Inexpensive HDWE Store Nitre Blueing Salts (Results PIX)

30 May 2011, 20:24

wildcat junkie

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.

30 May 2011, 20:59

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?

30 May 2011, 21:51

wildcat junkie

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)

30 May 2011, 21:56

Cane Rat

Really pretty, I like it.

31 May 2011, 01:06

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?

31 May 2011, 02:00

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.

31 May 2011, 02:23

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.

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.

31 May 2011, 05:42

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

31 May 2011, 07:00

kcstott

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.

31 May 2011, 08:06

wildcat junkie

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.

31 May 2011, 17:47

wildcat junkie

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.