User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
SC, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 11:37:53 AM EDT
I got a little impatient with a relatively tight fitting gas block, and have some striations visible directly in front of the block where the barrel steps up to exactly .750.
Obviously entirely cosmetic, but if it is possible, I would like to darken them. I have: 1) Birchwood Casey perma blue, which I use after shaving a front sight block. 2) Birchwood Casey Aluminum black pen (works well on aluminum receivers, but not normally steel) Neither is doing anything at all. I figured the Perma blue should work (steel), but no dice... I see a number of similar Birchwood Casey products and don't know the exact differences between them. Has anyone used any specific product to good effect cleaning up minor barrel scratches, and wouldn't mind sharing? Thanks |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 12:06:07 PM EDT
[#1]
Birchwood Casey Presto Gun Blue Pen.
|
|
|
|
UT, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 12:30:16 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Just10mm]
[#2]
Try degreasing the spot and heat it up a bit with a hair dryer / heat gun.
Also if you re dip a q-tip or whatever you use to apply it back into the container, you contaminate it and it will not be as effective. As to product, I like Brownells oxpho-blue. https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/paint-metal-prep/metal-bluing/oxpho-blue/ |
|
|
MI, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 12:52:09 PM EDT
[#3]
Rattle can the whole thing!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 12:58:47 PM EDT
[#4]
|
|
|
|
MN, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 1:53:29 PM EDT
[#5]
Don't laugh. Have you tried a Sharpie?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 2:08:34 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By bluedog82: Rattle can the whole thing! Seconded |
|
|
|
GA, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 3:55:00 PM EDT
[Last Edit: OTDR]
[#7]
Originally Posted By DVCNick: I got a little impatient with a relatively tight fitting gas block, and have some striations visible directly in front of the block where the barrel steps up to exactly .750. Obviously entirely cosmetic, but if it is possible, I would like to darken them. I have: 1) Birchwood Casey perma blue, which I use after shaving a front sight block. 2) Birchwood Casey Aluminum black pen (works well on aluminum receivers, but not normally steel) Neither is doing anything at all. I figured the Perma blue should work (steel), but no dice... I see a number of similar Birchwood Casey products and don't know the exact differences between them. Has anyone used any specific product to good effect cleaning up minor barrel scratches, and wouldn't mind sharing? Thanks Perma Blue, Super Blue, Cold Blue, I have asked this question about what the differences are numerous times, no one knows and Birchwood Casey wont say either. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 4:08:45 PM EDT
[Last Edit: EdgecrusherXES]
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OTDR: Perma Blue, Super Blue, Cold Blue, I have asked this question about what the differences are numerous times, no one knows and Birchwood Casey wont say either. Look up the MSDS sheet on them. https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/content/datasheets/Perma%20Blue%20Liquid%20Gun%20Blue.pdf https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/content/datasheets/Super%20Blue%20Liquid%20Gun%20Blue.pdf @OTDR |
|
|
|
GA, USA
|
Posted: 4/21/2024 7:17:12 PM EDT
[#9]
Thanks but which ones are used best for which application?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/22/2024 8:48:30 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SSeric02: Birchwood Casey Presto Gun Blue Pen. Back in the mid 90's a buddy had a franken-ar he built with an XM gray receiver. He used the touch-up pen to turn the receiver black. Another time I ordered a replacement trigger frame for my Marlin model 60. I ordered the wrong one and got the gray-ish housing for the stainless version versus the blued version. I used the pen to turn the trigger frame black. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/22/2024 11:13:04 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OTDR: Thanks but which ones are used best for which application? I know what you mean it is one of those things you have to try on the application to see if it works. I imagine based on the steel composition it will have a different effect. I have used the different bluing products and sometimes I would get weird results. On front sight chop jobs they would work great, I used one on a 1911 I bought used with a dumb ass mark and it matched the bluing perfect, used it on a unknown stainless steel with no effect, and a friend of mine had an old USMC Ka-bar that was all rusted we cleaned up and blued it. The knife turned out a weird greening color which I imagine something in that steel reacted with the copper compounds. I could explain the chemistry going on in both the compounds if anyone were interested. The nitric acid is your oxidizer and the selenious acid is your catalyst (very similar to sulfuric acid) and the cupric(copper) salts is where you will get the coloring. |
|
|
|
GA, USA
|
Posted: 4/22/2024 6:53:54 PM EDT
[Last Edit: OTDR]
