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Could this be fixed w/o full reblue?

WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,839 ✭✭✭✭
edited April 2016 in Ask the Experts
This is a gun on the auction side. I just don't think I could live with this scratch.


Could it be fixed w/o rebluing the whole frame?

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    Ricci WrightRicci Wright Member Posts: 8,260 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    It could almost certainly be made better with cold blue and very possibly look pretty good. Will that be good enough?? That's up to you.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Brownells Oxpho-Blue, would disguise the scratch. The white base metal would not be visible. But the scratch would be still there, if you looked close.
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dave W.,

    quote:Brownells Oxpho-Blue, would disguise the scratch.

    Disguise is the proper word to use to describe what it will look like. A cursory inspection might overlook the attempt but a slightly closer look will expose the attempt at hiding the scratch.

    There is no cold blue or touch up bluing which will both cover the scratch and appear to be just like a full hot blue job. Different folks will try to convince you that they have the secret but it just simply isn't true. The process to accomplish cold blue will interact with the edges of the original finish and make the attempt show even though you've covered the scratch with color. If that's O.K. with you then have at it.

    Best.
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    Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,369 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you can't live with it, don't bid on it.
    Cold blue will darken the bare steel but the scratch will still be there. A reblue that would include polishing out the scratch would probably cost around half the value of the gun.
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    Toolman286Toolman286 Member Posts: 2,990 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    De-grease it & use a black permanent marker.
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    mrs102mrs102 Member Posts: 1,166 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Stock Doc has a bluing product he sells that requires warming the part to blue with a torch. There is a video on his website on the technique. I also tried aluminum black on some screw heads I cleaned up and had OK success.
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Only you can tell if you could live with it after a patch cover up. Picture isn't good enough to tell how deep the scratch is. Cold blue will give it some rust protection on that bare metal. Black/blue magic marker might blend well, same for doing most of the outside bow.

    Me, if the price was good, the rest of the pistol was in prime shape (minimal end shake, small cylinder gap, tight crane) and I needed a shooter - I would cold blue it and shoot it.
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    dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,162 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    FWIW I've been playing around with "cold blue" for about 45 years. I've gotten very good at touching up sharper areas like the muzzle, leading edge of a cylinder or the sides of a trigger guard. But that's about as far as it goes and it's not durable. None of the cold blues "match" a finish, none of them are particularly durable

    Some "bluing wear" is easier to touch up than others. Matte, such as the trigger guard edge on a Smith 28 or on a military rifle, responds better than others. In general, high polish, deep bluing is the more difficult to do and looks the worst. You can't get as deep and usually end up with a color mismatch.

    My suggestion -

    Don't steel wool, sand, crocus cloth or polish the scratch - you'll only make the mark larger. De-grease it. Apply just enough heat to get it warm as apple pie. Then use Oxpho or DICROPAN cold bluing. A few passes & applications with a QTip is about as good as it's going to get.

    If you can diminish the contrast & protect the metal that's the best result to be had.

    Look on the bright side - at least it's not on the sideplate.
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Herters Belgian Blue, now a Brownell item was used on a Baby Browning
    I melted all edges and sharp corners in early 60's for daily pocket carry. It didn't affect blued areas and took care of scratches.
    The gun looked well and finish was very durable.
    I also used it on an SAA Colt trigger guard, backstrap and ejector rod maybe also the cylinder-I forget. Results were likewise very good.
    Durability I believe is much better than cold blues.
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    nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dave W.

    Please pay attention to this:

    quote:FWIW I've been playing around with "cold blue" for about 45 years. I've gotten very good at touching up sharper areas like the muzzle, leading edge of a cylinder or the sides of a trigger guard. But that's about as far as it goes and it's not durable. None of the cold blues "match" a finish, none of them are particularly durable


    The Herter's Belgium Blue is a form of rust blueing and involves more than just trying to camouflage a scratch. Please read the description on the Brownells website or at Art's who now owns the formula.

    Best.
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