I have read through a bunch of old posts and have a question regarding tap water used for steam bluing . I am on a well with high iron content in the water. The water is run through a filter but the packaging says nothing about iron filtration. Will this affect the final results. Thanks in advance.

Yes; you should use distilled water. Although I use tap water, it comes from the Mississippi and is perfectly clean. Except for all the Roundup in it (harmless to humans), it is very low in minerals.

Thank you for the quick reply DCPD.

Distilled water is just steam in the liquid phase, so steam is steam no matter where it comes from. I think.

If boiling parts in a tank, then you want distilled water (or de-ionized) for sure.

True, but I am always afraid that some minerals will be carried up in the steam. Maybe not. But I also use our city water when boiling rust bluing; no problem there either, but as I said, it is low in minerals.
Just do a sample piece and let us know; I am curious now. I can send you a barrel to practice on.

I use distilled for boiling. Steaming works fine with the tap water I have, boiling not so well.

I use the collected condensate water off the central AC and use that for rust bluing.
Never had a problem with that in 40+ yrs of doing that though I've been warned of copper cooties from the condenser being in the water and other things.
I still use the tank method, it works and I'm too old to change now.

The steam tube method appears to be a great way.
With so little water needed with that method,,I'd just splurge and buy a couple gallons of de-ionized super special water and use that to avoid problems.

There's too much work in rust bluing before you get to the actual bluing to have it ruined by something as simple and easily avoided as bad water.

I am asking specifically about the iron content only and steaming. All else not real relevant, getting mixed results.

That's why I use steaming; you only need one quart of water.
If you are getting "mixed results" with your steaming setup, then use only distilled water.
Yes, all comments relating to boiling, you don't want.

Thank you all.

As DPCD said since you use so little water in the steaming process why not just use distilled if you are concerned? You are only talking a couple of dollars. Personally I believe it doesn't matter because once the steam is created contaminants are left behind in the boiling water. Here I use tap water.

Bob
www.rustblue.com

I have a well and it has a lot of mineral and I use distilled all the way..my well water makes a rainbow of shit with the water and the steam..rust bluein is tricky and we have little to no humidity in my part of Idaho most of the time, I do ok on small parts are not worth the time or the pain these days, rather shop it out.

I use tap water for steaming and distilled for boiling. My tap water is a mix of Mississippi and well water.