preping steel for blue

[dab102999]

I am going to try my hand at some blueing. I have just about got everything made to do hot blueing but my question is on steel prep. Would actually using a buffing wheel make for a better hot blue or is there such a thing as to much polish?.

 

[Jim Watson]

You can buff it if you like. Shiny steel = bright shiny blue; think Weatherby.
But it takes skill with the buffer to avoid wavy surfaces and rounded corners.

 

[dab102999]

...

 

[dfariswheel]

Using standard soft buffs is exactly how good guns get butchered when being refinished.

Professional polishers use very large diameter HARD polishing wheels that are usually about 6 to 8 inches wide.
They also have special shaped buffers for areas like inside the trigger guard.

Metal polishing is both an art and a skill that requires development and constant practice to maintain the skill.
I'd recommend forgetting the buffs and use very fine abrasive sanding cloth and finish with a metal polish.

Nothing looks worse than a gun with a bright, shiny blue finish, but the metal UNDER the blue has rounded off edges, dished out holes, faded out stamps, and waves and ripples in the flats.
Nothing screams "AMATEUR BOTCH JOB" louder.

 

[Jim K]

And then there is the guy who shows pictures of such a gun, says he bought it as 100% original and asks how much it is worth. I always hate to break the news, but I can't see letting him delude himself.

Jim

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Metal polishing is both an art and a skill that requires development and constant practice to maintain the skill.

AMEN!!! +1000! Bluing guns is easy and quite simple....getting the gun READY to be blued is where the work comes in.