Best cold blue liquid or creme? Are they even worth using?

S

soulchaser

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Location
Toronto
So, here's the deal:

Bought a TT-33 last June, just arrived last week.

Despite assurances from the retailer before buying that their stock of TT-33's was is "excellent condition. Not even sure if there were ever issued" the gun came with extensive wear and bluing worn off all over the gun.

And no, I wasn't expecting perfection is a surplus gun made in 1945, but still.

Anyway, I'm looking at trying a cold blue liquid or creme on it when I strip it to clean the oil and crud off.

Any recommendations form people who have used any of them in the past?

G96, Birchwood Casey, Brownells Oxpho -blue etc......
 
Birchwood vote here too, but it isn't anywhere near what factory bluing is. I use it as a touch up.
 
Whatever you use, your metal has to be dead clean, warmed up, and redone 5-10 times,buffed with extra fine steel wool, and recleaned between coats, to get dark even coverage.
I have had good luck with Oxpho.
Never done a complete firearm though.
 
I did one complete rifle with oxpho blue and covered up from front sight removal with Birchwood Casey Super Blue - in both cases, after a few years (5?) - as if they were never touched up - as if the stuff fades with time - needs periodic re-doing, I think. Was not from wear or rubbing - it just faded ...

I believe that I read somewhere that "real" bluing is a form of rust - "black rust" - whereas the various cold blues are laying on a layer of copper selenide (?) and changing it's colour - not working on the iron molecules in the steel at all.
 
Last edited:
I never had good results with cold bluing. Even for smaller spots, I needed to apply it multiple times and the results were not so great.

For TT you might consider hot bluing with Stump Remover as described here https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/2bgcvd/diy_home_reblue_stepbystep_nitre_blue_in_your/

It's a pretty straightforward process and if you're not satisfied with the results, you can always re-blue using the same materials.

TT parts are small enough to be put in the used pot. I did it with one of mine turned out pretty well

stump.remover.01.jpg


tt33.02.jpg


tt33.04.jpg


tt33-07.jpg
 
Thanks for all the replies guys!

I think I got a bit of a frankengun, LOL.

It was listed as Romanian, but the slide has the Russian serrations, and it's dated 1945, same serial on frame and slide, but Romanian grips.

No other markings other than serial, date and a circle with a triangle in it.
 
Val_C said:
I never had good results with cold bluing. Even for smaller spots, I needed to apply it multiple times and the results were not so great.

For TT you might consider hot bluing with Stump Remover as described here https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/2bgcvd/diy_home_reblue_stepbystep_nitre_blue_in_your/

It's a pretty straightforward process and if you're not satisfied with the results, you can always re-blue using the same materials.

TT parts are small enough to be put in the used pot. I did it with one of mine turned out pretty well

stump.remover.01.jpg


tt33.02.jpg


tt33.04.jpg


tt33-07.jpg
Click to expand...

Did you take the hammer assembly apart and do that too?
 
I used Ballistol quick-bluing on an old Wingmaster receiver.

Sanded off original finish with 600, then 1000 grit, cleaned with ammonia based cleaner (windex).

Best method I used is keep surface wet when bluing for 30 seconds, wipe off with water before it dries, or it will be very blotchy.
Polished very lightly between coats with 00 steel wool to even out finish.
 

Attachments

  • 1.JPG
    1.JPG
    120.6 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
The hammer assembly was in decent shape so I decided not to do it.
It can be done though, just have to figure out how to insert/remove it to/from molten salt. The thin metal wire should do, I used it for smaller parts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom