Armory Sponsor
Posted: 12/19/2008 6:15:03 PM EDT
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I have been using an express blue technique for bluing my Mauser projects for the last few years. It is a "rust blue", but one that you don't have to wait days or use a damp box for the rust to occur. It is a little labor intensive, but after the metal is polished, it can be done in an afternoon by anyone who can handle themselves around boiling water and hot metal.
I've been using Mark Lee's Express Blue Number One from Brownells. One bottle has blued three rifles, and some odd parts and barrels. It also requires degreasers, a large tank to boil parts in, steel wool, baking soda, and oil. I have some photos taken from one of my projects, a Mark X Mauser. First, the metal is polished. This is the most important step, and any problems that start here will be visible in the final product. I usually hand polish to about a 320 or 400 grit, but here I wanted a little more of a matte finish, so I polished to 220 and then sandblasted the parts. 
I then degrease the metal, using Simple Green, followed by a good scrub with acetone. I lay out the blue, cotton gauze, glove to hold the hot metal, latex gloves to go over the work gloves to prevent oil contamination, and little wood dowels to help hold the pieces while I work. Also, EYE PROTECTION. We are working with acid and boiling water. 
Then, into the boiling water it goes. I use distilled water for all my bluing. This heats the metal up to the desired temperature for blue application, and will also usually force out any grease or oil that is hiding somewhere. In this project, i noticed a sheen of oil on the water's surface, so I dumped it and started again. (I still had some come back and haunt me later). I use bent, degreased wire to suspend the barreled action. 
Then, I take the barreled action out of the water. The metal is HOT, so any residual water dries off pretty quickly. It needs to be above about 160 degrees to work the way it is supposed to, but around 200 is ideal. On goes the first coat of blue. I place the blue on as smoothly as I can, and let it sit for 5 minutes. You will see the metal rusting in a thin coat. Then, into the tank of boiling water it goes for 5 minutes. I pull the metal out again at this point, and use DEGREASED 0000 steel wool to "card" off the rust that has formed and been transformed by the boiling water into blue. I just rub the whole part down with the wool. This is a picture of the second coat as it is being applied 
You continue this process for about 7-9 coats. Boil, apply blue, wait 5 minutes, boil 5 minutes, card, repeat. Here it is coming along nicely (although, if you look close, there is a ring of unblued metal right at the juncture of the barrel with the receiver. I assume there was grease on the threads that kept leaking out, but even after several additional degreasings and two water changes, I could not get that area to blue. I've not had it happen before or since): 
When I am satisfied with the evenness and darkness of the blue, I boil and card again, and then soak the barrel in a strong baking soda solution for about a half hour. This will counteract any leftover Express Blue, which is an acid. Then, i take it out, dry, spray with WD40 to displace water, wipe down well again, and then heavily oil with a good gun oil. I leave it overnight, and check the next day to see if any more rust has occurred. I usually do the barreled action in one step outside, and the smaller parts on the kitchen stove. The steel vat I use came from Brownells, and paid for itself the first time I used it. Here is a closeup of the final product: 
And a larger image: 
Now, I like paint, and have used a good bit of Alumahyde 2 on some guns that see rough use, but there are times you want something a little more elegant. This takes more effort than a rattlecan spray job, but it is really not too difficult. |
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Fantastic post! I've been wanting to learn how to do this, but I don't have a sandblaster.
I still have to wire the garage for 240V for the compressor/sand blast cabinet - but that's another story. Have you ever considered using a alkaline water-based degreaser? You basically soak the parts in a hot-simmering solution of the stuff, and it will soak the oils out of tough to reach spaces like the barrel threads you had trouble with. Brownells sells a product called Dicro-Clean that will get your parts super clean. |
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Quoted:
Fantastic post! I've been wanting to learn how to do this, but I don't have a sandblaster. I still have to wire the garage for 240V for the compressor/sand blast cabinet - but that's another story. Have you ever considered using a alkaline water-based degreaser? You basically soak the parts in a hot-simmering solution of the stuff, and it will soak the oils out of tough to reach spaces like the barrel threads you had trouble with. Brownells sells a product called Dicro-Clean that will get your parts super clean. I looked at Dicro-clean when Ifirst started, but this was the only time I had a problem. You do not need a sandblaster. I have done several hand polishing with sandpaper. |
Thanks for the tidbit....
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