Rust bluing solution?

I too inquired into this.

Rusty wood site sponsor has mark lee express. Never used it before.

A gentleman here directed me to PJ's - Radocy express blue. A Canadian business
 
1.25 parts nitric acid 70%
2 part ferric chloride
5 parts distilled water

Thats what use, ferric chloride is available from some electronic shops for etching circuit boards.
 
OP - maybe need to distinguish what you are doing? I think "rust bluing" is simply hanging the clean bare steel in a chamber with appropriate humidity and perhaps some fumes to get a thorough coating of red rust - then boil and card it to turn some of that red rust to black rust. Repeat several times. "Bluing" is essentially "black rust". Express Rust bluing seems to be stuff that you wipe directly onto the steel as a liquid, then boil it, card it off and repeat. I have used the product from Radocy several times on smaller parts - never tried a full action or barrel with it. I am not so sure that the same chemicals work for both of those processes?? Maybe they do??
 
I degrease the parts, wipe on very thinly the formula i listed. Hang in a damp box at 80f 80% humidity, for 3 to 6 hours to get rust. Then boil and card off. Repeat till nicely black, usually 5 to 8 passes. Dip in kerosene. Then oil the parts up.
 
Express/cold bluing and browning solutions are chemical applications, wipe on/wipe off and done - not very durable and results may vary.

Rust or "slow-rust" bluing and/or browning is pretty much as everyone says, convince your metal to rust then heat and card off the loose scale.

While definitely cheaper you are going to want to test a roll your own solution first, so there is a bit of time involved there (like several days) hope you are not in a hurry.

Your most useful piece of kit is gonna be a sweatbox - will move things along significantly.

Your goal is to produce very even fine-grained rust - most internet recipes suggested are far too "hot" and result in flaking and pitting rather than a fine dusting. If someone suggests a recipe, cut it in half for testing.

Most browning solutions can be used for bluing and browning (to some degree) as mentioned converting red oxide to black oxide is jut applying heat, generally by boiling or just pouring boiling water over the item - you can control the colour by the temperature of the water. Some guys use steam... never tried that.

You don't actually need metals added to acidic compounds - while they sometimes seem to affect the final colour, mostly what they do is deactivate the acid (effectively diluting the solution ~ a good thing).

I've heard of people using mustard, table salt and urine (not all together) my best results have been with various ferric chloride solutions.

I've used PJs (still have some) a bit of a hybrid as you don't wait for the barrel to rust and MUST boil it for like 10 minutes between turns. Very time consuming but excellent results.

A good rule of thumb, if any solution you make stings your eyes, burns or irritates your skin or eats a hole in your welding table - it's too hot, you should be able to have an accidental spill and not need poison control involved. (not saying you don't need to use safety equipment.. use your brain - it's acid)

Good luck!
 
I used Antique Express Rust Blue that I picked up at PJ’s. They no longer carry Radocy. The Antique rust blue requires immersion of the parts in hot water then application of the blue followed by carding. Repeat as necessary. I did 9 cycles on my CZ 452 that was badly rusted from sitting in a case while wet. Turned out really nice.
 
Do this at your own risk.

I reacted degreased steel wool with muriatic acid to completion. Then I titrated hydrogen peroxide, again until it lost reactivity. Like a gallon of each solution was purchased but I did not need much acid. Resulting solution is not something you want on your skin and definitely works for rust bluing.

Be stupid careful and use glass containers. Steel lids will not last on this stuff. I honestly don’t remember much about this because I did it a decade ago on my porch and it makes a lifetime supply. It’s an adaptation of an old recipe that called for any strong acid plus iron nails and a basic reaction at the end. If you do not have a lot of chemistry experience do not try this.

The resulting solution is a form of ferric chloride as identified above. If it stops reacting with what you wipe it on, add distilled water.
 
All forms of real rust bluing need an anoxia environment - you induce rust with an oxidizing agent and then boil the parts in water to cause the rust to convert. Same reaction as ‘bluing’ with direct flame but deeper result. Brush off the loose dust and repeat. Laborious, but durable result. Browning skips the anoxic stage and relies on the resulting finish being impregnated with an oil based product for any long term corrosion resistance.
 
This is from another site. I’m trying to get a small quantity to make my own.

I would have a look for the following book, Firearm blueing & browning by R H Angier

The easiest and safest way is using 2% Salammoniac (ammonium chloride) solution, there are other recipes in the book, but this one gives a dark black appearance after 3-4 applications.

The basics= clean the parts, apply the solution and leave to rust, boil in distilled water for at least 20 mins, after the boil removed the black oxide with a wire brush or scouring pad etc and repeat process till required finish is present.

Very simple and effective, if you have time on your hands.
 
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