More questions Rust Bluing?

[Sneakfoot]

I did a practice run, using dawn to clean the barrel, and a few questions came to me. After boiling, should I wait until the barrel cools down completely, before I card it? If not can I apply the rust bluing solution while the barrel is warm? After an application or two, can I leave the barrel overnight after carding? Does the barrel need to be suspended in the boiling tank? Thanks Guys :veryconfu

[andremajic]

You don't need to wait for it to cool before carding although its easier to handle when cool. It is recommended if you are recoating to do it warm. You can leave it overnight after carding if you want it to rust, otherwise you'll need to oil it. As long as the tank or pot that is boiling is clean, you don't need to suspend it.

Andy

[oldred]

One problem I ran into with trying to card it hot was the gloves I was using, it seems some, but by no means all, of the brown jersey type gloves will leave a residue on the metal that will make a mess if handled while still hot. This has happened to me twice so if you use that type of glove be careful about using them new and make sure they have been washed THOROUGHLY before handling the parts with them. Also I have run into a very similar problem using paper towels, I no longer even consider paper towels of any kind, although most work ok, but instead I keep soft cotton towels handy for when I need them.

[LAGS]

A couple of issues that I see.
First, Liquid soap to Degrease ?
You should wash the parts in Acetone to degrease, Soap will leave a residue.
Second, always use CLEAN latex gloves.
Absorbant materials when you handle the parts can transfer oil from your hands to the metal.
Also, the Fabric gloves too can have an oil in the material same with cotton , unless washed and degreased.
Also Wash Steel wool in Acetone before you use it for carding off areas.
There is Oil in new steel wool.

[LAGS]

I leave all my parts to rust OverNight.
Then boil them and card them off.
I do not suspend my parts when boiling, but do have a piece of Degreased Tie Wire on all parts to handle them.
Try not to touch the metal with anything as much as you can.
ALSO.
After Boiling, Dry out the Barrel and Chamber with a degreased patch and degreased cleaning rod and bore Brush, while it is still HOT
Otherwise, even if there is no acid in the bore, the bore can rust as it cools.

[BrentD]

LAGS, you can plug the bore with neoprene expansion plugs to avoid barrel/chamber problems. It's easier than wiping every time.

I suspend barrels in the boiling tank but I don't think it is super critical, esp. for round barrels.

I wash my barrels with hot water and dish soap first; paying special attention to any checkering screw holes, threads and dovetails. After drying with paper towels, I wipe down with acetone or alcohol. Never had a problem.

I use various "rubber" gloves and a wire wheel in a hand drill for carding. I card while hot. Also, I do not let water from the boil dry on the barrel. I wipe IMMEDIATELY after pulling it from the tank, using paper towels soaked with alcohol. The purpose being to avoid mineralized water spots that will mess up a blue right, quick. Even distilled or reverse-osmosis can produce water spots.

[LAGS]

Brent D
I have had plugs Pop out while boiling and almost missed seeing that they were out and the bore was wet.
When you boil, the air expands in the bore and sometimes can push out a plug if you are not careful.
Or you get a leaking plug and dont know you have a bore full of water.
I just feel it is better to be safe than sorry.
I saw a guy miss a leaking plug, and ended up with a finely pitted bore when he was done on a Brand new .458 Lott barrel.

[BrentD]

That is possible. But properly installed, they stick in pretty darn good. Sometimes, it is hard to get them out!

Air expansion is pretty minimal pressure-wise to it is not hard to get them to seal. These are expanded with bolts that you can crank ridiculously tight if you wish. For me, plugs are safer.

Brent

[Sneakfoot]

You don't need to wait for it to cool before carding although its easier to handle when cool. It is recommended if you are recoating to do it warm. You can leave it overnight after carding if you want it to rust, otherwise you'll need to oil it. As long as the tank or pot that is boiling is clean, you don't need to suspend it.

Andy

So after boiling and carding, I have two choices, Oil it, then the next day or later, degrease it, and start the procedure over, or begin the rusting again and leave it overnight. Is that correct?

[BrentD]

Sneak, I suppose you could do that but it would be a royal PITA.

What I do is this. First, I use a dilute formula. If the original forumla is quite strong (like Laural Mt Forge, for instance), I will cut it be at least 1/2 using water (distilled or reverse osmosis, but probably not critical).

I coat the barrel with it and leave it for 12 hrs in my shop. Not in a sweat box or humidity box, not at elevated temperatures. Just left on the table, propped on its bore plug bolts. I do this first thing in the morning before I leave for the office. When i get home, I have dinner and boil, card, and recoat the barrel. 12 hrs later, it's 6:30 or 7 am and I do it again before going to work. So, every day, I get two cycles and in 5 days I am USUALLY done (but not always).

If you use a sweat box with elevated temperature and humidity, and if you use a strong acid solution, you may get pitting in 12 hrs and that must be avoided.

In this way, I don't have to oil or clean between coats. If I do leave home for a couple of days, I have done exactly that however, but normally, I can plan around it. This way, the process is very simple, taking just a few minutes at both ends of the day and the process is over very painlessly.

After the last coat, while the barrel is still hot and freshly carded, I will rub it down with paste wax that melts as it is applied. Makes for a nice final protective coat but it really isn't necessary. Sometimes the english would use a "hard" oil (similar or identical to what they might use for a wood stock finish).

[Metalshaper]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y181/metalshaper/Double%20Set%20Underhammer/PA310402.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/metalshaper/media/Double%20Set%20Underhammer/PA310402.jpg.html)

my attempt at rust bluing a BP build. I applied browning solution and carded three times a day, until I got the
finish I was looking for. Boiled and carded, three passes in the tank I made.. dried it out and oiled it while still
VERY warm... this is the result.( bright day so the pic is a bit washed out )

Worked for me..

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

[BrentD]

Nice underhammer! Mine is not nearly so handsome.

Yours has set triggers, a real trigger guard and what looks like some nitre bluing as well. Pretty darn nice.
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~jessie/PPB/Deer/buck%20fawn%202006.JPG

[Metalshaper]

Brent,

the receiver is actually heat blued.. polished to about a 1000grt and then my lil mapp torch went to work :razz: the other parts were rust blued!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan