Homemade Blueing Salts

[birch]

Like many at this site, I prefer to use or make my own supplies rather than buying them. I am just wondering if anyone has a recipe or/and tips on a good homemade blueing salt bath. I plan on buying one of those old star 9mm paras from sarco for my experiment, so I actually plan on trying different formulas and using muriatic acid to remove the blueing solution results until I find one that works on that particular type of steel. If anyone has any suggestions for makes and models of firearms that they have used homemade salts on, and the recipe they used for a particular firearm, I would appreciate any info you have.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Try this: http://www.blindhogg.com/homemadesalts.html

I don't use this, I use a slow rust blue as I don't care for the chemicals in hot blueing!

[birch]

That is the only blueing recipe I have found so far. What type of slow rust blueing do use. I know alot of people really like the belgian blue solution

[M-Tecs]

I would also be interested in your slow rust blue recipe. Thanks

[xs hedspace]

I use Laurel Mt. Barrel Brown from Brownells for rust bluing. Just boil in distilled or rain water after rusting for a few hours(Summer humidity), and it turns nicely blue/black. Card with a super fine wire wheel(like you can put your finger in it when running at 1750 rpm), repeat 4-6 times, done.

[Bulldogger]

Not sure if this thread in another forum is accessible publicly, but it should be. Try this: http://www.homegunsmith.com/cgi-bin/...0;hl=hydroxide

He has a technique using common drain cleaner as the active ingredients. Much cheaper than buying all the goodies separately.

Bulldogger

[gnoahhh]

I'll agree with doing slow rust bluing at home. I feel a nicer finish is the result without the noxious chemicals and fumes of hot dipping. Lots of good solutions for rust bluing, most of which are available from Brownell's. When you realize that 3-4 guns can be done with one bottle of the stuff, it doesn't make much sense to try making your own cost-wise.

[Reg]

One of the best "one tank" blues I ever used was the old Herter's Belgium Blue.
Just for the sake of conversation, does anyone have any idea what it is composed of ???

[oldred]

Reg I don't know exactly what all was in the original Herter's formula but it supposedly contained toxic mercury salts which would be VERY difficult to obtain today.

[Reg]

Reg I don't know exactly what all was in the original Herter's formula but it supposedly contained toxic mercury salts which would be VERY difficult to obtain today.

That would not be good. Sure was good stuff though. I think Brownells sells Belgium Blue, will have to check it out. I have hot blue tanks set up and operating but will have to replace the salts some day soon. Only using them once or twice a year is a pain and was just thinking of going to a "one tank" blue to simplify life a bit.
I used several such blues in the past, some did OK some, not so good. They do require a bit more work in the doing and are a lot more work when it comes to the small parts. Also I remember having trouble when it came to those small parts. Sometimes what you got wasn't as nice as say a barrel. Holding the heat while applying the solution seemed to be the main problem.

[oldred]

Have you tried Mark Lee Express Blue for rust bluing? I have gotten some excellent results with it recently (and some not so good results on 4140HT steel but that's another story), just finished a Marlin 1895 barrel and an old Stevens 94 shotgun using the Mark Lee blue and it did a great job.

[Reg]

Have you tried Mark Lee Express Blue for rust bluing? I have gotten some excellent results with it recently (and some not so good results on 4140HT steel but that's another story), just finished a Marlin 1895 barrel and an old Stevens 94 shotgun using the Mark Lee blue and it did a great job.

Where can I get it ? Will give it a try.

