Flitz

[Doug627]

I bought a tube of Flitz serval years ago and used it on a re-blued firearm. It removed the bluing where I started to clean the firearm. Afterward (wrong time), I read a little more closely and saw where it said it would not harm factory blued forearms but would take the blue off re-blued forearms. Skip ahead to today. I bought a Triple Lock and the seller thought it had been re-blued. I was cleaning revolvers and came to the Triple Lock. It does not appear to re-blued to me because the pins were not buffed smooth. I tested the Flits on the frame under the stocks and it did not damage the bluing. I then did the whole firearm with no loss of bluing. Can I assume the bluing is original? There are no markings from the factory saying it was returned for re-bluing.

 

[Shrike6]

I think you have discovered a new and easy test to check for rebluing. Well done!

 

[mrcvs]

Since it’s a Triple Lock, photographs please!

 

[stansdds]

I'm sure Flitz will remove a poorly applied re-blue and cold blue, not so sure it would remove a properly reblued finish. It might also remove S&W's current (year 2000 to present) factory blue finish.

 

[diyj98]

I'm sure Flitz will remove a poorly applied re-blue and cold blue, not so sure it would remove a properly reblued finish. It might also remove S&W's current (year 2000 to present) factory blue finish.

Bingo. Flitz is not going to tell you if a gun has been reblued properly, only that's it's had cold blue applied.

 

[Truckman]

I use Flitz almost exclusively for cleaning (I even buy it in the 2 pound cans to save money)...I only had one instance where bluing was removed, and that was on a heavily soiled and encrusted cylinder face...Other than that I have had zero problems......Ben

 

[Doug627]

The firearm where the Flitz removed the bluing was hot blued.

 

[Doug627]

I found this on the Flitz website:

Can Flitz be used on Gun Bluing?
As long as the gun has been blued during manufacturing, or hot-blued. This type of bluing is actually made part of the metal. Flitz will clean and protect the barrel inside and out without any oily film or danger to the inside of the barrel.
If the gun has been cold-blued, then the bluing has been painted on. Flitz will treat this like graffiti and clean it off of the surface of the barrel. Check with a qualified gunsmith to be sure.

 

[stansdds]

The firearm where the Flitz removed the bluing was hot blued.

Then I would say it was a poorly done hot blue.

 

[kraynky]

I used some flitz from a tube on a Marlin receiver where brass has had left marks behind the loading gate. It finally got the brass removed, but in the sunlight, the bluing had a very noticeable thin spot.

So it will remove bluing if you work at it long enough. I did learn my lesson.

 

[diyj98]

It is an abrasive. It will remove ANY bluing if rubbed long or hard enough. It just removes cold bluing very easily. Most old guns have bluing removed from just being carried or used. I can take a soft dish rag and remove factory bluing if I have the time (a long time) and patience to do so.