I need to cold blue a gun barrel and small parts and I would like to see if you guys could recommed a cold blue. I have already done a search to try to get some info.

Thanks for your help

You do realize that cold blue produces about the weakest finish next to El Marko? You would be better off learning to do the rust blue process. It isn't quite as fast, but at least the fisnish is durable and won't wipe off.

But, if you're bound and determined to cold blue a complete barrel then I would say Brownells Oxpho Blue is perhaps the most durable of the cold blue products.

Cold blue is really designed to be used as a touch up finish for small scratches and wear marks. Most Professional's use Oxpho Blue, and from what I've seen over the years, a few use El Marko...

I use Oxpho-Blue regularly to blue small parts and for the occasional customer who simply cannot afford the cost of hot-bluing. Follow the directions closely and pre-heat the metal just hot enough to hold without burning your hand. Use plenty of ventilation as the heat will generate fumes when the liquid is applied. I use 0000 steel wool instead of cotton swabs.

I used to be on a kick that Dicropan was darker, but Oxpho lasted longer, so I would put Dicropan on first and get it down in the micro valleys, and then run Oxpho on the micro ridges.

That trick makes dark and longlasting cold blue, but it only works on steels that take both cold blues well.

If you can find this stuff, get some, and you will broaden what you can do besides Oxpho and Dicropan.




You will need:
1) Towels
2) Paper towels
3) Kleenex
4) Hot running water
5) 3 dedicated tooth brushes
6) Motor oil
7) Oxpho blue: liquid works better, cream is easier to use
8) Some other darker cold blue
9) Liquid detergent, like SIMPLE GREEN

Get the part hot and soapy, and scrub it with a tooth brush.
Rinse and dry without getting finger prints on it or letting it cool down.
Scrub on the dark cold blue with a tooth brush for a minute.
Get the part hot and soapy, and scrub it with a tooth brush.
Rinse and dry without getting finger prints on it or letting it cool down.
Scrub on the Oxpho cold blue with a tooth brush for a minute.
Apply oil lightly without rubbing off the Oxpho blue.
Leave overnight.
Get the part hot and soapy, and scrub it with a tooth brush.
Rinse and dry.
Rub oil on it.
Wipe off excess oil.

Repeat until dark and durable enough.

For whole barrels, spin them in the lathe to rub in the Oxpho.

With barrels, put a rubber stopper in the muzzle and breech to keep liquids out.

I would like to rust blue it but the time and some of the equipment needed I don't have. I think you still need a hot tank don't you?

Thanks to all who replyed

quote:

Originally posted by Wildlife Artist:
I would like to rust blue it but the time and some of the equipment needed I don't have. I think you still need a hot tank don't you?

Thanks to all who replyed

You need a tank/pan large enough for the part/s you're going to blue. Once the pieces have "rusted" they are boiled in water until the rust turns black. Card and repeat as necessary.

Cold rust bluing thread:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=search...&forum_scope=9411043

Oh I forgot that I will need a rusting box.

quote:

Originally posted by Wildlife Artist:
Oh I forgot that I will need a rusting box.

Not necessarily. A rust box does, however, speed up the process. I have one and use it, but I've also had good results without it. They're easy enough to make.

The reason I asked this question is I have a Argentine 1909 and I want to keep the reciever in the white and the barrel blue. I don't to take the barrel off. I thought a cold blue would alow me more control to where the blue goes plus it's fast.

Coat the areas you don't want to blue with clear laquer, varnish, or shellac. Remove it with acetone when your done bluing.

For which type of bluing? Rust Blue?

Thank very much for your help!

Either or.

If you have a gas grill and a 30" flower box, you have all you need to rust blue.

I used that setup for several years, with one of the Brownell's rust bluing solutions - can't remember name right now.

I had a fairly cheap outdoor gas grill that had a grill surface almost as long as the box; I would position the flower box right over the hottest part, then cover the other parts of the grill rack with aluminum foil to make all the heat come out where the water pan was. The paint burned off, but the metal of the flower box never burned through. Can't claim it entirely as my own however, as I originally used the flower box / water pan to heat and soak wood strips for Shaker boxes as suggested by the guy who taught me how to make the boxes.

With a cheap grill, you can't fill the box full of water or it won't have enough BTU output to heat it all; conversely, if you crank the heat on a nice grill you might burn through the box. So fill it just enough to cover your parts with some to spare, keep the heat sane, and have fun playing around. Supplies including the bluing solution should run about $50.

Rust blue solution this is one example, looks like they don't sell the one I used anymore; had a plastic bottle.

Small parts you can do stove-top (after your wife goes to bed ) - I would suggest buying a cheap-o pan to use, since I am not sure how toxic it would be to ingest rust bluing chemicals with your scrambled eggs.

I have done entire Mauser actions in an oval Dutch oven I got from a junk store.

Looks like Brownells has a rust blue brand of their own also.

Has anybody used Brownells rust blue?

I have not used the Brownells, but now that I think about it, the one I had may have been Pilkingtons in a different bottle. It had instructions that came with it that talked about "fume bluing" similar to the product description in the link above.

If it is the same stuff, it worked very well, with a nice deep and durable blue. I have used some of the guns I blued that way in wet weather (with proper care of course) and no rusting occurred.

Thanks TMG for your advice. I will consider doing a rust blue on it. I hope I can find a metal container without having one made.

Go to any hrdwre store and buy a piece of alum. gutter and two end caps. Cut the gutter to length and crimp the caps with pliers. Seal them with automotive high-temp silicone gasket material and you're good to go. It will fit across two stove burners but you will need to stablilze it someway. CG is slightly off-center and it can tip over, ruining your day. I use vise grips on the burner grate to hold it upright.
A big soup pot will do bottom metal, bolts and othe small parts. Aluminim gutters have a real tough coating that does not react with the steel while boiling. I think aluminum pots are a problem. Go buy a cheap 16 qt stainless soup pot from Target or Walley World if you don't already have one.

If I'm not mistaken, El Caballero was the first to post the gutter idea and it was a good one.

Most rust blue solutions are similar in nature. I've used/use both Gun Goddess and Laurel Mtn Forge. Check the link below for a pretty good tutorial on browning and bluing.

http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/barrel_brown_inst.htm

Good luck with it - follow directions and most of all DEGREASE EVERYTHING and EVERY CREVICE thoroughly (don't forget the steel wool - it's oiled). Use acetone, or brake cleaner (outside of course).

If you go with rust blue give yourself a break
and use distilled water.
Good luck!

Well I just got some new info on cold bluing.
Someone responded to my post, thanking me because the streaks went away when he kept the parts hot.
I keep them warm by rinsing with hot water and quickly drying them.

He kept them warm with a hair dryer.

I believe that I will try rust bluing. I can get gutter from local Lowes and I have bought some high temp gasket material

Now which brand should I use. Brownells has two. Their own Laurel Mtn.

Any others to consider?

Consider the Pilkington's too. Maybe call Brownells and see if it used to be in a plastic bottle - if so it is the same stuff I used and worked great.