Bluing with Black Oxide?

interesting result with the Electroless Nickel Plate Standard Kit also :

watermark.php
watermark.php
 
looks almost painted... how's that process work? I don't think it would be as durable as electro plated nickel...





P.S. Isn't that black oxide kit just cold bluing with a sealant? I'm a little suspicious.
 
I had a post up on using black oxide
the best results i could get were on bead blasted parts
I did a whole gun with it and it looked good
I'll see if the post still exists

Cam
 
No black oxide is "what it says'. Its commonly used for fasteners these days. Years ago, I had a bearing housing for a turbine black oxide coated by a shop that did this type of work. I was warned that the finish is not truly impervious to oxidation (rust) unless finished with a coating of oil....
 
cosmic said:
No black oxide is "what it says'. Its commonly used for fasteners these days. Years ago, I had a bearing housing for a turbine black oxide coated by a shop that did this type of work. I was warned that the finish is not truly impervious to oxidation (rust) unless finished with a coating of oil....
Click to expand...

Exactly, It's a decent finish, just keep it oiled. 870 expresses are a bead blasted black oxide finish. When you have a gun "hot blued" these days it is commonly a from of black oxide and the parts are dipped in a sealing oil.

The hot method will produce a durable result. Not sure how well the cold method will hold up.
 
I got the kit and gave it a try. I'm not posting pictures yet, as I'm going to re-try it now that I've had some experience with the process. One thing that I learned is that the parts can't touch the side or bottom of the tank for too long or they will develop a spot in the finish. Either keep them moving if they have to touch somewhere or suspend them in the liquid. I stripped the gun with a fine wire wheel on a bench grinder and the resulting finish once oxidized is a nice matte black. I will try the process again and post some more info and pictures when it's complete.
 
OK here’s the update.

I am very disappointed in the product. It comes out a lovely black finish, that can be rubbed off with a rag. I obtained this finish the first try, so I started from scratch and unfortunatly got the same results. I contacted the company telling them what I did and the results. I received a prompt, rude reply.

The first thing they told me was I left the parts in the solution too long. According to their email the time in the solution should not exceed 5 minutes. I was holding the instructions in front of me which read that the parts could be suspended in the solution for 5-10 minutes. So the instructions that come with the product are apparently incorrect.

Secondly I was told the steel may have to be activated with an acid etch, and I could make this solution with battery acid and distilled water. Now one of the reasons the product was purchased is because the description specifically mentions that it is safe, fume free, and uses no caustic chemicals. The instructions also did not mention anything about the activating of the steel so how would someone know to do this?

So here’s the scoop. The product comes with incomplete, and incorrect instructions. The description on the website is false. The process sounds much more convenient and easy to use than it really is. I haven’t tried the acid etch, if I wanted to deal with that much hassle I could have thrown it in the hot blue tanks. We purchased this product because it is advertised as a convenient, easy alternative to hot bluing. It may work (haven’t tried it since getting the contradictory instructions), but it certainly does not work as advertised and with the directions provided.

Oh, I'm also still waiting to hear what they have to say about their discrepancies, they haven’t replied to my last email. So all in all I’m disappointed and slightly upset with the product and with Caswell.
 
I have not used this stuff, but with the ones I have used,
I find that a wire wheel is a bad idea, seems ot seal up the grain in the steel.
Bead blasting seems to work better.
Some steels seem to take blueing better than others.
I have some Old Black I got from Mil-arms years ago,
great stuff for mil. as it is almost black
Can't seem to find it any more. You mixed it with water.
I used bench wood casy last couple of guns , also a mix,
parts supended in it a, I use pvc or abs pipe.
The 2nd last gun was a cooey 22 and came out exc.
last one I am working on is a 1906 winch. 22 " rabbit gun"
must be some nickle in it as the blue will not take , it can be rubbed
off.
Both of the guns were buffed to high gloss before I blued.
You could try that stuff on something else and see if any improvement.
 
I tried the Caswell stuff on a Cooey .22. Most treatments/coatings work well on them.
I can just wait until there's more to be done and heat up the hot blue tanks, but thats not the point. The product is advertised incorrectly and comes with incorrect and incomplete instructions, thats what upsets me.
 
I agree with freddygotarf.I've used it on 4 guns with excellent results.I get the best results on lightly sand blasted parts dipping them imediatley after blowing them off and being carefull not to touch the parts(looks like flat black tremclad).If you burnish a part with a wire wheel and clean it with isopropl,drying and dry rubbing it with a paper towel it comes out as a deep blue/black.Be sure to coat it imediatley with oil after rinsing in water and drying to prevent rusting.All original finish must be removed before dipping or you won't get a perfect finish.
You don't need a kit.All you need is black oxide from KBC,isopropl,dipping container and paper towels.
 
i didnt think much of the castwell kit. Most of there stuff is overpriced too. i use castwell's anodizing dies, they work well. thats about the only product i used from them
 
Thanks for bringing this thread back to the top, lejarretnoir, I spotted it just in time to cancel my Carswell order. I have had mixed success with their products and chalked it up to being less than expert, but it sounds like a big fat AVOID.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom