I remember the thread a while back, about the German 'blackening' formula for Mausers, that used ammonia among other things as I recall.

Does anyone have / know of a recipe that could be made in a small batch, say Dutch oven size, and used on the stove top to blacken parts like Mauser stock hardware, etc.?

That would be a lot easier than carding all those tiny parts while trying to rust blue them.

Thanks,
Todd

Todd,
This is from Dunlap's book, "Gunsmithing".
Solution: 5lbs lye, 2 1/2lbs ammonium nitrate, per gallon of water. Working temp is between 285 and 295 degrees. One caveat, lots of ammonia gas during mixing. I've used this and it works well and it is black and durable. Be sure to degrease-you knew that.

Todd you don't really want to get your wife that mad at you but wait...hmm... she might get a new stove out of the deal! ( bluing salts & stove tops don't mix! I learned that 20 years ago when stoves & exhaust vents were much cheaper than they are today!

[ 03-07-2003, 17:09: Message edited by: D Humbarger ]

I'm thinkin' way ahead (for once) Doug, I picked up a hot plate from the Salvation Army store. I can do it in the garage; although my wife is pretty cool about things, as long as it doesn't a) stain b) stink or c) bleed. The last one comes from saving a few $$$ two years ago by processing my own deer...

Craigster, thanks for the recipe. If I can round up those ingredients without ending up on some FBI list, I might try it. I'm just being silly about the whole thing, Oxpho Blue would work just fine, but when people ask about my beautiful milsurp I don't want to say "I cold blued it."

Todd

Todd--

The formula you have is for hot dip bluing salts. Save your self a lot of trouble and buy a box of Oxynate #7 or Dulite or BluBlak.

You'll need two more hotplates and a bluing thermometer........the garage will never do unless the bluing set up is the only thing in there...........

There's a reason gunsmiths charge for bluing.

Jack,

Thanks for the tip. I'm not trying to be cheap re: the bluing thing, I just like to do things myself. Sounds like I might be express / rust bluing after all. The results are always good, but, all the carding on those small parts -- yuck.

Todd

Ther were a number of classic rifles made in the early part of the century that were "browned" (rust blued) in the bbl/receiver and "niter blued" (bluing salts) in the small parts.

Polish, spray with something to hold the polish, and take to a smith with blueing tanks already set up for him to throw in his wire basket.

Or you can play with Oxphoblue techniques - looks good, but the color not as durable.

Bob---

Just to clarify for those that might be confused---

"Nitre blue" is NOT done with bluing salts.

Nitre is salt peter melted in a cast iron pot and held at a specific temperature (more than double the 285 F of bluing salts). The polished and degreased parts are soaked in the molten nitre which gives the electric blue color.

Todd-- Up until 1935 all Mauser parts were rust blued, so you're on the right track. Carding is a snap with a fine brush.