Any tricks to cover a ding in blued gun?

no pic?

I think we definitely need to see a pic before recommending something.....

Make sure that all the wax and oil is off the area and a sharpie will make it black for a bit then reapply as needed. Or get some cold blue from somewhere.
I like Oxpho Blue cream for a more permanent solution. Follow the instructions and use a hair dryer to heat the area first.

Can understand that, but many of my guns have marks scratches and dings. It’s not necessarily a sight of abuse or mishandling but use it enough and it’s gonna show. Most of mine get used. They are forever guns and the kids can worry about value when I’m gone.

Every nick scratch or ding has a story behind them. I have a SBH. There is a ''bare'' spot on the cylinder. Because i didn't wipe it with oil before i put it in the safe. I could have blued it. I left it go. I use it to teach others the importance of keeping bluing oiled.

There are any number of cold blues. Remember this will just change the color, so if there's a shape change (a dent from the impact) it will not fix that so will not be entirely concealed.

The various compounds have different finish colors. I have one of each for steel, brass, and aluminum and use them all the time for finish of small customization, filing things to fit, and sometimes to obscure wear that has accumulated over time. The receiver of a Mossberg 500/590 really shows it over time, so blackening up the scratches can be nice, as much as I am otherwise a wear-is-good person who spray paint camos many of my guns.

Anyway, finish colors vary. Mine ar all black, so be sure tt get a blue one if you really have a blue gun vs a parkerized or nitride finished one. If blue:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1556419877

Or if that doesn't take well, or is not dark enough:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1556284241

Notes:

• Must be scrupulously degreased. Not cleaned, but degreased. Probably denatured alcohol is good enough with what's available these days. Do not use rubbing alcohol.
• It is a chemical reaction. It takes time, and it changes the liquid as well as the surface. Do not put parts into the source bottle, and avoid putting the same Q-tip back in the bottle, at least once the reaction starts and you see color change on the Q-tip.
• It also has some heat energy behind it. While it's a "cold" blue that doesn't mean it works in freezing temps. Warmth helps so if your shop is cold, either heat it, do it on the kitchen table, or at least make sure the gun is warm before working. 70° is better than 50°. Not sure 100° is better than 70 but some say so.
• Get good Q-tips. Try to get actual cotton, on wood sticks. Some of these chemicals (or the heat generated) can melt plastics, or just do not cling well to them. Your everyday drugstore, or Big Lots, should have wooden/cotton swabs, so this shouldn't be a big deal.
• It is a liquid, so will fall off due to gravity. Get the work surface flat, and if still too round, keep it soaking by holding or gently moving the soaked swab over the area for a bit.
• They may not be one-coat finishes. Once it seems to have worked, wipe off, and look. Too light? Try it again immediately.
• If it seems to be getting away from you (bubbling etc) or it appears to be getting dark enough and you don't want to risk it getting too dark, stop it. Do not just wipe then, but spray or wipe with the alcohol. That tends to kill the reactions of these chemicals.
• Degreasing is bad for the blueing, and these finishes are color changes but may or may not protect themselves, so once you are done (or if you stop for more than a day or so) re-oil the entire area again, the normal way. For refinishes, I often over oil and leave it there for a few minutes before wiping to make sure it has soaked into the metal where you degreased it.
• Check again a few days later. It may have gone so far as to spot rust! At least may look dry. Just re-oil if so. Even if spot rust, usually you just oil and rub with a rag, do NOT steel wool etc. The finish is a surface chemical reaction not unlike corrosion so under the red oxide is usually good finish as long as you get to it the right way.

Tomahawk674 said:

Thanks for chiming in guys. I already touched up the bluing loss, that's not what bothers me, it's the ding in the metal itself, which catches the light. Someone should invent gun bondo that doesn't require re-finishing. I just hate that it's my fault this otherwise mint gun got dinged.

Click to expand...

No upside to kicking yourself in the butt.

Shake it off and continue playing....

Tomahawk674 said:

Thanks for chiming in guys. I already touched up the bluing loss, that's not what bothers me, it's the ding in the metal itself, which catches the light. Someone should invent gun bondo that doesn't require re-finishing. I just hate that it's my fault this otherwise mint gun got dinged.

Click to expand...

What revolver was it? If it is a shooter - just a character mark. If it is a collectible mint condition piece, ouch.

It might help to know where the "ding" is located.