astevens Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 I have used gun blue on a chisel to blacken it. It works okay but the smell never seems to go away. It sticks on my hands days later after using a chisel that I used it on so I am giving up on that method of blackening. I have 75% food grade phosphoric acid that doesn't seem to blacken it enough. Any ideas on how Japanese chisels are blackened? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 Have you tried a hot blue instead of the cold blue solutions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astevens Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 No I haven’t. Any recommended hot blue products. Does it smell at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Gun Blueing is technically Browning. Controlled rusting, controlled with oil, to keep the rust at bay. Urine works well for rusting. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 1 pt Ammonium Chloride and 2 pts Lye ... to make your own hot bluing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astevens Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Steve, mixed? or do you treat with one and then the other? also... I was reading on here (I think) about multiple steamings of the piece followed by baking soda. I'm not sure if that is something anyone else has tried and if so how well did it work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdriack Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Do a search on Ebay for an item called Caswell Black Oxide kit -- really easy to use. I saw others on here post about it I believe - works good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Most of the cold blues use phosphoric acid. Hot blues use salts. Look up Brownell's and Du-Lite. A lot more involved but a better finish. Also look into rust bluing, a long process, but gives very good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Firearm Bluing and Browning R.H Angier, Stackpole Books has a bunch of formulas in it but it's and *oldish* book; 1936, and so assumes that the reader will take great care on their own when dealing with chemicals! I don't remember if it includes a black other than a very dark blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astevens Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 I tried to find some info on rust bluing and found a couple sources elsewhere but if you can point me to one on here that'd be great... the search filter is a little picky it seems. The sources I found suggested quickly forming a layer of rust with a variety of different products(household acids or products meant for rusting) and humid conditions. Then steaming it in distilled water. Is there anything more to this method? it sounds too easy/simple but I doubt it is. From what I've read so far, it sounds like hot blue/cold blue form a thin, not very protective, layer on the surface of the steel. Is a rust bluing method more protective/thicker. thanks for your patience--- I'm new to all of this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 51 minutes ago, astevens said: the search filter is a little picky it seems. The best way to search on IFI is to ignore the native Search function. Use the web search engine of your choice (I use Google) and include "site:iforgeiron.com" as one of your search terms. I see that you're fairly new here. Welcome to IFI! If you haven't yet, please READ THIS FIRST!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Our best results with bluing was to not go finer than 230 grit when polishing by hand. I didn't like using a power buffer, as I felt it smeared the metal more and closed the pores in the metal up. You are working with metal. you are not going to get a deep penetration with any type of finish. The only way to get a thick finish would be to plate it. I have firearms that date back to 1864 with original bluing still intact. With any object that is in use it will wear in certain spots. Give it a wipe down with a light oil, or some like the silicone products and rusting will not be an issue. As to rust bluing, that process is repeated several times until the desired color is achieved. It is not a one pass project. Rust, card off rust, reapply solution, rust, card off rust, etc.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I believe the Japanese blackening refers to a process called Japanning used for tools and woodwork. It's painted on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_black https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
So Cal Dave Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I believe Sculpt Noveau has different chemicals to give metal a patina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzle Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Watching this thread as it is something I have been experimenting with for several months, no real success thus far. Tried Jax Iron and Steel Blackener and my test piece was not that black, maybe I am not using it correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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