Cold bluing

[TooJung2Die]

A couple of members asked me about cold bluing. So here's a few things I've learned about it.

Cold bluing will not give you the deep blue you get from the factory. At best it is a close facsimile of hot bluing. It scratches easily and frequent handling can rub it off. It's best for spot repairs but I've gotten acceptable results on barrels and receivers.

I'm using Birchwood Casey Perma Blue because that's what I have on hand. I've read that Brownells Oxpho Blue works better. I'll have to try some.

The instructions on the bottle are really all you need to know but there are a few more things I do that get me more reliable results. Most important, The steel has to be absolutely clean and grease free. It has to be completely "in the white". You want bare silver colored steel. That means no old bluing or rust anywhere. Wear surgical gloves so you don't get any finger prints on the steel by touching it. Finger prints will show up in the blue.

Birchwood Casey makes a rust and bluing remover that works quite well and I use it. Another product that works well is CLR cleaner (calcium, lime and rust). It's in the bathroom cleaning isle of the grocery store. I tried it on a hunch and it worked as well as the more expensive Birchwood Casey product. It gets every speck of old rust out of pitted steel. Use Scotch-Brite, sand paper, steel wool or a wire brush. Whatever it takes to get it clean.

After you've cleaned the steel using solvents and rust removers you must wash the steel in Dawn dish soap and hot water. Use a Scotch-Brite pad to scrub the surface. Then rinse thoroughly in cold water. If you fail to do this step the bluing solution will not spread evenly on the steel and will tend to bead up. If the bluing solution is beading up the steel is not clean enough yet.

Warming up the steel will speed up the oxidation that causes the blue and dries the steel. Make it hot but not too hot to hold. A few seconds with a heat gun warms it up just right.

I like to use a cheap foam paint brush to apply the bluing solution. A small foam brush will hold enough solution to do almost a whole barrel at once. You want to apply the bluing quickly and evenly.

After letting the solution work for a couple of minutes wash it off with Dawn soap and water. Repeat all these steps from washing with soap to applying the solution at least another two or three times. More if you want a deeper blue. At some point it won't get any darker.

After the last treatment coat the blue generously with gun oil and let it soak in overnight.

These tips work pretty good for me. I'm very interested in hearing what you do to get the most out of cold bluing.

Thanks,
Jon

[avator]

Thanks for this Jon as well as the phone conversation. When hearing about bluing, I must admit I was intimidated. As with most things that I've not seen done. Between this post and our conversation I am somewhat confident I can do this....  we shall see...lol. I would have rather left my 101 in it's current condition than to have a failed attempt to blue it.

[TooJung2Die]

It's not rocket science. Try it on a small item first like a trigger guard. You'll be happy to discover how easy it is to do. Next thing you know I'm bluing everything in sight. I can't emphasize enough the importance of getting the area to be cold blued as clean as possible. That is really the only trick to success.

[avator]

I have a couple Crosman barrel cuts off here from 2240 projects. They are about 7" long and would be prefect for testing. Thanks again for yet another good tip.

[SpiralGroove]

+1 TooJung,
I've used Birchwood Casey cold blue since high school.  Have never done any large areas, just spot touching up.
When done, you forget there was ever a blemish.   Can easily redo area if gets worn off.

Kirk

[rsterne]

I prefer Van's Blue, available only online, over Birchwood Casey's.... but I've never tried Oxpho, which I understand is even better....

http://www.vansgunblue.com/

Bob

[sixshootertexan]

I used the Oxpho-Blue. I did a test piece where I had 4 different surface finishes. The surface on the right was near mirror finish before bluing.

[nervoustrigger]

I prefer Van's Blue, available only online, over Birchwood Casey's....

I prefer Van's as well.   It is a type of parkerizing treatment so it offers some protection from rust.  I think Oxpho Blue falls into the same category. 

I could not get the Birchwood Casey Super Blue to cooperate.  It works quickly to blue the steel, but try as I might to clean, neutralize and oil the surface, I still found the steel to be susceptible to developing surface rust.  Not so with Van's Blue.

[avator]

I ordered the Birchwood Casey barrel and stock refinishing kit. I'll give it a shot on these barrel drops. If I'm not happy I'll go with one of the others mentioned here. I'm not trying to make this gun look brand new, it's a 1937 and I don't want to take all the character away from it. I just want to keep it up. It's a good shooter.

[TooJung2Die]

Bill and I talked about a late 40's Crosman 101 I refreshed. The airgun was all painted from the factory but I decided to blue the steel (barrel, pump tube, trigger guard etc.) and painted the cast parts. Recently I rejuvenated a WWII Savage made Lee Enfield No4MkI*. I stripped and cold blued everything on that gun. Next to it is it's cleaned but unblued twin to show the before and after. I used Birchwood Casey Perma Blue. I'm satisfied but I'm going to have to try Vans or Oxpho blue next.
Jon

[avator]

I was going to leave my '37 101 alone until I saw what Jon did with his. Before I saw it I was worried that refinishing the gun would take that "classic" look away from it. Not the case with Jon's. IMO. I mean, let's face it, I'll never retire on the value of a Crosman 101 no matter what the condition or age of it. So, I ordered the Birchwood Casey kit that Jon used on his and I am hopeful for the same results. I'm sure there are better products out there but, I have $80 + shipping in my 101 (and it's a shooter) and the kit was $20. I feel comfortable with that amount invested. I'm pretty handy with tinkering altho I've never experienced the "cold bluing" process. Jon was kind enough to share his technique with me on the phone and it seemed simple enough, providing you follow the rules... clean clean clean to "white" steel, warm the pieces to be blued and wear rubber gloves to avoid finger prints. Rinse thoroughly and repeat until desired results are realized. Like I said, I have several barrel drops and 1377 stock barrels to test before the money run. Here's a pic of mine in it's current state. I will post the after pics when done.