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cold blue

zoritozorito Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
edited January 2007 in Ask the Experts
Over the years I've had good luck on small touch up jobs on bluing with OUTERS brand cold blue. I can't find it anymore at local sports stores so if any body has a particular brand they have had sucess with I'd appreciate hearing from you. Thanks Dave
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Comments

  • zoritozorito Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I hope the purists dont stone me to death,but i wish to touch up a few older pieces, non-collectables, in hopes of adding a couple of$ to the selling price.?? what is the best product & method out there.

    thanks

    Z
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello IMHO blue wonder but only IF YOU FOLLOWER DIRECTIONS.....the rest of the brands will leave a smell that most people can smell years later.And know you used cold blue.
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  • Sav99Sav99 Member Posts: 16,037 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just got finished with one. I used Oxphy Blu. Follow the directions to the letter. You can apply more coats than is recomended if nessesary. The issue is of course the condition of the metal itself. If its rough it will suely show thru. I used 220 grit with a lots oil to smooth out the barrel where it was rusted. Good luck.
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  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    American Rifleman has an article on cold bluing recently. You may want to look that one up.
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  • FrogbertFrogbert Member Posts: 2,380 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The slide on this Bulgarian Makarov pistol was left in a bag which allowed condensation to form causing some light oxidation (rusting) before it was discovered. I removed the slide and removed all the bluing and rusting on the outside of the slide with 400 grit wet-or-dry and water followed by 600 wet-or-dry and water. I was very thorough, making sure that I had all the evidence of water damage removed, and while I was at it, as an added benefit, I polished the roughness of the import stamp that CAI banged onto it with their primitive punch stamper. To make sure I got all the oxidation stopped, I used one quick Naval Jelly treatment, then rinsed the slide very thoroughly.

    Using a hair dryer I heated the slide up really warm and applied Birchwood Casey Super Blue. I rinsed it, dryed it off rubbing hard with cheap paper towels, and then heated it up again and applied more Super Blue. I let it set a few minutes and dryed it off again.
    Then I took a brass-bristled brush and buffed it off hard to the finish you see in these photos:
    Before
    BulgyMakRepair1A.jpg
    After
    Before
    BulgyMakImportMarkReblue2005.jpg
    After
    Before
    BulgyMakRepair2A.jpg
    After

    The stuff you need (+WD-40):
    ReblueStuff.jpg

    Upon finishing the buffing, I sprayed the slide down with WD-40 and let it soak for 30 minutes then I dryed it off and buffed it some more. I wet it down again with WD-40 and kept it soaking for a couple of hours. Finally, I dryed it completely and lubricated it properly for operation and reassembled the pistol. The gun looks better than it did new, and there is no smell thanks to the WD-40 treatment.
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  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    You know, hot water bluing isnt that hard and yield great results along with great durability. I did a Frommer stop pistol in it for 25 bucks. Used Mark Lee bluing solution and a very old pot I got at a thrift store. All you have to do is takedown the gun as much as possible. If you have some basic tools its all you need. When I got this it was all in "the white" with some patches of surface rust, and it was rusted together. Now its a decent shooter as long as I use hot 32acp.

    IO tried a bunch of cold blues but never got anything close to this in quality, durability, and looks. I have done some bolts and such since and they are better yet. This was my first attempt.

    Picture127.jpg
    Picture112.jpg
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  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oxpho and Birchwood have a lot of fans. I like Van's Insta-Blue (Track of the Wolf among other places) Key to ANY bluing will be surface prep- bluing will not hide rough metal. After buffing (wet-or-dry paper used wet for final is pretty good) degrease the metal (alcohol works if your have nothing else) DO NOT touch clean metal with your bare fingers- warm with hair dryer, DO NOT apply with steel wool- a NEW toothbrush works well. Oil well after bluing.
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  • gotstolefromgotstolefrom Member Posts: 1,479 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    11b6r gave you the key...PREPARATION.

    If it doesn't shine like a mirror, keep polishing.
    Any 'booger' seems to stand out more after the cold blue.

    I've used Oxpho as my favorite, sometime multiple times to get the best shading. I don't seem to get an idea of the coloring until I complete it and OIL it.

    A big jar of PATIENCE is also necessary.
    If you have a 'practice gun', that is a GREAT help.

    Good Luck and ENJOY !
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  • zoritozorito Member Posts: 97 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks to all great info and ideas, guess i am not the only one who will be stoned for using cold blue/ Z
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  • nards444nards444 Member Posts: 3,994 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    everything ive heard with cold bluing is that it turns out nice but it doesnt quite last as long as a hot blue. I dont think it really turns out as nice either
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