Slow Blue/Black a T/C Barrel

[Theditchman]

I have been slow bluing a T/C Hawken barrel for the first time and after 4 boilings it seems to be coming along very nice...The only thing is that I thought it would be blue but it is jet black...Maybe the rusting agent I am using (Wilkingsons)..I will post some pics later today when I'm finished..If this works out good I shall be doing it to all my Hawkens

[LAGS]

Slow Rust Bluing does Not produce a Shiny Blue Finish.
It is more of a Mat Black Finish.
But the rust protection is Far Better than most Bluing finishes.
But the finish is not as flat as Parkerizing

[Theditchman]

I did spend a long time on barrel prep..It was super polished before I started..but lets see how it turns out...I'll know soon enough

[LAGS]

Actually,
When you do a Slow Rust Blue, You do Not Polish out the parts to a Mirror Finish.
You bead Blast it, or Sand Blast the parts to open up the metal and allow it to rust better.
Or at best, polish the parts with 220 grit paper.
But by repeated coats, and light polishing, you can smooth out the surface to where it is a Smooth Black Finish.
If the parts are to a Mirror Finish, the Acid will streak when being applied.
Sort of like putting water on Glass.
It beads up, and gives a streaky finish.
More Coats will Correct any Defects, so don't give up.
This is one of many rifles I did in the slow rust finish

[Theditchman]

You are absolutely right and I really appreciate the tips....Here are the pics...I'm not the best photographer..this was with 5 coats..I was going to do more but my tank started leaking and had to stop

[LAGS]

You really don't need to PLUG the barrel when doing Slow Rust.
If you do not put Acid in the Bore, you will only get Flash Rust at best.
But it is your option, you are doing nothing Wrong.
Looks Good.
I have several rifles to Re-Blue before the end of the year.
I prefer the Slow Rust or Browning over Hot Bluing.
Everyone I know that did Hot Bluing for any length of time , ended up with some kind of Cancer.
Must be the chemical Exposure.

[Theditchman]

thanks for your help....when I move to Arizona the first brews on me

[LAGS]

Not a problem.
If you come out to look around in the mean time, lets meet up at one of the ranges.

[LAGS]

BTW
There is one thing that I do when I am done Slow Rust Bluing my rifles.
When I do what I consider the Last Rust, I boil the parts, and rather than Buffing or Carding off the last coat of black Powder, I coat the whole thing with Three in One machine oil or light machine oil.
Then I let it sit overnight to Cure.
The next day, I buff off all the parts with an old T Shirt or soft cloth.
This seems to give a better Darker finish, than does Carding before putting the oil on the barrel.

[Theditchman]

I'm doing another barrel soon ....I shall try this I am going back to Britain next week for a cpl of weeks...I shall Return !!!

[LAGS]

Have a safe trip, and don't eat to many Fish and Chips.
That is the one thing that Brits I know miss about England when they move here.

[indian joe]

You really don't need to PLUG the barrel when doing Slow Rust.
If you do not put Acid in the Bore, you will only get Flash Rust at best.
But it is your option, you are doing nothing Wrong.
Looks Good.
I have several rifles to Re-Blue before the end of the year.
I prefer the Slow Rust or Browning over Hot Bluing.
Everyone I know that did Hot Bluing for any length of time , ended up with some kind of Cancer.
Must be the chemical Exposure.

Whoa! that last bit is going in my memory bank for sure.

Lags - how do/did they do that blue finish like we see on some older shotguns ?
I can get it with one quick pass of an oxy torch on non critical parts like magazine tubes and steel buttplates but how to get that same nice blue colour on barrels and actions?
Thanks.

[LAGS]

What you are referring to about Bluing with your Torch is called "Lamping"
You heat the part up , then quench it in or rub oil on it.
I do small parts like butt plates like that if the whole gun does not need refinishing.
The old actions were Color Case Hardened, and I suspect the barrels were also done that way.
That involves covering the action in Bone Meal inside a container and placing the whole thing in an oven.
I did watch my Grandfather do an action this way once when I was a Kid.
He was a Gunsmith and rifle builder.
Under Controlled heat, and exposure to the bone meal will make different colors on the metal.
But Bluing is mostly Salts or Chemicals that naturally stain the metal under Heat by making a very fine rust coating that converts to the bluing when neutralized.
I do not do Hot Bluing because of the time and space it takes up, not to mention the chemicals involved and getting rid of the chemicals when the run is finished.
Cold Bluing is just a chemical that will cause the metal to stain in much the same way, but does not penetrate the metal like Hot bluing will.
Thus, it is acceptable to wear rather quickly.
But it can provide Minimal rust protection.
The Oil you put on the cold bluing does most of the rust protection.
Cold Bluing will not match Hot Bluing, but it can hide worn spots or scratches so they don't stand out like a sore thumb.

