Bluing touch up on aluminum

guitar1580 · Apr 27, 2010

I just got a good deal on a slightly rough "shooter" 37 Airweight. The very top of the aluminum frame had alot of the bluing worn off, and it looked like someone just blobbed on some touch up cold blue. It was even a little sticky.

When I cleaned it good, alot of that came off, leaving the top fairly shiny. Is there any good way to touch it up, or at least darken it up some. I know that the cold blue touch up does not completely hide blemishes, but will anything work good enough to darken up the top a little?

Most of the cold blue I looked up on Brownells does not mention aluminum. The Formula 44/40 does say for any non-stainless steel guns. Anyone have any experience touching up aluminum?

Thanks,
Josh P

sipowicz · Apr 27, 2010

Blue doesn't work on aluminum...the black finish on the frame is anodized...only the cylinder and barrel are blue...

NFrameFred · Apr 27, 2010

Actually, Birchwood-Casey makes an aluminum blacking solution, it comes in a small plastic 3 oz bottle and sells for around 8 bucks. ( also comes in industrial sizes of 1 and 5 gallons for those BIG scratches)

I've used it in the past with mixed results, but it's good for covering small scratches and such - don't know how it would do on large areas . . . . as I recall it's a stop gap measure and not extremely durable.

A quick search on the net turned up places like this that sell it; I think I used to order mine from Brownell's . . . .

guitar1580 · Apr 27, 2010

Are the older Airweights black too? This is a 1974 pinned barrel style, and the frame looks blue to me, but then again, my eyes aren't what they used to be.

JP

gregintenn · Apr 27, 2010

The frame is. You can't "blue" aluminum.

Bluing touch up on aluminum

guitar1580

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sipowicz

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NFrameFred

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