. Especially the ones that require a lot of heat, or a long trough to immerse the barrel in. But for sure, that's what I "really" need to do.

Shortgrub said:

I brown all my rifles that I have built with Laurel Mountain Browning. Been using it for years. I put it on and let sit for a few days, then reapply a couple more times with a bit more time waited between. I like mine a dark rust brown. Just stop when ya get the color and texture to your likin and rub down with oil to neutralize. I have to admit the grey look you got looks great and I will remember that lesson.

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Is that a wipe-on type browning solution? How does it hold up to handling? I kind of hate it when the section of barrel, between the lock and front sight, where it gets carried in one hand, wears off.

I've had good luck with some guns and cold blue. Pistols seem to hold up well, as they are either in a holster, (most of the time) or the safe, or being shot. The trouble with the rifles in question is that I carry them a lot in one hand or the other, so that spot, or area between the lock and front sight, the balance point, gets a lot of rubbing or polishing. Usually have wool gloves on, which seems to increase the polishing effect. !

Nice finish on the stock. I like the dark wedge-thingie. I also like how the fore-end wood sits high enough on the barrel flat, to allow the nose-cap to be rounded off a bit.

grter said:

Cold Blue...will it last?

From what I read no it won't.

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Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Sometimes it seems to last fairly well, sometimes not.

Yes, I've had very good luck on abused and "rescued" pistols.