Slow rust bluing - can't make it go dark

evster

evster

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Hi,

I am trying out slow rust bluing. After i let my peice rust for about 9 hours I boil it and it seems to darken it a bit but after it dries it has a brown/copper colour. Did I do something wrong? How do I get it to go pitch black? Good think I tested it out on a garbage (old pellet gun trigger guard) peice first!

Thanks
Evan
 
evster said:
Hi,

I am trying out slow rust bluing. After i let my peice rust for about 9 hours I boil it and it seems to darken it a bit but after it dries it has a brown/copper colour. Did I do something wrong? How do I get it to go pitch black? Good think I tested it out on a garbage (old pellet gun trigger guard) peice first!

Thanks
Evan
Click to expand...

Are you using Luckyguy's formula? If the part you are experimenting on is real steel, it should be as black as Elvira's heart after 4-5 coats. On some pieces, I'm getting almost complete coverage after one coat - but I still do 7-8 coats.

Aftter rusting and before boiling, was there a layer of fine red rust on the piece?

Perhaps the piece is some sort of pot metal or stainless. Is it magnetic? I've had a couple of rear sight bases that didn't want to take the blue. I think they were cast metal of some sort.

When applying the solution, just do one pass with the cotton ball. The solution contains copper sulphate and if you rub the solution on multiple times, a layer of copper may form on the metal and prevent bluing from occuring(assuming the metal is blueable)

Fun isn't it:p
 
Yes I am using lucky guys. It seemed to rust really well. It "wants" to turn black, but maybe I rubbed it in too much. I was using a Q-tip and i could have easily rubbed to much. I tried taking a picture but my camera batteries died...and in the picture it looks pretty black with a touch of copper.
 
evster said:
Mauser98, how much of the solution do you put on the cotton ball?
Click to expand...

I hold the ball on the mouth of the bottle and give the bottle a shake. The splash soaks part of the ball. I then squeeze the ball on the mouth of the bottle to get rid of as much excess as I can.

The first application can be a bit heavier than subsequent apps. Also on the first app, a second application about 2 hours after the first can help.
 
I am trying out another coat to see if it will go blacker and also trying out another test peice from a different gun. Maybe the metal is different. Also, would not using distilled water cause any problems? Because the rust seemed to form nicely but the boiling just isn't turning it black enough. Also, how long do you boil for?
 
evster said:
I am trying out another coat to see if it will go blacker and also trying out another test peice from a different gun. Maybe the metal is different. Also, would not using distilled water cause any problems? Because the rust seemed to form nicely but the boiling just isn't turning it black enough. Also, how long do you boil for?
Click to expand...

You should use distilled water. I get mine by the gallon fron Shoppers Drug Mart(they're starting to look at me funny)

Bring the water to a rolling boil. Drop the part in and boil for 10-15 minutes.

I think you're wise to try the process on another piece.
 
Maybe my degreaser isn't working that good. I am currently using TSP which I mix with water and give the parts a soak in it before applying the solution. Maybe I should try something like engine cleaner or something.
 
Degreasing is VERY important.

I wash the parts in dish detergent then use a degreaser. Just before appying the solution, I wipe the part with acetone.

Always wear rubber gloves after the part is degreased.

Degrease whatever you're using for carding after boiling. I usually take a couple of rolls of fine steel-wool and thoughly wash it in acetone. It gets stored in a large baggy. My carding wheel is degreased before each job and is stored in a baggy.
 
Here's something interesting. I took some fine steel wool and soked it in TSP to degrease it. Then I let it try for a while, but while it was still damp with degreaser i started carding the parts with it and all the bluing came off. With maybe 5 strokes of the steel wool i was down to 'grey' metal. Could I have been carding improperly? I was using a toothbrush as suggested in a document but I never saw the bluing come off. Also, with my new part I did my first coat and it came out darker than the other but still not black (more of a brown), I did the same carding and it only went down to the metal in a few spots and the rest was grey.

If using steel wool should I be able to remove this much of the bluing?
 
I just twigged to something. Don't use TSP(tri-sodium phosphate). I think(I'm not sure) that it can be used to remove rust. By using it you may be taking the good rust off.

With Luckyguy's bluing mix, ulta-fine or fine steel wool will not take the black off the metal during carding - even if you rub hard.
 
Ok, I will play around a bit and if it is still taking it off I will try another degreaser. This is actually the degreaser Luckyguy suggested so I thought it would work. Maybe he doesn't use steel wool. I saw some spray on engine cleaner at Canadian Tire, it says it removes greese, think that'll work?
 
evster said:
Ok, I will play around a bit and if it is still taking it off I will try another degreaser. This is actually the degreaser Luckyguy suggested so I thought it would work. Maybe he doesn't use steel wool. I saw some spray on engine cleaner at Canadian Tire, it says it removes greese, think that'll work?
Click to expand...

I've never tried engine cleaner. Just detergent,degreaser and acetone work just fine for me.
 
evster said:
Its the only 'degreaser' I could find there at canadian tire. I tried looking in the painting section and all i could find was TSP. So I dunno...
Click to expand...

I was suggested that you may be trying to blue something other then steel, such as white metal (zinc).I think you should find something that you know is steel and try the process again.Just wanted to revisit this point because it seems like you missed it.:p
 
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