Gun bluing quesiton

H

hal9000

New member
Evening everyone.

I recently ran across something that has me wondering a little bit... I'm a former jeweler/metalsmith, so when I recently had to machine the head of a bolt for a new action screw on an old rifle I had just bedded, I ended up reaching for my old bottle of trublack to darken it back up since I don't have any bluing compound. This stuff is sold for blackening brass, copper, silver, and other non-ferrous metals, and is a selenium dioxide solution if I'm not mistaken. But it worked perfectly on the steel bolt. So in the interest of determining the difference between this and the DIY bluing compounds I figured I'd ask and see if anybody either knows the chemistry for the home bluing agents or what the difference between them and trublack is?

Thanks
 
I think you'd do better by heat bluing if it's only a screw. All you need is a propane torch. Heat until the temper color is blue .cool it in some oil.
 
Express bluing is more durable that hot salt bluing. Another advantage of express bluing is that it can be done at home.

1) Degrease.
2) Heat.
3) Apply.
4) Boil for 10 minutes.
5) Card.

Repeat steps 2-5 for two more or up to six times. Then after last carding, hit with oil (not WD-40) and let it cure for 24 hours.

One thing about Express bluing is it is more labor intensive than hot salt bluing. But it requires less equipment and can be done at home.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I was just curious. The tru black was just my 5 second fix for a knock around rifle. I've got some other projects in the works that I'm far more concerned with which is why I wanted to ask.

Gary, the abbreviated process for express bluing you posted sounds a lot like the process for rust bluing. What is the bluing solution for this process?
 
A lot of the cold bluing is made by the same few companies, and just re-bottled for the distributors. About all have the same formula, or close to it, and is selenium based. If I remember correctly, Brownell's now owns the Formula 44/40 brand, and I think it was made the same as their brand, and is why the ended up purchasing them. The tougher blue, though, would be to heat it to a dark blue spring temper.
 
That Express Bluing sounds an awful lot like rust bluing, and it is indeed very durable. After all, it was used for a couple of centuries before salt bluing came into use in the 1930's.

Jim
 
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