Restoring plum bluing

Horilka

Horilka

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Hi. I have couple of SVT-40 bolt carriers that originally were hot blued with some sodium nitrate. The colour was plum. However previos owner removed bluing with vinegar. I would like to restore it to the original condition.
Colour was slightly darker than on the pic below. My question is is there any simple ready to use bluing solution that could get me this colour?

Refurbished-Plum-SVT-40-Bolt-Carrier.jpg
 
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Can't be much help, as I understand the plum colour is the result of the composition of the metal, could be a higher nickel content and aging.

Not saying it can't be done by manipulating the bluing solution ingredients / temp / both. Wouldn't mind knowing the "secret" myself. --- John
 
That's the problem - I 'm not good at mixing chemicals, nor I have skills, time and understanding. That why I asked if somebody could advise ready-to-use solution..
 
Like John303 says, there was no purple bluing. It's a quirk of fate similar to green parkerizing. Supposedly caused by improper bluing techniques and/or the ally in the metal.
There's no cold plum blue that I've ever seen. Birchwood-Casey via Brownell's sells a plum brown though. Not the same thing at all though.
 
I guess I can put a bolt carrier into the boiling water, but is there any ready to use solution to add to the water, or do I have to mix everything by myself?
 
Horilka said:
I guess I can put a bolt carrier into the boiling water, but is there any ready to use solution to add to the water, or do I have to mix everything by myself?
Click to expand...
I believe Brownells sells bluing salts or you could just have it reblued professionally, but let them know that you are going for the plum colour so they dont keep bluing the bolt trying to make it darker.
 
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