tubbyfirefighter
New member
Has anyone had any luck with their cold blue, i tried it and didnt have good results?
Birchwood & Casey Perma Blue
- Thread starter tubbyfirefighter
- Start date
Lessons learned the hard way !!
Somewhat in defense of Birchwood Casey, cold bluing in general would not meet your expectations. It's good for spot areas but save you labor if you are looking for factoy results on a barrel or reciever. I no longer even try and some others do with surprisingly good results. They next step up, in the rust-bluing is better product but of course profesional shops are best. ....
Might add that Birchwood Casey makes some very fine product. ....
Be Safe !!!
Somewhat in defense of Birchwood Casey, cold bluing in general would not meet your expectations. It's good for spot areas but save you labor if you are looking for factoy results on a barrel or reciever. I no longer even try and some others do with surprisingly good results. They next step up, in the rust-bluing is better product but of course profesional shops are best. ....
Might add that Birchwood Casey makes some very fine product. ....
Be Safe !!!
Last edited:
FrankenMauser
New member
The B/C Perma Blue requires pristine metal to provide good results. If you don't get every last bit of oil, dirt, and other contaminants... You won't get a good finish.
Their Cleaner/Degreaser works well, and comes in the two-pack and three-pack "kits".
The Perma Blue, alone, requires you to use your own degreaser (acetone, denatured alcohol, whatever is available).
Most people have a strong opinion about cold bluing, with only two predominant opinions:
1. It sucks, and shouldn't ever be used for anything more than spot touch-ups.
2. It's fine for entire guns.
...But the "it's fine for entire guns" crowd always manage to leave out the qualifying statement of "You have to put in the effort to properly clean and degrease the metal".
I've seen entire rifles finished with the B/C Cold Blue, and they look fantastic. For example: Cornbush has a sporterized Type 99 Arisaka that was refinished with the product, and it has one of the deepest, most lustrous bluing jobs I've ever seen. ...But he spent nearly two days on metal prep, and applied something like 11 coats of Perma Blue.
It doesn't work well for lazy people. But, if you put in the time, and use the right cleaners, it'll result in a very nice finish. (It isn't as durable as a hot blue, but will still last long enough to be worth it.)
Their Cleaner/Degreaser works well, and comes in the two-pack and three-pack "kits".
The Perma Blue, alone, requires you to use your own degreaser (acetone, denatured alcohol, whatever is available).
Most people have a strong opinion about cold bluing, with only two predominant opinions:
1. It sucks, and shouldn't ever be used for anything more than spot touch-ups.
2. It's fine for entire guns.
...But the "it's fine for entire guns" crowd always manage to leave out the qualifying statement of "You have to put in the effort to properly clean and degrease the metal".
I've seen entire rifles finished with the B/C Cold Blue, and they look fantastic. For example: Cornbush has a sporterized Type 99 Arisaka that was refinished with the product, and it has one of the deepest, most lustrous bluing jobs I've ever seen. ...But he spent nearly two days on metal prep, and applied something like 11 coats of Perma Blue.
It doesn't work well for lazy people. But, if you put in the time, and use the right cleaners, it'll result in a very nice finish. (It isn't as durable as a hot blue, but will still last long enough to be worth it.)
You have to prep the metal properly. Absolutely correct. Same goes for hot blue, if you don't prep the metal right, your results will look like crap.
I used BC cold blue to do the bolt handles of a couple of Mausers decades ago. got lovely results. Did wear sooner than a good hot blue job would have, but then, it was simple, quick and easy to do, compared to a hot blue.
Doing touch ups with cold blue is a little tricky, not the blueing, but getting the cold blued place to match the rest of the gun. You can do it, its a matter of timing. Recommend you practice on a piece of steel till you get a good color match, before bluing the gun.
I used BC cold blue to do the bolt handles of a couple of Mausers decades ago. got lovely results. Did wear sooner than a good hot blue job would have, but then, it was simple, quick and easy to do, compared to a hot blue.
Doing touch ups with cold blue is a little tricky, not the blueing, but getting the cold blued place to match the rest of the gun. You can do it, its a matter of timing. Recommend you practice on a piece of steel till you get a good color match, before bluing the gun.
Degrease the metal with acetone (hardware/paint store). Do it again with a new rag. Don't touch with your bare hands now. Use a hair dryer to warm the metal up. Not so hot you can't hold onto it but almost. Apply some bluing. If you don't see an immediate reaction your metal still has oil or something on it or the metal is some type of alloy or stainless. Wipe off excess. Take a soft wire brush or a very fine Scotchbrite pad and lightly scuff the surface very lightly. The metal will become a little less dark but the color will even out and be more of a dark gray color. This is called "carding". Now take a piece of paper towel and place just a couple of drops of blue on it. Rub the metal real good with it. It will get darker. Repeat until your metal stops getting darker or matches what you need. A very nice color can be acheived with cold blue but unfortunately it will wear off very quickly. A holster will erase it while you watch. It's great for touching up small areas and parts.