Cold Blue Questions: final chapter

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I've been researching the subject of cold blues. This seems to be the recommended procedure based upon the consensus on THR:

Use Brownell's Oxpho Blue.

Degrease the area to be blued.

Use blow dryer to heat specific area.

Apply blue with 0000 steel wool.

Allow to penetrate for a minute, keeping area wet with bluing compound.

Rinse with running water.

Repeat application of blue, rinse, etc., two or three times.

Apply Breakfree and buff with 0000 steel wool.

Apply more Breakfree and allow to sit untouched for 24 hours.

Are these steps about right? Thanx for all the help, guys. I love the internet.

 

[JeffC]

That method will work fine...

When doing small parts sometimes I'll heat the part with a lighter, then apply the cold blue, then reheat with the lighter and apply more cold blue...etc.etc.

 

[gunsmither]

Use White Scotch Brite Pad to apply cold blue

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jesse99/handle.html

This link shows a great way to apply cold blue using White (fine grit) Scotch Brite Pad material. Scroll down to about the middle of the article.

I have used this tip many times, and it works way better than steel wool. It makes the bluing blend in very nicely.

Safe and Happy Shooting! Joe

 

[CCW1911]

The only thing I would add is to bead blast the area if you could, cold blue just sucks into bead blasted steel. And I would seal it in regular motor oil instead of the teflon stuff.

Ross

 

[45auto]

I do most of that except I don't rinse with water, one of the main reasons I went to Oxpho from other brands. Just a lot easier to do!

Cold blue wears so quickly, it needs to be easy and quick.

 

[ulflyer]

Oxpho blue works good on the matte finish guns too....at least little spots.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

It works well with whole guns, too, if you're lucky.

Here's a pre-B CZ-75 I took down to the white, and used Ox-Pho Blue and G96 Creme to restore. (It takes touching up, once in a while, on the front and back straps, but its not that bad, and isn't required all that often.)

I sold this gun recently, but would not hesitate to use that same combination of bluing materials again.

I've also tried the Novum Solutions bluing, but have had mixed results -- perhaps my error. I'll try it again, one of these days.

 

[GaryK]

I have had good results using Oxhpo to improve the looks of guns with finish wear. It blends in real well with factory blue. I strip and clean the gun and apply the Oxhpo with 0000 steel wool. I just keep applying it untill is as dark as I like. I recently did this to a surplus Star BM with really nice results.

 

[JNewell]

apply the Oxhpo with 0000 steel wool

I never tried that -- always assumed that too much of the cold blue solution would react on the steel wool???

 

[brickeyee]

A heat gun works even better than a blow dryer.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I've got one of the heat guns used to remove vinyl tile and it is MUCH better than a hair dryer. (Seems like I found one at Home Depot or somewhere like that for around $20. You can probably find one at Sears in that price range.)

 

[ForGreatJustice]

Oven for heating?

What about for long barrels? Would putting them in the oven work better than a heat gun? Would I have to worry about the degreased, bare metal rusting in the oven while it heated to 100 degrees or so?

-T

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Its a lot handier to work on the barrel, heat it up briefly with a heating gun, and then continue. If you're using an oven, you really have problems with where you do your work, etc.

You can probably RENT a heat gun from a rental place for a few bucks for a few days...