One of the first top-breaks I bought was a .32 DA from 1893. All numbers matched, but the finish was about 10% with quite a bit of pitting. For $75 I figured I couldn't go wrong: if nothing else, it could be a parts donor.

Doing some reading about refinishing blue guns I came across a number of articles praising Brownell's Oxpho-Blue. I decided to buy some and give it a try, and the old .32 figured to be the perfect experiment. I cleaned the gun of oil residue, lightly buffed the metal with 0000 steel wool, and worked in the Oxpho-Blue with cotton balls. Again lightly buffed the metal with 0000 steel wool and worked in a second coat. By this time the gun was a nice even flat blue/black. I was particularly surprised by the trigger guard, which appeared to bare metal. The Oxpho brought out some bluing that I didn't know was there! I gave the gun a final (gentle) polish with steel wool, followed by a clean cloth, and a coat of Renaissance Wax.

While certainly not a high-gloss factory finish, the gun turned out much better than what it originally looked like. I've read that continuing to apply more coats will darken the finish further. My understanding about Oxpho is that it comes out best over existing worn blue, and it certainly looks best on the few spots of original blue on this gun. I have several worn shooters that I'm going to try this on.

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Peter #2091

That looks really good...are you going to post the before photos?

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On the Oak Savannah

My experience has been that all of the cold blue formulations are apparently sensitive to the steel alloy and possibly hardness of the gun's metal. Some parts blue very well, others, not so much. I have found that the Birchwood-Casey formula is probably the best performer overall (including O-P Blue in the comparison), but many gunsmiths like to use 44-40. I always use Acetone or MEK for metal de-greasing prior to use.

Nice job! That really looks good.

Didn't think of that until I was done - duh!

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Peter #2091

Nice job!!

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Go NRA

Looks really good.I have an old 32 hand ejector that could use a touch up.I may try that just for fun.

Looks great! I love Oxphoblue. It works even better of you heat the parts before applying it. I use a small butane torch to heat whatever I am re-bluing. You will find that the bluing will hold up much better if the parts are heated first.

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Cliff

The softer the metal, the better the Oxpho-Blue "takes."

Try to do it on hard metal like modern receivers, and you can forget it.

Flash-rusts when exposed to the least bit of moisture.

Looks like it did a decent job on that parlor pistol.

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WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

I am impressed! I've been thinking of a re-blue for a 32DA 4th,
that actually has some pretty fair blue remaining. I love the
design and craftsmanship in the old DA's. This gives me a whole
new way of looking at the problem. Thanks for sharing. TACC1

I have been using Oxpho Blue for some time over-coating old Snider Enfields and find it the most durable cold blue on the market. This can be applied without cleaning the metal and even penetrates oil. Oxpho Blue does not, however, offer the darkest color, but I like the finish. Most cold blues have an acid that should be neutralized once applied, or you could end up with rust. Oxpho Blue Creme does not rust metal.

I refinish old double-barrel shotguns and have always rust blue the barrels, which is a time consuming repetitive process. Last winter, I restored an old Lefever and it was too cold outside to go through the boiling process, so I temporarily applied Oxpho Blue and found the finish to be excellent. I think I will leave it and see how long it wears.

I do not like to put a torch to metals in old guns, so find that if you boil the parts, that is plenty hot enough to apply Oxpho Blue and provides a good uniform finish with a couple of applications.

The Phillip Webley in the photo was done with 20 repetitions of rust blue. Lot of work, but gives good results. The Lefever before and after pictures with Oxpho Blue.

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I have never blued an entire gun with oxpho blue, but I have done some extensive touch up with it. I have always had excellent results. I prep the metal, degrease it and heat it with a heat gun to a temperture just to hot to hold with bare hands. I card the blued areas afterwards and use repeated applications to deepen the blue to match the finish. I then oil it well and give it a fews days before using the gun. It has always held up well for me and has made some of my so called expert friends take note. A good product. Someone mentioned 44/40 and another brand cold blue. I have used both and have never had the good results that OxPho Blue provides.

I have used Oxpho on both Ruger and S&W guns and had great results.

Before I used Oxpho I did quite a bit of reading on cold bluing. The two products that kept coming up were Oxpho and 44-40. The consensus seemed to be that Oxpho was the better product (it must be true, I read it on the internet). I'm trying some more applications on the old .32 A, but instead of polishing with 0000 steel wool I'm now using some fairly coarse burlap garden netting, which seems to give the same result without endangering what original finish there is.

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Peter #2091

The Phillip Webley in the photo was done with 20 repetitions of rust blue. Lot of work, but gives good results. The Lefever before and after pictures with Oxpho Blue.[/QUOTE]

Glowe - that is a beautiful gun!

