Rust blue question

[Twhessler]

Hi
I have a Winchester 1885 single shot that I rust blued. It came out nice but it is black in color. I am not happy with the color and am going to re do it.
I used Brownells rust blue.
Can anyone recommend a rust blue that will leave the gun blue like the original color ?

Thanks, Tom

[Bullshop Junior]

Wanna sell the left over rust blue compound?

[flydoc]

Other solutions you can try are the brownells classic rust bluing solution ( not the dicropan IM) , pilkingtons brand , and , if you are a little more adventurous , a homemade solution that supposedly duplicates A.O.Niedner's recipe:
2.5 oz. Nitric acid
2.0 oz. Hydrochloric acid
1.0 oz. iron nails
30.0 oz. distilled water

[rick/pa]

I have rust blued several guns, all of which are black. Basically, what you are doing is changing red rust (ferrous oxide) to black rust (ferric oxide) or is it the other way around, ferric to ferrous, I'm too lazy to look it up. The old time blue that was done was nitre blueing or charcoal blueing, both of which are beyond the ability of the average home tinkerer. Nitre blueing uses liquid potassium nitrate at about 600 degrees. For small parts like screws, you can duplicate the charcoal blue by heating the screw heads with a propane torch and quenching them as soon as the color turns blue. If it goes to brown, repolish and try again. Charcoal blueing is similar but the large part such as a receiver or barrel is buried in a bed of charcoal. There is more to it but that is the short version. Here's a link you might like.

http://gunblue.homestead.com/Nitre.html

[gnoahhh]

What Rick said. All the formulas I tried produced a color range of charcoal grey to black. It's what rust bluing gives you. Beats the heck out of hot salts black too, IMO.

[rattletrap1970]

What color WAS the original color?