[oldred]

I buy it from Brownells, I have seen a lot of good reviews on this stuff and my experience with it has been really good with the exception of the ill-fated 4140HT attempt- but then that was a case of rust resistant metal and in no way was it the fault of the product. The gunsmith that first told me about the Mark Lee blue said that of all the formulas he had tried it gave the most consistently streak free finish, streaking has not been a problem at all so far on the projects I have used it for.


http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-to...x#.ULZVzaD3NmQ

[seagiant]

Hi Birch,
I've been using the Pilkington's formula from Brownells. There is alot of info on the Internet from people doing it. Brownells now make their own solution and I might try that next. All are good from what I hear. I went and made a "damp box" so I could get a rust cycle every 3 hours and can finish a project in 2 days now. This consist of a home made wood vertical box with a hot plate in the bottom and a pyrex casserole pan with water heating to creat humidity. Then a 60W bulb 3/4 up the box to kep everything even. Sounds more complicated than it is and I set everthing up in a couple of hours. I then went to a super pet store and bought a temp/ humidity meter like they use for reptiles and I was done. You want about 90 degrees and 85% humidity which is easy to do in the box. You DO NOT want steam as that will ruin everything fast and is what the 60W bulb is for to safe guard against that. Here is a bad pic of a RBH I did and is actually the worst job I've done. I did a BHP that came out so good it looked like the old German Lugars!

[Reg]

oldred,
Guess I should have looked first. Have their latest catalog down on the bench.
Will order in a bottle with next order and give it a try, have a Krag barrel that needs a front sight then reblued. Should be a good tryout for it.
If I can find something that works within reason and is a lot safer than those hot tanks will get rid of the whole setup. I keep it locked up in a small shed out back but still worry about some critter or a grandkid somehow getting in and I do not want to even think what could happen then. It works well but is NASTY stuff.
R

[Mooseman]

I use stump remover "Potassium Nitrate" in a cast iron pot over a burner to nitre blue small Parts.
I have a formula somewhere we used in Florida that was Ammonium nitrate and Lye. It was a beautiful Dark blue .

Rich

[birch]

Thanks everyone for the input. It is greatly appreciated. I have not wanted to try the belgian blue because I have heard that you have to heat the metal consistantly or you get streaks and other types of blemishes. I am really interested in the recipe by Rich. I would like to try the nitrate and lye type recipes, but cant seem to find a ratio or type of ingrediants. For instance, all I can get at the local feed store is nitrate that is 19%. Where can a feller get some 100% lye? Thanks for all the responses.
Casey

[Mooseman]

The Recipe we used was ;

5 pounds 100% sodium Hydroxide (100% Lye)
4 pounds Ammonium Nitrate (Sodium Nitrate may be used instead)
1 gal. Distilled water

This is a very caustic mix that is used in a steel tank only.
The Lye must be pure 100% like "Red Devil" or the kind used for soapmaking
It is for steel bluing only and it will not Blue Winchester 94 Receivers.It works Identical to Brownells Bluing salts.
Temperature range is around 260 to 275 deg F for the boil to blue the parts.

[birch]

Thanks so much mooseman. That is the ticket. Now I just have to hunt this stuff down. I am hoping that a nice deep blue comes from it. Thanks again.

[oldred]

If you are going to go the hot blue route and mix your own chemicals then you do not need to look any farther than your local Wal-Mart. "Drain-Out" brand drain cleaner crystals contain the right ingredients in the right proportions and all that is needed is to add 1 bottle of drain cleaner to each pint of distilled water, I have used this stuff and it honestly seems to work as good as the commercial bluing salts I have in my tank now.

I found a link to a site where this is discussed and I know of several other people who have used it successfully.


http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/thr...caustic-bluing


NOW THE WARNING, BE CAREFUL!!!!!!

I cannot stress enough the dangers involved with hot caustic bluing, this stuff WILL seriously hurt or even kill you if you get even a little careless with it! Safety gear is absolutely mandatory when hot bluing since even a small spatter will result in a serious burn, caustic bluing solution will rapidly cause serious chemical burns even when cold and when heated it is much worse. Splattering even a tiny amount in your eyes, cold or hot, WILL result in permanent eye damage and likely blindness, there is no washing it out quickly enough to prevent serious injury since the damage is instantaneous! Even the fumes from the hot solution can be dangerous so proper precautions MUST be taken, home caustic bluing can be done but it is serious business and the hazards are much more so than melting a pot of lead so safety must not be taken lightly.