Blued Steel Enhancement

[Gun Master]

Currently, I'm working on a project of protecting the wood grips of a handgun.
I wanted to keep the gun as original and collectable as possible.
I decided to apply tung oil.

Also, I wanted to do the same for the blued steel finish.
No hot or cold blue. Just protect and bring out the best of the original finish.
Presently, I am thinking of using a pure (not blended) synthetic motor oil, with minor soft buffing by cotton cloth or motorized fabric buffer.

What do you think?
Any inventive ideas?

Thanks.

 

[ironworkerwill]

I'm sure there is a pill for that.

I'd like to hear the blues on this. And I have a stupid question to ask as well. What would be wrong wit hot salt blue over what is already there?

 

[BBBBill]

Renaissance Wax for the wood and the steel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax

Amazon seems to have the best price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012S1XB...qmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_781m9lrpp9_e

 

[Jolly Rogers]

^ This.
Joe

 

[Jim Watson]

It isn't "original" if you put a drying oil like Tung on the wood.
Oil buffing bluing adds wear and excess buffing will remove it.

One asset of Renwax is that it can be removed so the original finish is not permanently changed.

You don't say what the gun is, but for a true "collector's item" the definition of "original" is narrow.

 

[Gun Master]

The "Ren Wax" initially sounds like a good idea. It can be used on wood or metal.

Tung oil is a natural wood protectorant, since it comes from the nut of a tree.
Previous posts on other THR threads have touted tung oil on wood and decried use of petroleum products since it would, overtime crack and damage wood. Ren has petrol products in it.

Ren has the nasty habit of collecting lint and dust. Besides looking unsightly, since the HG is a semi, this might adversely effect operation.

The gun is a 1914 Mauser .32 acp that appears to be in about 98 % shape.

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive never had a "collector" grade gun. That said i use a light coat of corosion block on most of my blued stuff now. Oil finished wood gets a coat rubbed in once in a while....but again im not concerned with keeping an item "original" in which specific finish might mater.

 

[CraigC]

Everything you do to improve the appearance of bluing is done beforehand, not after.

 

[Mizar]

...use of petroleum products since it would, overtime crack and damage wood. Ren has petrol products in it...

Use of lubricants, petrol based or not, will damage the wood. Renaissance wax is perfect for protecting and giving luster to both blueing and wood. Tung oil, linseed oil, teak oil - any natural oil that polymerizes will do the job of protecting the wood. Just stay away from modern oil finishes with added lacquer in them.

...I wanted to keep the gun as original and collectable as possible...

Then don't shoot it. As a bonus you will not gonna worry about RW affecting operation of the pistol. Which, if applied like it should - sparingly, it will not do.

Best,
Boris