newbie with rust blue problem

[dont61760]

Greetings. I'm new to this site and am hoping someone can help me out. I'm attempting to rust blue my Winchester 94 and seem to have a problem. Following the AIG video, I degreased the parts, heated with a hair dryer, applied the first coat of acid, followed with the second 2 hours later, let it rust for 8 hours. I had a beatiful red rust. I boiled the parts for 20 minutes and got the black velvet look I was expecting. After carding everything looked very nice. I really thought it was going good. This morning I applied the 3rd coat, let rust 8hrs, boiled for 20 min but the parts still looked rust red. I'm fairly sure somethings not right. What did I do wrong? I could sure use some advice.

 

[Lucifer_Sam]

I cant say for certain, but my guess would be the environment was too humid. Is it flaky or thick rust? If its powdery red rust its not a really a problem. Try less time, perhaps less solution, and a little drier. As long as humidity is above 60-70% you dont need a cabinet.

Anyway, I'd boil it a little while longer-- though I doubt that will really help-- then card it. Hopefully you'll still be ok. I'd say you probably will, its a pretty forgiving process.

 

[JimfromTrafalgar]

I've found at times that when you near the point that things won't go much darker, you'll get some of this. I've never seen the whole work stay red however. Normally, the red just cards off leaving the black behind and you can't tell the difference. I've noticed also that replacing the,[hopefully], distilled water makes this effect happen to a lesser degree.
Also, is this everywhere, or just on the action? If just the action, is this a post 1964 rifle? Luck,
Jim

 

[TurtlePhish]

Try new water. If the rust doesn't change or only changes partially, it's usually contaminants in the water, in your case probably old solution.

 

[rcmodel]

attempting to rust blue my Winchester 94 and seem to have a problem.

If it is a post-64 Winchester 94, the receiver is made out of a mystery metal graphitic steel casting and will not accept normal bluing.

And you can't blue it using conventional means.

The factory used a thin layer of copper plating to hold a thin layer of iron plating so it could be blued.

rc

 

[dont61760]

I'm not messing with the black finish on the receiver just the previously blued parts. I did however speak with a brownell tech today who said this was not at all uncommon with classic rust blue solution on the harder parts like the hammer and bolt. I'll just keep going and see what happens.