Refinishing at home

[Lupinus]

How good are at home blueing kits?

I ask because when I turn 21 in a few months I am planning on getting a 1911 and then dehorning it. Obviously doing this if I get a blued model it will ruin the finish and I don't want to be getting the gun only to have to send it right back out to get refinished, or find someone in a reasonable distance to refinish it for me.

So what are the options for bluing a gun at home? From looking over products I am assuming anything for hot bluing is on the more complicated side and requires special equipment. If so I want to stay away from it since I wont be doing enough to justify a large investment for equipment.

So unless I am wrong in my assumptions that pretty much leaves me with cold bluing methods? How do these work? And just how well do they work? A finish that is going to look bad and flake off or something isn't going to do me much good.

So just what can I do at home that will yield me a good finish and not require investment in lots of equipment,

And just who sells good products? I'm assuming that the stuff from brownells is pretty decent?

And just what is the basic process for bluing the gun at home?

 

[hoghunting]

Brownells is a great place to shop. I have used the cold bluing Oxpho-Blue and highly recommend it. They also have the spray finishes that are also very tough and durable, and they look very good also. Bead blast or lightly sand the metal, degrease, spray, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Very nice finish.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Brownell's Blueing

Oxph-Blue is good stuff, but having tried both their T-4 gives easier, more consistant coloring.

 

[ShuckersFan]

Not a big fan of the cold bluing, it doesn't compare to the real thing. Of course you gotta drop about a grand to get setup for hot bluing... The spray coatings are really good. Try www.lauerweaponry.com They make a product called DuraCoat it comes in every color of the rainbow and it's real tough. They sell a starter kit for like $40-$50 that inclused a little airbrush.

 

[BobCat]

You can phosphate at home on the stove. Brownells sells the concentrate for about $4.50 a bottle; mix it with a gallon of distilled water and heat to about 180ºF. Dip the sandblasted, washed, rinsed frame or slide or whatever in the hot phosphate for 10 minutes or so, rinse in hot water, oil, and it is beautiful!

You can get an enameled steel pot and a candy thermometer, as well as the distilled water, at CheapMart.

The Brownells phosphate concentrate comes with good, complete instructions.

You can search the web for "phosphate coating" and get the formula to assemble the solution yourself. Or you can search THR for "phosphate" and find the solution, instuctions, and links to web sites with more info.

If you really want blue instead of phosphate, don't listen to me at all.

 

[deerslayer685]

better than paint

brownells sells something called express blue. I have used it several times with good results, however small parts can be a pain in the ass. you just need a tank of boiling water a torch a fine wire wheel or steel wool and an old cup. the bottle comes with instructions.

 

[45auto]

I've cold blued an entire 1911 before, it still is.

You will never mistake it for hot blueing and it doesn't wear well. I've used many of them. Oxpho is easy to use and darkens pretty good which is important since you will be redoing it often...if you handle and shoot the gun a lot. The grip area, grip safety, etc wear very quickly for example.

 

[medmo]

Modern blueing is a black oxide coating. You will never duplicate this coating with any of the cold blueing methods. It is going to cost you a little less than $2k's for the tanks, chemicals, etc. to set up at home. Jantz Supply and Brownells sell the chemicals and hardware.

 

[soutex50]

try the Duracoat finishes, as stated before, they are easy to use and the results are great. just clean, degrease and apply. bake of course
Midwayusa.com offers a kit complete with sprayer for about twenty bucks.

for an at home project, you just can't beat this in practicality.

 

[pat86323]

if you want to use cold bluing compound, id still reccomend heating the metal before you apply it. Ive had people tell me that it doesnt make a diffrence, and im sure someone will likely say that it is a bad idea here. Ive done it multiple times for spot repairs and if you heat the metal up to about 160-170 before you apply the cold bluing solution it darkens better and lasts longer.