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Inexpensive HDWE Store Nitre Blueing Salts (Results PIX)
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wildcat junkie
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I finally got arount to cleaning up my horribly neglected Lee Production Pot that has been setting out in the barn for 12 years.

I polished up some srew heads & melted the cheap nitre blueing salts I ordered through the local hdwe store. It took about 1 1/2# of stump remover to fill the pot.

After some trial & error I got a nice, bright, dark cobalt blue on my buttplate/gripcap screws.








I'm still working on the rust blue on the buttplate/gripcap. After 2 applications/cardings, the color is nice, even medium/dark gray.


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Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001Reply With Quote
Brad Hinn
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That's interesting, just this morning I was thinking about Nitre Blueing the screws on my current project. Thanks for the info.

What temp did you finally end up using? Can you describe the process that you ended up using?
 
Posts: 694 | Location: Santa Ynez Valley, Ca | Registered: 14 March 2011Reply With Quote
wildcat junkie
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quote:
Originally posted by Brad Hinn:
That's interesting, just this morning I was thinking about Nitre Blueing the screws on my current project. Thanks for the info.

What temp did you finally end up using? Can you describe the process that you ended up using?


I had some trial & error trying to get consistant temps in my Lee production Pot. I was shooting for 650*F. Anything less & the temperature fluxuation would allow the salts to "freeze up".

I ended up W/a range of 645*F to 660*F. I would suspend the screws one @ a time on thin copper wire, dunk them in & gently swirl until the salts that would crystalize on the screw had melted.

After that, I would dip/remove/inspect the screw for color & quench in water after the color had turned from purple to dark blue.

It's still a learning process.

The good thing is that if you go too far & get light blue, it's a simple matter of polishing the screw head & re-blueing it. (been there, done that)


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Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001Reply With Quote
Cane Rat
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Really pretty, I like it. tu2
 
Posts: 2767 | Location: The Peach State | Registered: 03 March 2010Reply With Quote
Ghubert
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How tough would the blueing from this method be?

In rough terms, compared to say cold blueing cream at one end and factory finish at the other?
 
Posts: 11731 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 02 September 2007Reply With Quote
kcstott
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Niter blueing is not tough at all. It is just the normal color change due to heating the metal to a specific temp. Just like drawing back a part after heat treating. The salts are only used to transfer the heat at a very specific and controllable temp.

You could due the same thing with a heat treat furnace's draw oven but it's much slower.

Now while we are on this topic DO NOT NITER BLUE ANY PARTS THAT ARE HEAT TREATED. You will draw out the temper and could put yourself at risk.


www.KLStottlemyer.com

Deport the Homeless and Give the Illegals citizenship. AT LEAST THE ILLEGALS WILL WORK
 
Posts: 2534 | Location: National City CA | Registered: 15 December 2008Reply With Quote
tin can
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Niter blueing is not tough at all. It is just the normal color change due to heating the metal to a specific temp. Just like drawing back a part after heat treating. The salts are only used to transfer the heat at a very specific and controllable temp.



I did screws on a Rem 22 target rifle using the gas burner on the stove, turned out nice.

yes, I removed the screws before I tried this.
 
Posts: 3314 | Location: NYC | Registered: 18 April 2005Reply With Quote
Thaine
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Which Lee pot are you using? They have 4 & 20 lb. models without the bottom pour and I was wondering if the 4 lb was big enough? TIA


Thaine
"Begging hands and bleeding hearts will always cry out for more..." Ayn Rand

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here, we might as well dance" Jeanne C. Stein
 
Posts: 730 | Location: New Mexico USA | Registered: 02 July 2004Reply With Quote
kcstott
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quote:
Originally posted by tin can:
quote:
Niter blueing is not tough at all. It is just the normal color change due to heating the metal to a specific temp. Just like drawing back a part after heat treating. The salts are only used to transfer the heat at a very specific and controllable temp.


Yep that will do it too.


I did screws on a Rem 22 target rifle using the gas burner on the stove, turned out nice.

yes, I removed the screws before I tried this.


www.KLStottlemyer.com

Deport the Homeless and Give the Illegals citizenship. AT LEAST THE ILLEGALS WILL WORK
 
Posts: 2534 | Location: National City CA | Registered: 15 December 2008Reply With Quote
wildcat junkie
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quote:
Originally posted by Thaine:
Which Lee pot are you using? They have 4 & 20 lb. models without the bottom pour and I was wondering if the 4 lb was big enough? TIA


I used a 10# production pot (bottom pour)

A 4# pot would probably do for small parts.

Since my 10# (lead) pot held about 1 1/2# od salts, 1# should give you plenty to fill that 4# pot.


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Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001Reply With Quote
wildcat junkie
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quote:
Originally posted by Ghubert:
How tough would the blueing from this method be?

In rough terms, compared to say cold blueing cream at one end and factory finish at the other?


quote:
Originally posted by kcstott:
Niter blueing is not tough at all. It is just the normal color change due to heating the metal to a specific temp. Just like drawing back a part after heat treating. The salts are only used to transfer the heat at a very specific and controllable temp.

You could due the same thing with a heat treat furnace's draw oven but it's much slower.

Now while we are on this topic DO NOT NITER BLUE ANY PARTS THAT ARE HEAT TREATED. You will draw out the temper and could put yourself at risk.


I think Ghubert is refering to durability, not difficulty.

I'm new to this, but from what I have read, nitre bluing is more durable than cold blue, but not as durable as rust blue.


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Posts: 2440 | Location: Northern New York, WAY NORTH | Registered: 04 March 2001Reply With Quote
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