Blueing Maintenance

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whats the proper procedure for maintaining a blued finish. I have a M29-4 that has some light scratches and scuffs. Also when cleaning the gun what solvent can be used to remove powder / copper that wont tear up the blueing on the gun. I am used to stainless steel where I didnt have to be concerned with damaging a deep blue finish
 
Virtually all powder solvents are safe on blued guns.

Use wax to protect the finish, either Renaissance (available from Midway or Amazon) or J&J paste wax.
 
Bluing is pretty durable as long as you clean the gun after each use and keep a light coat of gun oil on it when not in use. If it gets wet, dry it off and wipe down with an oiled patch. That's about it.
 
whats the proper procedure for maintaining a blued finish. I have a M29-4 that has some light scratches and scuffs. Also when cleaning the gun what solvent can be used to remove powder / copper that wont tear up the blueing on the gun. I am used to stainless steel where I didnt have to be concerned with damaging a deep blue finish

Hoppes No 9 for solvent, Break Free CLP for lube and corrosion protection.

As to scratches and scuffs, do nothing. Any gun is going to get them with use, and honest use will not lessen the value of your gun as much as refinishing or a do-it-yourself solution.
 
To add to the above, light or heavy scratches in a blued gun are forever and cannot be "buffed out". The only way to repair them is a total re-blue of the gun.

All metal polishes, even fine ones like Flitz are abrasives, which is what a polish is.
Any attempts to polish out scratches will only thin or even remove the bluing, depending on how hard you rub or how often you use it.

The best ways to take care of the finish is to keep a thin coat of a rust preventing cleaner-lubricant like CLP Breakfree on it, or to use a wax like Johnson's Paste Wax or the excellent Renaissance Hard Carnuba Museum Wax...... NO CAR WAX.

The CLP or wax will clean dirt from the surface and protect it from corrosion.
 
thanks guys. i cleaned it up with Eds Red and gave it light coat of CLP and it evened out the bluing and it looks great. It will lookeeven better when I mount the Altamonte finger grove grip I picked up today.
 
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