Cold Bluing
- Thread starter remo
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
sureshotbob
Member
I've had very good luck with Brownell's Oxpho-blue for touching up even over old bluing.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 19,885
- Reaction score
- 31,894
OK, here's my 35 year experience with cold bluing............
If you are going to shoot the gun only "once in a blue moon", you might make it look better with some of the cold bluing's. The best of the lot is probably Oxpho -Blue from Brownells, and 44/40. There is a Birchwood - Casey paste (comes in a tube) that is OK as well.
If you intend to use this as a weekly shooter, don't bother as even the best of the cold blue's wear off rather quickly.
Some people on this and other Forums have said they have better results if they heat the part being blued in an oven prior to applying it. I never tried it, so I can not comment first hand.
If you do use the cold blue, make sure you put a coat of gun oil on it after you are finished.
Chief38
If you are going to shoot the gun only "once in a blue moon", you might make it look better with some of the cold bluing's. The best of the lot is probably Oxpho -Blue from Brownells, and 44/40. There is a Birchwood - Casey paste (comes in a tube) that is OK as well.
If you intend to use this as a weekly shooter, don't bother as even the best of the cold blue's wear off rather quickly.
Some people on this and other Forums have said they have better results if they heat the part being blued in an oven prior to applying it. I never tried it, so I can not comment first hand.
If you do use the cold blue, make sure you put a coat of gun oil on it after you are finished.
Chief38
Last edited:
Moonman
Member
I redid a complete model 10-5, 4 inch police firearm. Most of the blue was non-existent. I used Oxpho-Blue, did some polishing with a wheel and used a dremel polisher too, 0000 steel wool, heated with a hair dryer before applying OXPHO-BLUE, oiled when finished, and it came out pretty nice compared to the starting deal. I purchased new stocks from S&W and it was good to go. The 10 is just a shooter when I choose to shoot it, but not so embarrassingly ugly like it was with no blue and super worn stocks.
+1 on the Oxpho-Blue, and warming up the metal.
Last year I decided that I wanted to swap the alloy grip frame on my old model Ruger Blackhawk with a steel one.
l bought an "in the white" steel grip frame for a Ruger Old Army, polished it and did a rust blue on it. I did not like the muted results, so I stripped and re-polished it and used Oxpho-Blue. I degreased and warmed it using a pot of boiling water.
I was very happy with the results... and it's been pretty durable for a cold blue.
Brownell's says that depending on the type of alloy steel, some times their Dicropan T-4 works better.
They also said that if an area being touched up with Oxpho-Blue does not take the blue, use some #0000 steel wool with the Oxpho-Blue on it and work it into the metal.
Last year I decided that I wanted to swap the alloy grip frame on my old model Ruger Blackhawk with a steel one.
l bought an "in the white" steel grip frame for a Ruger Old Army, polished it and did a rust blue on it. I did not like the muted results, so I stripped and re-polished it and used Oxpho-Blue. I degreased and warmed it using a pot of boiling water.
I was very happy with the results... and it's been pretty durable for a cold blue.
Brownell's says that depending on the type of alloy steel, some times their Dicropan T-4 works better.
They also said that if an area being touched up with Oxpho-Blue does not take the blue, use some #0000 steel wool with the Oxpho-Blue on it and work it into the metal.
Attachments
I've gotten the best results w/ Oxpho-Blue. I don't attempt to reblue entire guns with it, just touch up tiny marks and the like.
The best thing about it is that there is no after rust with it. No need to flush w/water,and oil ect.
And there's no 'cold blue smell' to it.
Numrich 44-40 and most other stuff has stannic acid or something close to that in it and will rust if not attended to. They can really rust and heavily pit the metal if left alone.
They do a decent job of cold blueing though, and that's what they're advertised to do.
If anything more than touching up a repaired tweaked screw slot, damaged pin head, ect,,, I polish the part out and rust blue it.
With the right polish and blue technique, even rust blue can give a high gloss finish.
But it'll never be a quick finish to apply.
The best thing about it is that there is no after rust with it. No need to flush w/water,and oil ect.
And there's no 'cold blue smell' to it.
Numrich 44-40 and most other stuff has stannic acid or something close to that in it and will rust if not attended to. They can really rust and heavily pit the metal if left alone.
They do a decent job of cold blueing though, and that's what they're advertised to do.
If anything more than touching up a repaired tweaked screw slot, damaged pin head, ect,,, I polish the part out and rust blue it.
With the right polish and blue technique, even rust blue can give a high gloss finish.
But it'll never be a quick finish to apply.
I have successfully used a product called Wonder Blue for minor touchups.
Its a bit fussy with four different chemicals and the need to heat parts, but it "takes" and blends in better than anything else I've tried. No smell, either.
Its a bit fussy with four different chemicals and the need to heat parts, but it "takes" and blends in better than anything else I've tried. No smell, either.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 19,885
- Reaction score
- 31,894
I have corrected the name in my post above. The tube I was referring to is BIRCHWOOD-CASEY Blue, NOT the Gunslick that I mentioned originally. I edited the post. I used this stuff a few months ago with pretty good results. Works as good or better than the Oxpho does.
Chief38
Chief38
climbcut25
Member
Touch and go with Birchwood casey. Some times ok, Some times, wipes right off. (Maybe its me)
I got some Casey super blue. I clean it then lay it out in the sun its 105 hereand it heated up the gun nicely. Put two coats on and it came out not to bad. It's still a little light in the spots I touch up to the old bluing almost like the start of holster wear