[indian joe]

"Lamping" - yeah I have done that with belt buckles - etc - the hotter the better and oil quench - thats a dark finish that works really well on rough steel

variation on the theme for magazine tubes, buttplates etc is polish the part and take it through the temper colours till you get that pretty blue colour - I did a complete 92 that way years ago - used a BIG flame from a proper oxy torch and quick just so I could get the colour without heating the metal deep enough to do damage - dont know that I am game enough to try that again ----

I like Birchwood casey paste best for cold blue touchup

The colour I was curious about is a pretty blue - much lighter than the modern chemical finishes - see the colour often enough in case hardened finishes - could the bone finish be done so it was a consistent even colour ? and what temperature ? these were english double guns with solder joined barels

OR would the rust blue process give that colour?

Reason for asking this is I can get that colour easily with the torch on non critical parts - it would make a nice job if a feller could match it on the action .

[TNsailorman]

I made a Hawken copy of Modeno's rifle in the Colorado Museum. I bought the plans from them and started from scratch except the barrel and Lock(early L&R). I used the Brown rust method and it turned out to really suit what I want which was a antique look. I did very little barrel prep and I was pleased with the finish, a medium brown with a slightly grainy texture. I think you did really good job with your barrel and I think you are being a little hard on yourself. By the way, I prefer the black or brown color to my rifles. james

[LAGS]

The Nice Blue tempering Color means the metal is at around 650 to 800 degrees depending on the type of steel and it's previous Hardening.
Soft Solder that use to be use melts at 450 to 550 degrees.
That is right at the bottom of the scale where you will start to De temper the metal underneath.
That is why they can soft solder the barrels, and probably After Bluing
I have Lamped old 22 barrels and actions.
But I was not worried about the metal hardness because of the low pressure cartridge.
The Color Hardening can be done in a more Even Consistent color by Fine grinding the Bone Meal so it is in even contact with the metal.
The Chunks of Bone Meal is what causes the different colors or Rainbow effect.
But you are talking about close to 1200 degree temperatures.
That will not work on a Rib soldered, or Soldered Barrels and especially on Damascus barrels.
I prefer to Cold Blue Soldered barrels, and take my time prepping and applying the finish.
I have found on round barrels they come out good.
But on Octagon barrels, the bluing wears off the points or edges of the barrels quickly because you work that area more when applying the cold blue, and ends up thinner on the sharp edges.
Some forms of Hot Bluing can not be done on soldered barrels or barrels with Ribs.
It is not the heat from Boiling the metal that does it in.
But it is the Chemical reaction with the solder that will make it Dis-bond.
There are several forms of hot Bluing, and since I do not do any of them, I am not well versed or current with the methods.
The biggest issue I see people doing when doing a whole gun in cold Blue is the preparation.
They don't polish out the metal evenly.
They fail to degrease the parts properly.
And they buff things down with Steel Wool that has not been properly De Greased.
Not to mention Handling the parts with Bare hands or they touch their skin with their Latex gloves ( like wiping their forehead or scratching their nose ) then touching the metal and transferring oil to the metal.

[Fly]

I almost always rust blue my guns. I love the finish & it wears better than any other I have done with the exception of rust brown.
I,m going to attempt Parkerizing, any tips lags?

Fly

[LAGS]

Been a few years since I parkerized anything.
But it is a simple process, but Do Plug the Barrel.
Use to get my supplies from Brownell's and Midway USA
I stopped Parkerizing when I took classes on Slow Rust Bluing.
I preferred the darker finish, and that finish looked better on a wider Varity of rifles and handguns.
I started Parkerizing to re finish old 1911's and some other military pistols like S&W Victory's