Is there a process or available chemical to remove bluing from steel?
Hope I am asking this in the right forum
Hope I am asking this in the right forum
Bluing
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OLDSTER
Member
There are all kinds of chemicals and processes available for removing bluing. But one of the most effective, least costly, and safest to use is plain old white vinegar. Many forum members swear by white vinegar. I buy it in gallon jugs at Wal-Mart. As an example, I'll detail disassemble a blued handgun, degrease the parts, lay them in a glass casserole dish, and cover them with the vineagr. I takes a few days, but the results are worth the wait. Good luck. 
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OP
There are all kinds of chemicals and processes available for removing bluing. But one of the most effective, least costly, and safest to use is plain old white vinegar. Many forum members swear by white vinegar. I buy it in gallon jugs at Wal-Mart. As an example, I'll detail disassemble a blued handgun, degrease the parts, lay them in a glass casserole dish, and cover them with the vineagr. I takes a few days, but the results are worth the wait. Good luck.
Thank you so much. !!
Bakebfr480
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Used to be a product called PDQ.
Nathaniel01
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Naval jelly is dirt cheap and works instantly. Got Loctite brand at Lowe's or Home Depot. Any acid will remove rust, and bluing and Parkerizing are "rust".
I used Naval Jelly for many years to remove bluing of any form from parts. Works in minutes or sometimes seconds even on hot salt bluing. Takes a few more minutes to begin working on rust bluing but will clear that too.
Sometimes you have to go back and brush on a second coat to get the job done. Even then the surface will be left with some streaks in it or uneven colored areas. But those polish right back up to clean metal with little work,,usually when you are rinsing the N/J off the surfaces by using a fine scotchbrite pad or steel wood.
I've used muriatic acid (crude hydrochloric acid,,pool acid) for the last 20yrs or so.
A very dilute soln,,perhaps only a couple tbs /per gal of water.
Let the degreased parts soak in it and the blue will be gone right to the clean steel. No, it won't pit the steel,,just don't forget they are in there and go on a long weekend somewhere.
Takes anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
I've left parts in that stuff for a few hrs in removing heat scale from hard soldering (good for that too) with no damage to the steel surfaces. They come out a clean even light grey color and polish back bright with nothing but a scotchbrite or steel wool.
I don't plug bores of pistol bbls,,they go right into the stuff.
I still use Naval Jelly for removing blue from long gun bbls. It's easier to brush on the stuff than to have a tank or tube of the acid soln hanging around for long bbl work.
Vinegar works, ketchup works (has vinegar in it),,Pepsi Cola works (has phosphoric acid in it,,the working chemical in Naval Jelly).
Lots of other commercial 'bluing removers' are available from gunsmith supply places like Brownells.
Saves a lot of un-necessary polishing.
Sometimes you have to go back and brush on a second coat to get the job done. Even then the surface will be left with some streaks in it or uneven colored areas. But those polish right back up to clean metal with little work,,usually when you are rinsing the N/J off the surfaces by using a fine scotchbrite pad or steel wood.
I've used muriatic acid (crude hydrochloric acid,,pool acid) for the last 20yrs or so.
A very dilute soln,,perhaps only a couple tbs /per gal of water.
Let the degreased parts soak in it and the blue will be gone right to the clean steel. No, it won't pit the steel,,just don't forget they are in there and go on a long weekend somewhere.
Takes anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
I've left parts in that stuff for a few hrs in removing heat scale from hard soldering (good for that too) with no damage to the steel surfaces. They come out a clean even light grey color and polish back bright with nothing but a scotchbrite or steel wool.
I don't plug bores of pistol bbls,,they go right into the stuff.
I still use Naval Jelly for removing blue from long gun bbls. It's easier to brush on the stuff than to have a tank or tube of the acid soln hanging around for long bbl work.
Vinegar works, ketchup works (has vinegar in it),,Pepsi Cola works (has phosphoric acid in it,,the working chemical in Naval Jelly).
Lots of other commercial 'bluing removers' are available from gunsmith supply places like Brownells.
Saves a lot of un-necessary polishing.
DWalt
Member
Most anything acidic will work.
Arquebus357
Member
Please look into Evapo-rust. This stuff will completely remove bluing and/or rust from steel. You can reuse it over and over and can probably drink it with no ill effects. The parts below are just as they were when removed from Evapo-rust. No polishing.
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BigMoneyGrip
Member
CLR, calcium, lime and rust, will work. And it works REAL good. I found this out the hard way.
gwpercle
Member
I find Naval Jelly works a little better than vinegar.
Gary
Gary
I used white vinegar on old tools that had rusted from being stored improperly. White vinegar works well. It removes ALL the rust. Needs to soak for at least 1 day, better 2 days. Rinse off with clean water. blow dry with compressed air then coat with light machine oil or CRC for few days to let the oil absorb into the pores of the metal. If you skip the last process, the clean steel will star to oxidize at an accelerated rate. Amazing results with white vinegar and it a cheap, natural substance.
Used Evap-o-Rust on the inside of one of my Indian Chief tanks after it sat for 5 years and white vinegar on the other. Rust only on the bottom wells where the cross-over tubes (outlets) are welded on to both tanks. Worked equally well, Evap-o-Rust was quicker (about 8 hours to do a proper job), the vinegar takes a day or two, but, you could leave it for days longer and it would not harm anything else but the rust. I don't know what would happen if you forgot about the Evap-o-rust for a few days.
Both are re-usable if you filter the rust scum out of it, but vinegar is so cheap just as well pour it down the drain and it will not harm the environment.
Used Evap-o-Rust on the inside of one of my Indian Chief tanks after it sat for 5 years and white vinegar on the other. Rust only on the bottom wells where the cross-over tubes (outlets) are welded on to both tanks. Worked equally well, Evap-o-Rust was quicker (about 8 hours to do a proper job), the vinegar takes a day or two, but, you could leave it for days longer and it would not harm anything else but the rust. I don't know what would happen if you forgot about the Evap-o-rust for a few days.
Both are re-usable if you filter the rust scum out of it, but vinegar is so cheap just as well pour it down the drain and it will not harm the environment.
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