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Peter #2091

Several months ago I bought (used) one of those Chiappa .22RF versions of the M1911 .45. It was used, and there was some significant wear on the exterior metal finish. The metal used on these for the slide and receiver is not steel, but some sort of alloy, possibly zinc-based. Anyway, the Birchwood-Casey cold blue worked very well to bring it back to like-new appearance, so it will work on some metals other than steel.

I believe most of these formulas deposit a copper surface which is colored blue by selenium, and I doubt there is a great deal of difference in the chemical makeup among them. A little heating of the metal before application does help a little.

Years ago Brownell's stated in one of their fliers that all cold blues were essentially the same. Different results with differing brands are probably the result of working on different alloys and hardnesses of metal, temperature, metal prep, residue left on or in the metal, cleanliness of applicators, etc.

Actually, formulations do differ and results can differ between various cold blues. Here is a list of ingredients for 3 cold blues. 44-40 does not list their ingredients.

Oxpho Blue
Selenious Acid
Phosphoric Acid
Copper Sulfate
Nickel Sulfate
Water

Dicropan T-4
Selenious Acid
Cupric Nitrate
Nitric Acid
Phosphoric Acid
Polyoxyethylenetridecyl Alcohol

Birchwood Casey Perma Blue Paste
Selenious Acid
Nitric Acid
Cupric Sulfate
Polyoxyethylene Stearyl Wax Derivatives

Brownells has a video that might be worth watching if anyone does not have much experience with using these products.
GunTech : Introduction to Cold Blue Finishes - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS

Anyone observe the experts "sniff" a firearm when evaluating or appraising it? There is a telltale odor that tells the expert that somebody has 'enhanced' the condition. Mike #283

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Mike Maher #283

Yeah. Its a sulphur/rotten egg type of smell.

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Cliff

You get much less of the COLD BLUE odor with Oxpho. I used all of the mentioned in paste, or liquid form...heated and none and Oxpho has the least smell, the toughest finish, the easiest to apply, but the lightest blue. More of a gray-blue finish on most steels.

The common factors in all these formulations are copper and selenium compounds. The other ingredients may or may not make some difference in appearance depending upon the alloy. The main thing to remember is that the surface to which it is applied may appear blue, but it is not nearly as durable as a hot oxide blue or a rust blue finish. That's why these products are advertised as being intended for touch-up use in areas of wear, for which they are perfectly suitable, as they can be easily re-applied as necessary. Not that one can't use liquid bluing for an entire gun, but you can't expect it to last forever. But it's much cheaper than a hot blue job.

Hot blues are labor intensive and a bit hazardous, but not that expensive. I made a pan from mild steel and got the lye and nitrates from a drug store. Stovetop heat source. Still have the scars from that lye!
These days, Brownells and others sell bluing salts, tanks, and all the polishing gear.

The higher the metal polish the glossier the blue. If you know how to buff with a power buffer and not ruin the lines and contours the Oxpho blue CREME will give you a bright like new Smith pre war finish. After using 2000 grit paper, use a soft buffing wheel with red rough for final polish. I use at least 3 coats for a deep shiny blue.
Notice the cylinder, grip frame and ejector rod hsg on this Ruger after a year of use. Ignore the glare spots from poor lighting.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Hot bluing is fine if you are in the business of bluing. You do need a metal (NOT Aluminum) bluing tank big enough to hold the parts you are bluing, a way to heat the solution (gas is best), and have narrow control over its temperature. Too hot or not hot enough won't work. You also need to have the metal to be blued scrupulously clean (in addition to having a good polish) to avoid streaking. Doing all this properly is not so cheap for a one-shot deal. Don't try doing this in on your kitchen stove or it will be even more expensive.

There are formulas available for making up home-made bluing solutions, but I wouldn't bother. If you're serious, get the bluing chemicals you need from Brownell's as their products work. They are not cheap either.

While all of this can be done by a garage gunsmith, it's just not worth the expense and effort for one or two guns.

I just got through applying Oxpho-Blue to a bare Bisley grip frame for my Ruger convertible. I applied four or five coats with buffing and drying between coats and it looks good to me.

I gave it a good coat of Kroil and it's hanging above my bench. I intend to put a coat of wax on it before reassembling it.

Can anyone tell me if there is and what the period of time is to wait before handling after Oxpho-Blue?

TIA, Will

Sorry I entered through an interent search for Oxpho-Blue and posted in S&W Antigues which my Ruger certainly is not. Please redirect if needed.

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God Bless America

I don't think there is any particular minimum time required prior to handling after O-P-B application (or any other of the touch-up bluing compounds).