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By EdgecrusherXES: I know what you mean it is one of those things you have to try on the application to see if it works. I imagine based on the steel composition it will have a different effect. I have used the different bluing products and sometimes I would get weird results. On front sight chop jobs they would work great, I used one on a 1911 I bought used with a dumb ass mark and it matched the bluing perfect, used it on a unknown stainless steel with no effect, and a friend of mine had an old USMC Ka-bar that was all rusted we cleaned up and blued it. The knife turned out a weird greening color which I imagine something in that steel reacted with the copper compounds. I could explain the chemistry going on in both the compounds if anyone were interested. The nitric acid is your oxidizer and the selenious acid is your catalyst (very similar to sulfuric acid) and the cupric(copper) salts is where you will get the coloring. Going to go out and buy one of each 3 Bottles and try them all at the same time. I have a bottle already of Brownells Oxpho Blue and in my opinion it works worse than Cold Blue or Super Blue, haven't tried Perma blue or any of the 3 Birchwood products all at the same time. |
|
|
|
Posted: 4/22/2024 7:14:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OTDR: Going to go out and buy one of each 3 Bottles and try them all at the same time. I have a bottle already of Brownells Oxpho Blue and in my opinion it works worse than Cold Blue or Super Blue, haven't tried Perma blue or any of the 3 Birchwood products all at the same time. Brownells Oxpho Blue is the worst shit that I've tried. Awesome match for black parked steel.....until it turns a nice rust patina a few months later. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/22/2024 10:01:31 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TGWLDR: Brownells Oxpho Blue is the worst shit that I've tried. Awesome match for black parked steel.....until it turns a nice rust patina a few months later. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By TGWLDR: Brownells Oxpho Blue is the worst shit that I've tried. Awesome match for black parked steel.....until it turns a nice rust patina a few months later. Interesting thing I have done using the Super/Cold Blue is apply it to metal with NaCl regular salt and it comes out like a parked finish. Varying time you let it sit yields different texture/finish. I have also experimented with other more let us just say more exotic and aggressive finishes some came out really interesting and some were complete catastrophes but fun to experiment. Just follow proper lab safety guys when messing with these chemicals and especially wear eye protection! Originally Posted By OTDR: Going to go out and buy one of each 3 Bottles and try them all at the same time. I have a bottle already of Brownells Oxpho Blue and in my opinion it works worse than Cold Blue or Super Blue, haven't tried Perma blue or any of the 3 Birchwood products all at the same time. The cold blue or super blue is the one I have used also with best results. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/25/2024 2:50:39 AM EDT
[#15]
Wash with a degreaser, rinse, dry and use acetone a couple times to prep before applying anything.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 4/25/2024 2:42:09 PM EDT
[Last Edit: HipSh0T]
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OTDR: Perma Blue, Super Blue, Cold Blue, I have asked this question about what the differences are numerous times, no one knows and Birchwood Casey wont say either. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OTDR: Originally Posted By DVCNick: I got a little impatient with a relatively tight fitting gas block, and have some striations visible directly in front of the block where the barrel steps up to exactly .750. Obviously entirely cosmetic, but if it is possible, I would like to darken them. I have: 1) Birchwood Casey perma blue, which I use after shaving a front sight block. 2) Birchwood Casey Aluminum black pen (works well on aluminum receivers, but not normally steel) Neither is doing anything at all. I figured the Perma blue should work (steel), but no dice... I see a number of similar Birchwood Casey products and don't know the exact differences between them. Has anyone used any specific product to good effect cleaning up minor barrel scratches, and wouldn't mind sharing? Thanks Perma Blue, Super Blue, Cold Blue, I have asked this question about what the differences are numerous times, no one knows and Birchwood Casey wont say either. I've used them all side by side, the Perma Blue and Cold Blue are basically identical, but Super Blue reacts faster, and each coat applied gets much darker than a coat of the others. In my opinion, the Super Blue is vastly superior and I don't know why they bother to offer the others going forward as it makes no sense. |
|
|
|
SC, USA
|
Posted: 4/25/2024 3:59:54 PM EDT
[Last Edit: DVCNick]
[#17]
Thanks all.
The total lack of any sort of result makes me think it might be something over the finish instead of into it, but it looks all the world like a scratch to me, and it doesn't seem to rub off at all. I'll try cleaning with acetone, heating it some, and try again with the perma blue. I guess if that doesn't work I'll order some Super blue. I could definitely have been double dipping the same qtip applicator before; didn't realize that could be an issue, but likely that has been done a number of times. |
|
|
VA, USA
|
Posted: 4/26/2024 3:44:24 PM EDT
[#18]
Vinegar will also darken a carbon steel sometimes. A trick with knife blades is the paint it with mustard and let it dry.
|
|
|
MS, USA
|
Posted: 4/27/2024 12:06:46 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By s4s4u: Don't laugh. Have you tried a Sharpie? Plenty of times. 
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
