Cold Blue Problems

dubious

dubious

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I know you're results will vary with cold bluing, but I've always had good results in the past.

Now i'm trying to cold blue an older Rem700 receiver (1970s?) and I just keep getting pour results. I first tried with Birchwood Casey Perma Blue Paste as I had some on hand and thought maybe i had contaminated the solution because it barely darken the metal. It was consistent, just not very dark, even after about 6 coats.

So I ordered some Birchwood Super Blue, went back bear metal, and tried again. Basically the same results. After 7 coats it's sort of a charcoal grey, with a blue hue. I now have it soaking in oil, it seems darker but it's not anywhere near "black".

And yes I'm following the instructions. Bear metal, degreased, apply bluing with gloves, cold water after a minute, dry, steel wool buff, degrease, repeat...


Any advice?
 
I had the same problem once and got so annoyed that I heated up the part with a 1500 watt heat gun until it was cookin'. Rubbed the Bluing fluid on and it boiled off the instant it touched the metal.

Laugh2

Never could get reasonable results with cold blue.
 
Yes I didn't heat the metal, or use steel wool to apply the bluing chemical, I've read both help.

I guess since the coat is fresh and even I don't have to go back to bare metal. I might try degreasing tomorrow and try both of those... I'll post pictures
 
Make sure if you use steel wool to degrease it unless it is some fancy one that is free of oil! Of
 
dubious said:
Yes I didn't heat the metal, or use steel wool to apply the bluing chemical, I've read both help.

I guess since the coat is fresh and even I don't have to go back to bare metal. I might try degreasing tomorrow and try both of those... I'll post pictures
Click to expand...

Quit using STEEL WOOL, most of it has OIL on it.

If you insist on using steel wool, at least wash it first with boiling water and soap, then rinse with hot boiling water.

I agree that Oxpho Blue is about the best out there, for consistant results but some of the others aren't bad either.

I usually boil a receiver first to get rid of any oil that may be present, and will heat them up in the oven to appx 180F afterwards, before applying the blue, while the metal is still almost to hot to touch.

I also use CLEAN cotton gloves to stop any oil on my hands from causing issues.

I do the same with complete, barrelled actions.

I don't card between coats, by I do wipe down the surface with wet paper toweling.
 
I have cold blued many guns ( parts or Complete & have found different results
with different guns. I believe it is the type of metal that causes that. Never more
than 2-3 coats give a good blue if it will blue @ all.
HOWEVER ,,,,,,,,, my best results are after I heat all the metal to be blued on
top of wood stove to the point that a bear hand can NOT touch it. Before I put
it on the stove I put handles to lift the hot item off the stove.
I use Birchwood Casey Super Blue . For a complete gun or lg. parts I pour blue
in a dish & swab it on quickley from 1 end 2 the other , or it can leave streaks.
 
After an overnight in oil she looks much better, but still has that blue hue. Hard to get pictures that match what the eye can see








I'll boil then bake her and try a few more rounds
 
So degreased the receiver with soap and water to get the bulk of the oil off, then rubbing alcohol, then boiled, then baked to 180F

It basically looks like it did yesterday before the oil soaking...

After baking, I blued, rinsed in water, buffed, cleaned with rubbing alcohol, now back in the oven. BUT it looks no better...

Just called local gunsmith and he's doing a hot blue in about a month, so might have to go that route, although I hate to wait. But I guess it gives me time to sand down all the imperfections, which I don't really mind as I do like the patina look.
 
marshall said:
some type of steels just don't take cold blue that well
Click to expand...

Exactly this.

Small sample size here, but in general I have found that those that don't take cold blue well also don't rust much or at all. So even if it doesn't look how I want, it's as rust resistant as I need it to be and that's really what I'm after.
 
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