Rust Bluing - Hard to get a good coat of rust

antlery

antlery

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Hey all, I am currently rust bluing an 870. So far so good, the finish looks pretty even after each application of Pilkingtons Classic American Rust Blue. However, I am now about 7 turns in, and it seems as tho the rust has just stopped forming. In the first few turns, it was taking 3 - 4 hours in a damp box, at 75 - 85% humidity to form a nice coat of rust. The last turn, was 10 hours in a damp box at the same humidity. When I checked the part, it had maybe 10% coverage in red oxide rust, and the rest was that greyish-blue, oxide colour. I boiled it anyway, and carded off the loose oxide, as I am a newbie at this, and I was worried if I left it any longer the spots that were already red oxide would develop pits and ruin the surface.

Do I just need to let it sit and develop rust longer? 10 hours seemed like a long time to let it sit. Am I not applying enough solution to the surface to create a good layer of rust?

Also, the colour in the last few passes doesn't seem to have changed much. Maybe it's because there isn't a good coat of rust to darken the colour? I'm stuck at this bluish grey colour, and I just can't seem to get it to darken any more. Just looking for some advice from someone who has made a few turns in their day.
 
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I have found that the metal will only take so much rusting, before it can't take any more, it sounds like you have reached that point.
Different formulas of salts or acids have different effects on the metals. If the Pilkingtons is not the desired tone your looking for you will most likely have to try another and see if it rusts more deeply.
 
I have used Pinkertons but didn't like it very much. The majority of the rusting occurs when to apply the solution right after boiling while the piece is still hot. When you do this the rust is a blue gray instead of red. I boil, card, appy solution, let sit for ten minutes and repeat about 10 times. After a while the colour takes a black colour but after you apply oil it is more of a black/blue colour.

What steel wool are you using? Most steel wool has lots of oil on it an this will mess up the bluing. Most steel wool I would soak in acetone before use. I am using the fine no oil wool from Lee valley and it works great without degreasing. You do have to store it in an airtight container when you not using it. It oxidizes so fast it can start a fire if you have it sitting on something flamable like a cloth or paper towel.

For sometime I have been using the belgium bluing from brownells and it works very well. It is not acid based like Pinkertons instead it is some type of oxidizing salt solution. I think the acid type of solutions can remove the rust during the process, this stuff doesn't.
 
I am using 0000 steel wool. I am degreasing with acetone. Im also boiling in pure RO water. I thought you were supposed to apply the solution, and let it sit to rust. Then boil, let parts cool down, card, clean with acetone, re apply solution?
 
I rust blue all my black powder barrels and don't do it in the method you mention.

I apply the solution (LMF in my case), let it rust (usually a day or two), card it off.

Reapply the solution, let it rust, card it off - after four or five applications THEN boil it to turn it "blue" (black) - I don't boil between applications, the boiling is the second last step - I then bath with some water/baking soda to stop the process, then oil the barrel.

I have used a couple of rust blue products but never seen one that you bathed between applications. I want a deep layer of rust before I oxidize it.
 
Interesting I may have to give that a try. It is alot of work to do it my way. I finish a barrel in about two hours but you are working steady next to a boiling tank of water.

Here is a pic of one I did last summer using this method. It is not quite as shiny as the picture appears as it had a fresh coat of oil and the sun wash shining pretty bright. The bluing is very nice however.
 
Well, after 3 more applications, with no change in colour, I figured that is as dark as its going to get. So I soaked it in oil over night, and let it drip all day, and assembled tonight. It actually looks really good. The oil really darkened up the finish! Its only slightly lighter than the factory wingmaster finish. Ill post pics as soon as I get them uploaded to my image hosting site. Cant wait to start the next refinishing project.
 
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