Hot Caustic Bluing

[deltaenterprizes]

I read on another forum that 2 drain cleaning products contain the chemicals needed to make hot caustic bluing solution, Drain Out and Draino.
Eight containers of Drain Out is mixed with a gallon of water. The reaction is violent so slowly add the water to the chemicals.
This is a little cheaper than buying lye and potassium nitrate.
I used this mixture to do a matte finish on a pistol that went through Katrina and it looks good.

[scrapcan]

delta,

which product did you use? The drain out? I have heard on has to be careful with draino product one tries ot use.

[waksupi]

DO NOT ADD THE WATER TO THE LYE SOLUTION! NEVER!

Always add the lye, to the water.

[dragonrider]

+1 to what Rick said, also applies to any acid.

[thegreatdane]

I read on another forum that 2 drain cleaning products contain the chemicals needed to make hot caustic bluing solution, Drain Out and Draino.
Eight containers of Drain Out is mixed with a gallon of water. The reaction is violent so slowly add the water to the chemicals.
This is a little cheaper than buying lye and potassium nitrate.
I used this mixture to do a matte finish on a pistol that went through Katrina and it looks good.

Pictures?

[lead Foot]

How long do you leave it in the solution. When it is done do you dry and oil. sounds very simple thanks.
Lead foot;

[deltaenterprizes]

It had to be heated to about 290-295*F and left in for about 20-30 minutes.
I am not to proficient posting pics . The gun was bead blasted ans looks like I sprayed it with flat black paint.
I used a turkey fryer thermometer from Walmart($5) with a long stem that I calibrated with boiling water to read 212*F, in a stainless steel stock pot.

[johnlaw484]

I have used the lye and potassium nitrate and am quite pleased with the results.
I was told it makes a black finish, but I stopped the process when it reached a Smith like blue.

[deltaenterprizes]

I did the lye and potassium nitrate in the past and it worked well Iin the spring when I tried to use the old salts they were a solid brick and I could not get them to liquify. The drain cleaner was considerable cheaper also.

[Just1Mor]

Question, I was reading the contect on the drain out and it was sodiom hydroxide, and sodium nitrate, did not list the percentages but there was also aluminum shaving listed. Would that not mess up the solution????

[deltaenterprizes]

No, it does not. I was thinking the same thing.

[Just1Mor]

No, it does not. I was thinking the same thing.

do you have any idea what the percentages are?

[deltaenterprizes]

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/search.php?searchid=477419

[Just1Mor]

does anyone know if i can use calvanized metal to blue with? or is carbon steel sheet metal what it take for the job.....

[deltaenterprizes]

NO galvanized! SS or bare steel only.

[uncle joe]

stainless steel should be (stainless) and if a good grade should not take blue since blue is a form of ozidation. Galvanized is steel that is coated with a zinc solution and is nasty stuff I would not even weld or cut it with out removing the coating, it makes a nasty gas when burned.
Most important be very careful with caustic solutions, unlike acids they will kill your nerves and the area will stop hurting, but the disolving of the meat will continue. We used to keep fifty percent caustic soda, and it is BAD stuff.
and remember
'do like you oughta add acid to water' don't know if this applies to solutions on the other end of the PH scale but we added caustic to water regularlly to treat waste water with no problems, although it will heat up the water a little.

[Just1Mor]

stainless steel should be (stainless) and if a good grade should not take blue since blue is a form of ozidation. Galvanized is steel that is coated with a zinc solution and is nasty stuff I would not even weld or cut it with out removing the coating, it makes a nasty gas when burned.
Most important be very careful with caustic solutions, unlike acids they will kill your nerves and the area will stop hurting, but the disolving of the meat will continue. We used to keep fifty percent caustic soda, and it is BAD stuff.
and remember
'do like you oughta add acid to water' don't know if this applies to solutions on the other end of the PH scale but we added caustic to water regularlly to treat waste water with no problems, although it will heat up the water a little.

thanks for the tip, i have viniger sitting by close but also have a complete hasmat suit used in labs with strong acids. I can tell you i like my parts and my eyes. thanks guys.