Fide686
Member
I heard about a method for treating the white metal stub left after bobbing a case colored hammer using oil and heat.
Does anyone know the correct technique?
Thanks.
Does anyone know the correct technique?
Thanks.
Method for case coloring white metal bobbed spur
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LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Case hardening is more than a decorative coloring treatment, it is a method of hardening the steel alloy to withstand surface wear and provide greater strength in use.
The traditional methods utilize carbon, usually in the form of bone meal or shards of leather encased with the part in a container that is heated to near the liquidus state, then drenched in oil or water. The degree of hardness imparted will vary, but is typically limited to the surface areas. Done properly, the surfaces will have a significant increase in abrasion and wear resistance. Done improperly, the part may become warped or deformed beyond any further usefulness.
It might be possible to perform a heat-bluing to the newly exposed bare steel areas by heating with a torch and quenching in oil. It is probably at least equally possible that such an attempt would defeat the original hardening of the part and result in annealing and softening the steel to some degree.
If the only concern is the cosmetics of the bare exposed steel where the hammer spur has been removed you may be better off using a bit of cold bluing (copper sulfate solution) to impart some surface coloring without the dangers of improper attempts to duplicate the color case hardening of the original finish.
Then again, if you are feeling particularly adventurous you might want to experiment with sodium cyanide heated to a vaporous form within a sealed container sufficient to contain the part and withstand the required heat. Probably best to do this outdoors while wearing a full hazmat suit with sealed internal breathing apparatus, monitoring wind conditions to protect the neighborhood from lethal gases. The good folks at Colt used to do this regularly for their famous "fire-blued" finishes on hammers and triggers, but they had a full industrial plant and very experienced engineers and technicians.
Personally, I would spend a few bucks on a bottle of cold bluing solution and call it a done project.
The traditional methods utilize carbon, usually in the form of bone meal or shards of leather encased with the part in a container that is heated to near the liquidus state, then drenched in oil or water. The degree of hardness imparted will vary, but is typically limited to the surface areas. Done properly, the surfaces will have a significant increase in abrasion and wear resistance. Done improperly, the part may become warped or deformed beyond any further usefulness.
It might be possible to perform a heat-bluing to the newly exposed bare steel areas by heating with a torch and quenching in oil. It is probably at least equally possible that such an attempt would defeat the original hardening of the part and result in annealing and softening the steel to some degree.
If the only concern is the cosmetics of the bare exposed steel where the hammer spur has been removed you may be better off using a bit of cold bluing (copper sulfate solution) to impart some surface coloring without the dangers of improper attempts to duplicate the color case hardening of the original finish.
Then again, if you are feeling particularly adventurous you might want to experiment with sodium cyanide heated to a vaporous form within a sealed container sufficient to contain the part and withstand the required heat. Probably best to do this outdoors while wearing a full hazmat suit with sealed internal breathing apparatus, monitoring wind conditions to protect the neighborhood from lethal gases. The good folks at Colt used to do this regularly for their famous "fire-blued" finishes on hammers and triggers, but they had a full industrial plant and very experienced engineers and technicians.
Personally, I would spend a few bucks on a bottle of cold bluing solution and call it a done project.
You also need to do any heating with a bare hammer. You would destroy the sear spring, may wreck the hardening and temper of the nose and DA sear and the single action sear.
Sorings are tempered at about 700-850f, but the hamerr nose maybe 500f at most and the case hardening sears are probably fully hard and will start to soften above 350f.
Getting the back side if the hammer hot enough to have much effect without getting the rest above 350f would be difficult.
I suggest getting some good cold blue and Plum Brown, stick the part in an oven at 300 and then use small dappers of each the spot the back of hammer to get a molted look.
Sorings are tempered at about 700-850f, but the hamerr nose maybe 500f at most and the case hardening sears are probably fully hard and will start to soften above 350f.
Getting the back side if the hammer hot enough to have much effect without getting the rest above 350f would be difficult.
I suggest getting some good cold blue and Plum Brown, stick the part in an oven at 300 and then use small dappers of each the spot the back of hammer to get a molted look.
OP
Fide686
Member
Since the closest neighbor is downwind of me, I think I'll skip the poison gas method. Plus, I don't want to pick up a bunch of dead birds. I'm just looking to camouflage the stub without doing any damage to the hammer.
As LGL noted above, I have used cold blue. If you want to mimic color casehardening, use a Q-tip and spot it on, darker and lighter in different areas.
OP
Fide686
Member
Thank you all. I'll be buying a bottle of cold blue, and raiding the Q-tip supply. Your advice is much appreciated.
God Bless.
God Bless.
Actually if you want more of a brown color dap on some regular mustard and let it sit for a day. Seriously have used it to force patina a knife blade.
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racer19j
Member
I just bobbed a K frame hammer a couple of days ago. It came on a LE trade in 64-5. Apparently the gun was dropped at some point because the spur was bent. Good opportunity to bob a hammer. Used a factory bobbed hammer as a pattern and Birchwood Casey Super Blue to color it. The one on the left is the modified hammer and the one on the right is the OEM hammer. I used a Q-tip to apply tree coats of bluing just on the bare steel then brushed it with a brass bristle brush. Came out pretty close to the original color.
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Marshal Too Sweet
Member
I have gotten good results using cold blue, water and a q tip. The water mix will give some unique colors. Just expierme with a piece of clean degreased metal.
Any cold bluing solution will give best results by heating the metal. But just enough that you don't want to touch it. And a hair dryer will do that. No risk at all the original case hardening or bluing.
I didn't hear what model the hammer was from. I know what I'm doing with a milled steel part. If hammer is MIM or Cast I don't think same methods will work. Just my guess, never did anything but steel.
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