I have a used FN Mauser action that is destined to become a 35 Whelen AI. The CM barrel will need to be blued and I'm trying to decide if I should go with a polished blue finish on the barrel and action or a glass bead and blued finish.

I'm leaning towards the glass bead finish, but can be swayed. The rifle will be a basic hunting gun, so practicality is valued more than beauty.

Practicality/HUnting= blasted finish.

Red

Bead blasted will give you more of a matt finish which is what I prefer on my rifle. A high gloss, highly polished rifle just never appealed to me.

both...
beadblast and go over with 400 grit VERY ligtly

jeffe

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
both...
beadblast and go over with 400 grit VERY ligtly

jeffe

So you bead blast it first and THEN go for a light polish? How does that work? How lightly? Do you have any pictures?

Malm,
I am certain you've seen bead blasted parts before.
Knocking the peaks off.. lightly, with 400 grit,
takes the "sharkskin" look off the finish, but
leaves almost all of the increased surface
area,which is a function of blasting at all.

I am always surprised more people haven't tried
this out. I "discovered" it when I was about 10
working on a cast iron bed frame one of my
great aunts had bought. She wanted to use an
automotive paint, and river sand made it
look like sandpaper. So, I sanded it a little.

I certainly do have pictures.



I've ony been sand blasting either around sand
blasting or doing it myself since about the
time I could ride a bike. My Dad own one, then I owned another industrial coating company... I think i've blasted more riversand on steel than is in most beaches

Frank M takes so much better pictures than I do

jeffe

I use a technique similar to Jeffe's except I use a wire wheel to smooth the bead blasted surface. I mainly use a .0025 wire carding wheel but you should try different wheels that you have because heavier wire gives a smoother surface. I've had folks argue with me that a carding wheel is too soft to make a difference on bead blasted steel. They're wrong. I sometimes use a heavy wire wheel on guns that the owner wants blued without spending a lot of money.

One of the complaints about bead blast finishes is that the bluing scratches easier because of the peaks. Taking the peaks off with the wire wheel cures that problem. I've also found that polishing the surface before bead blasting improves the looks of the finished product. It's seem redundant but it works well.

Now if you were doing a rust blue couldn't you polish it to 300-320 and then hit it lightly with a blast of fine garnet? give the solution something to bite on?

I did my first rust blue, a floorplate, before it got hot here (and my wife reassigned me to installing a back yard). color was great but I must have had some oil somewhere because I got a couple of spots. anyways, next addition to the shop will be a blast cabinet and blaster to let me try blasting the parts first.

Red

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:

I certainly do have pictures....

jeffe

Jeffe,
what rear sights you using on those rifles?

- stu

Stu,
both those are rugers, Round top is a 416 AR, Square bridge is a 470AR. one's an early round top, which belongs to Frank. the other is a current squarebrige. I use the NECG rear peep, easy on, easy off for the second one. . Very accurate.



jeffe

I send my stuff out. The old guy who used to do it could get an egg shell look that was great. Perhaps his technique was similar. Myself, I prefer a mediumm grit blast. Nothing too rough.

Excellent! Thanks for the comments.

My glass beads are so well worn that they give a perfect eggshell finish. When they get to that stage I sift them and keep them in a bucket just to use for blue jobs.

IMHO I think matte blue steel in a satin oil rubbed stock are like peanutbutter and jelley, Cookies and milk, or a beer and a cigarette. They just go together.

Jepp, Jeffe has the right idea! I use fine Scoch-brite after beading.

COOL!! i am glad I am not the only one who likes this finish...
jeffe