Hey guys, a couple quick questions regarding rust bluing. I know it’s an old subject here and maybe these are dumb questions, I apologize if that’s the case.

Quick one, I just got some of my tools back because my uncle passed away. My transfer punch set has surface rust all over. What would happen if I just dropped them all in a pot of boiling water for 15m vs sanding the, clean and oiling them.

Now, the real thing:
I ordered my younger daughter some custom freedom stars for Christmas (they look identical to shurikan or ninja stars). I have some gun goddess but have lost my carding wheel
1. How fast have you managed to do 5 coats of bluing? If I get them here by say Tuesday and get them ground (no edge on them yet, but good steel heat treated to about 56 iirc) would I be able to get it done by Christmas? I’m thinking a camp stove and suspend them over a pot for steam, I don’t have a rust box

2. Is it true I can just use scotch brite I steward of a carding wheel and which color?

That’s it. Just trying to make my teenager happy. Is it a waste of time? Should I just use the hammer finish rustoleum.

Red

Yes, boil them and see; and 5 coats may or may not be necessary. Probably won't.
You can card with anything; depends on how much of the surface you want to remove; you can get a nice satin finish by carding with a wash rag.

The rusty tools will come out blue from the boiling water.
Just card them then oil.
Or just wire wheel the rust off.


If you are Slow Rust Bluing,,you can get the parts to rust with a very nice, fine even coat of rust by using a bathroom w/a shower in it.

Close the door and run the hot water shower to steam up the room,,,it won't take long a couple minutes.
Hang the part(s) from the shower rod or just around the room itself.
Keep the door closed!

I plug the tub so the hot water stays in the tub for extra heat and humidity.

Takes about 1 hr to get a rust coating,,maybe a little longer.
You don't need a heavy dark red coating that looks like an old bucket that's been in a farm lot for ten years.
Just a very lite coating will give a layer of color.
3 or 4 'cycles' will do it.
Slow rust blue in a day.

Maroon colored scotchbrite will work. Use it to polish the metal first before the bluing. Then for carding it won't scratch any different than the polish marks.

Actually I'd just use a piece of clean denim cloth, or sometimes I use lightweight canvas like the bags that lead shot comes in.
It shouldn't take much effort to remove the loose stuff after boiling.

Brilliant! Thanks guys. I think I have an old bank bag from that kinda duck cloth that’ll worth. Or I’ll use the pant leg of some old jeans.

Thanks guys

Red

use a test piece first ...
for non-gun stuff, i've used "plum brown" and boiled it .. turns a nice black, one pass through

still have to clean, degrease, wear gloves, etc .. but for a quick fix, it works, and doesn't stink like cold blue

I use the shower too, but I like a more etched dark finish so I leave them in for overnight.
And card with either steel wool, scotch brite pad, or rough cloth.

If this is for tools and/or small parts there is a good video on 'tube on fast rust blueing. Very simple and works well. The process uses white vinigar, peroxide, salt, and boiling water. So far I have done 3 test pieces just to check out the process and they all came out well. Of course surface prep and cleaning determine how well it looks. As far as I am concerned the results are far better than any cold blue I have ever used.
C.G.B.

Quick and dirty finish for tools and machined parts.
1 Wipe down with lacquer thinner
2 Apply Brownells Ospho cold blue, let sit for a couple
minutes
3 Apply second coat of bluing then rub down with steel
wool. Don't worry about blue not taking evenly, just
blend with the wet bluing and steel wool
4 Wipe with an oily rag
Time to apply, less that 10 minutes. The finish lasted for over 20 years on my parts.

Dave