WidenersRepackboxRotoMetals2Reloading Everything
Inline FabricationTitan ReloadingLoad DataMidSouth Shooters Supply
Lee Precision
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Carbon steel natural color ?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,347

    Carbon steel natural color ?

    Long ago and far away ........
    Carbon steel would turn a shade of gray when exposed to blood at all . It was common with kitchen and pocket knives . My new knives don't do it .

    I'm wondering if a 70s vintage Juker Spanish barrel would do the same ?
    It's just the barrel the rest of the hardware is brass and is nominally aged the barrel just didn't take to it in the desert and I can't keep up with it in the rust belt . So my hope is to gain an aged white that will hold enough oil/protecterant to keep it unrusted in the over stuffed safe . Besides if it will take it'll look vintage vs the modern blue and I just don't think I want to invest the time for rust blue mostly because I just can't count on having that hour here or there without being pulled away for 6 months .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,347
    This is depressing .......I figured there would be some sort of input ......
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    2,862
    I think that your observation is incorrect, the gray patina is a form of oxidation caused by acid and oxygen over time, not blood. Anyway, look into forcing patina on kitchen knives, the same process should work for your barrel in the white.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    NC Arkansas
    Posts
    1,394
    Quote Originally Posted by JimB.. View Post
    I think that your observation is incorrect, the gray patina is a form of oxidation caused by acid and oxygen over time, not blood. Anyway, look into forcing patina on kitchen knives, the same process should work for your barrel in the white.
    Reminds me that years ago I heard/read that peeling apples was the best way to patina a blade.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    I had a gun that unfortunately got some rust on it during long term storage. I disassembled it completely and cleaned it up with a rust removal product. I planned to cold blue it later, but figured the grey finish from the product had altered the surface the way bluing does and after a coat of oil, would protect it until I got around to blueing it. That was over five years ago and I’ve been shooting the gun and kind of like the grey color. Maybe I’ll blue it one day or maybe not.

    If you decide to go this route, test whatever rust removal product you plan the use on another piece of steel first and see if you like the outcome. Different brands may have different chemical compositions and my result in different shades.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Canada (North of upstate NY)
    Posts
    945
    If someone wants just "some gray" on carbon steel then parkerizing is just that, and the amount of it depends on the time spent in the solution.
    I often use lazy rust blueing in pop that contains orthophosphoric acid. It takes quite some time but very light shade of gray only takes 2-3 days. The longer the blacker it will become.
    Remarks by President Biden on the Hostage Situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, January 16, 2022:
    "But you can’t stop something like this if someone is on the street buying something from somebody else on the street."

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check