Nobody Special Posted June 19, 2015 Posted June 19, 2015 I've been messing around on line a bit too much again, and ran across a different recipe for bluing than I've messed with previously. Consisted of hot bluing using a mix of one gallon water to 5 lbs lye, and 2.5 lbs of nitrates, preferably sodium. Anybody tried this before I even think of digging out fun chemicals like caustics and nitrate salts? (Seems a little more risky than acid bluing I've tried.) Definitely not going with ammonium nitrate as I enjoy breathing oxygen to ammonia. Quote
j.w.s. Posted June 19, 2015 Posted June 19, 2015 I have 5 gallons of a lye/potassium nitrate solution I've used for hot bluing but it's dangerous stuff, even the fumes will get ya.. but it's a brilliant bluing process and no paste or liquid from a tube is going to compare.-J Quote
HWooldridge Posted June 19, 2015 Posted June 19, 2015 For forged ironwork, I like to use Oxpho cold blue from Brownells. Leaves a nice dark finish and relatively safe. Works best if you sandblast first then spray it on evenly so the entire surface is wet - or completely immerse in a bucket of the solution. Rinse in clean water and spray with WD40 to remove the moisture. The piece(s) can be sprayed with clear urethane after they dry completely. Quote
Frank Turley Posted June 21, 2015 Posted June 21, 2015 My old mentor, Victor Vera, said that in the early 1900's, his dad and uncle would place scale-free lock plates and keys in a hot box of sand, being heated over the forge fire until blue, then immediately given a coat of oil. I suspect they used tallow. They were located in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Quote
Frosty Posted June 21, 2015 Posted June 21, 2015 I'm liking that method Frank. It not only sounds much safer it'd smell good if you used bacon grease. Heck, cook a rasher on the pieces for lunch. Mmmmmmm.Frosty The Lucky. Quote
Chris john Posted June 30, 2015 Posted June 30, 2015 The buitiful blue found on early Colts were done in charcoal from memory .Lot of spur makers use fire blueing .to colour .These fittings i did in caustic and nitric around 270 f the salts boil a lot higher than waterdangerous stuff one splatter you have a real bad burn .wouldnt use in the smithy my self .Most firearms were done with the caustic method not doubles tho you end up with 2 in the tank eats all the solder out .Chris Quote
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