Can you blue stainless?

[notsofast]

Can I get a stainless revolver blued? If so any special prep, if not are there any other blue/black finishes I could use? I'm new to the forum, appreciate being here, I filled in a little info about myself in the introduction thread. I have a Model 60 (1974), and a 627 Pro purchased a few months ago.

 

[Alk8944]

In a word, yes. Not all re-finishers will do this, and there can be durability issues. You would probably be better off with black nickle. Google firearms refinishing or bluing and see what their web sites have to say about stainless options.

 

[Fishslayer]

I don't believe so. Blueing itself is a form of corrosion/rust. While "stainless" would be more accurately termed "Stain Rsistant" I don't think it would take to it too well.

You would probably be better off with black nickle.

That stuff looks just awesome.

 

[Engine49guy]

Smith offered a black finished SS Model 686 called "Black Midnight" as I recall.
Might be more of a paint on finish though.

If you prefer a blued S&W you should really consider buying a blued one as it lowers the guns value to alter it IMHO .

The Model 60 came in both blue and nickel finishes as the Model 36.
The blued/nickel 27 is still available new.

 

[1 old 0311]

I discussed this with Fords. The answer is NO. They can do a blue/black type finish on it but it isn't blue.

 

[brothersracing2]

My answer would be no.
Any steel with 11% or more Chromium is considered "stainless steel" The Chromium is what allows the the material to form a passive Chromium Oxide barrier, Cr02, this protects the surface of the metal thus equating to "stainless".
My assumption is that the gun in question was made with 400 series stainless steel, it is ferrritic stainless, magnetic and somewhat rust resistant. Different alloys are added dependent on it's intended use.
You have to remember "stainless" is nothing more than a crystalline structure, once you break the "passive structure" of the Chromium you have destroyed the intent of the product.
Blueing a stainless steel firearm which is basically and acid bath will modify the crystalline structure of the metal, hence it will no longer be passive (stainless).
A quick example is if you leave mustard on a stainless steel knife at home for several days when washed it will reflect brown spots, this is due to the acid content in the mustard breaking down the Chromium.
The only true "acid resistant" stainless steel is Type 316 which is considered marine grade, next would be Type 304 which is considered dairy/food grade. Neither of these is malleable enough to use in the hardening process for weapon manufacturing.
If you are wanting to dye the weapon you will have to coat it and heat treat it in a Hydrogen Atmosphere retort furnace (a upside down bell that holds the H2 or use a Humpback furnace which is designed to to hold the H2 down because it has a tendency to rise.
I would have to concur with the others, purchase a "blued" firearm and call it a day...just saying.

 

[dfariswheel]

The stainless steels used in guns can be blued.

Brownell's sell the special bluing chemical, and some of the better gun re-finishers offer stainless bluing.
Apparently Ford's had problems and stopped:

OXYNATE® NO. 84 - HOT CHEMICAL BLUING COMPOUND - Brownells

Black chrome is not a particularly durable finish, but more so then bluing.
It's about as durable as standard bright nickel.

There are other methods of blackening stainless. One good one is Coal Creek Armory's Isonite QPQ finish.

 

[Packard]

Bluing is a form of oxidation. Our company makes stainless steel parts and we have them "black oxide" finished. The black oxide and the bluing are not really applied to the surface, but rather they penetrate the steel. Bluing will provide a small measure of corrosion protection; black oxide provides nearly none. Both rely on a light coating of oil for the rust protection.

When we have carbon steel or stainless steel parts black oxided we also top coat them with an acrylic lacquer, or the finish will rub off on your hands. Without either a wax, oil or lacquer coating the carbon steel parts will start to rust before we would get the parts back from the finisher.

 

[dant]

its all in the terminology, is is not really "bluing", it is a darkening, and as said above Brownells has the materials as well as Dulite,it is more "black" than a 'blue', shops have been doing this for years.........as well as some of the gun makers ,Remington, Smith and Winchester come to mind.............
many of the newer finishes on firearms is already more of a "black" than a 'blue' has been for some time now that the formulation for bluing salts has changed,less 'nitre' in them from what it appears......we have NOT 'seen' those blue crystals in any of the stuff coming from Dulite, Houghtons, etc...........

 

[Nightowl]

You might want to investigate the Birdsong Black T finish. Smith sold some 629's with this finish in the late 90's, called the Stealth Hunter. I just purchased one but have not had it long enough to know much about it. It has been fired some and does not show a turn ring, so it seems durable. I read that a lot of Federal agencies use it on their long guns, so it must have some good properties. I kinda like it.