Barrel Bluing Question

[user 60625]

I just picked-up a Thompson Center hawken barrel and getting ready to blue it. It is a new old kit barrel and has a light coat of rust on it. I'm going to use Mark Lee Express Blue #1. My question is should I clean it and remove all of the rust or continue to rust it from here? Or something else?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Mgbruch]

I'd clean it up using 220 grit sandpaper and maroon Scotchbrite. Don't know a thing about the type of blue you mentioned; but I do know that the bluing/browning process works best with clean metal.

 

[user 60625]

Thank you, the process I use requires rusting the barrel but I also think it makes more sense to start with a cleaner surface and probably get a more even result.

 

[IanH]

It's hot water blue, excellent product.

You need to draw file every pit, scratch, and stain out of that barrel if you don't want to see it in Technicolor with highlights when you're finished.

Don't worry about getting the finish below 220 grit emery, the finish will level out anything finer than that but it will not cover up rust or stains, in fact any rust in the bottoms of pits or stained areas will remain brown.

I can't post photos of modern guns I've done, but I did this wrench with it:

First I boiled and carded all that red stuff and crust until it finally all turned black, then commenced bluing it.

About five coat/boil/card cycles and an overnight cure in kerosene:

 

[SDSmlf]

I

I just picked-up a Thompson Center hawken barrel and getting ready to blue it. It is a new old kit barrel and has a light coat of rust on it. I'm going to use Mark Lee Express Blue #1. My question is should I clean it and remove all of the rust or continue to rust it from here? Or something else?

Thanks,
Jim

View attachment 235144View attachment 235145

Believe the Mark Lee Express Blue is a product sold by Brownells that requires heating the barrel. Personally, prefer the cold rust blue products, but expect the Mark Lee will work fine if you follow their instructions, which for other browning/bluing products seem to always suggest starting with a clean oil free surface. Follow the product you are using instructions.

 

[IanH]

I

Believe the Mark Lee Express Blue is a product sold by Brownells that requires heating the barrel. Personally, prefer the cold rust blue products, but expect the Mark Lee will work fine if you follow their instructions, which for other browning/bluing products seem to always suggest starting with a clean oil free surface. Follow the product you are using instructions.

ML Express is a hot water bluing solution, nothing akin to a cold blue. A fast rust blue would be a better description except it produces a deep, glassy blue like a good caustic hot blue does and is almost as durable if you set it properly with a water displacing oil. The process is older than caustic bluing and is mentioned in 19th century gunsmithing books.

Slow rust blue is fine if you like a satin, graphite color. Mark Lee really worked out some fine products in my opinion and I use most of them.

 

[user 60625]

Thanks for the comments and sharing your experiences as it is invaluable. I decided to draw file and sand the barrel down and it will soon be ready for some color. I must be close my fingers are sore

 

[IanH]

WOW! You did a heck of a job!

The trick to getting a great finish with the product you have is follow the instructions to the letter. You almost can't card too much, and never leave any blotchy areas or brown streaks after carding because the next coat will set the colors in place and you're stuck unless you strip it all off and start over, which isn't easy actually. The instructions warn about this and about not overlapping coats, having runs, heavy streaks, or sags in order to minimize the discoloration. You will be more tired from carding than you will from filing I'm afraid, it's a workout but in a couple of hours you will have a beautiful, deep blue finish.

Some tips.

• Card to an even color, every time. The first coat after carding will look like you took it all back off if you did it right, don't worry, it took, just keep repeating the process.
• Plug your muzzle and FH, but do not over-oil the bore in case a plug comes loose it will ruin your water and your process until you stop and degrease everything again and change the water. You can coat the inside too with a bore mop and card with a Nylon brush, but I wouldn't recommend it for a muzzle loader as it makes the surface too slick.
• Keep the water near boiling. You will use the water to heat the steel before applying the blue, just pull it out, let the water flash off, and get busy coating before it cools.
• You cannot degrease too much. This is probably the most important thing. I've used brake cleaner, denatured alcohol, TSP, Simple Green, and detergents and still haven't found a favorite. Since you filed it down it ought to be close to degreased if you didn't get any hand prints on it. Denatured alcohol and Windex work pretty well and what I've been using lately. If you have any BC degreaser, use that.
• Look for 5-7 coats. Chrome-moly steel takes more, soft steel takes fewer.
• Handle the barrel very carefully during and after coating, the finish is actually soft almost like dry spray paint until you "set" it with a water-displacing oil. A PVC tube full of Kerosene is best, paint thinner works too, just don't use engine oil or gun oil on it until it cures overnight. WD-40-soaked rags wrapped around it will probably work too.

Good luck!

 

[user 60625]

Thank you, I really appreciate the time and level of detail to help me out! I can't tell you guys about how impressed I am with this forum and its members.

 

[user 60625]

Just a note of thanks for helping me recreate my 1976 Thompson Center Hawken .50 that I regretted selling so many years ago.

I found this barrel in Oregon:

This Stock is Arizona:

And a ramrod is due today from Arizona:

I sighted it in today and it looks like a shooter!

I am a happy camper ....... for now