Cold Bluing the Barrel

[ald55437]

I just received my new TC New Englander. It has some light pitting and rust on the barrel that covers about the first 2 inches from the nipple towards the rear sight and a fair about of surface rust (no pitting).

Instead of look for the 0000 steel wool I used one of those plastic scouring pads to remove the rust. :nono: The bluing started to come off. :redface: :cry:


I'll live with the pitting, but what should I do to remove the rust? Steel Wool? Can I use cold bluing to touch up the area where the bluing started to wear away?

Don't beat me up too bad, I'm doing a good enough job on my own.

 

[Rebel]

Try some Navel Jelly for the rust, and then cold blue it.

 

[Rat]

Well it ain't yer fault it was rusted. Sounds like some numb-nut popped some caps and then stuck it in the garage, or worse yet put it away after firing without cleaning, or not cleaning well...but, whatever. We won't whup you with the knotted plow line...this time!

Yeah, I would Navel jelly it, then steel wool the whole thing and then cold blue it with Super-Blue.

When I use super blue, I put it in a big bowl, the whole container, and dilute it a bit with water, (24%?) then put a rag about wash-cloth size in it. Then I hang the barrel, from a wire or string, muzzle down, and with the rag good and sopping with the blue, apply it to the barrel. Just start slopping it on from the breech down. Keep doing it over and over...slop slop slop.

You'll get a good even blue. Actually you'll get a nice blue/black, which is actually more "PC" than a blue.

Obviously you want to do this outside or in the garage, where the excess bluing can slop and drip on the floor. It's messy but will give you a real even coverage. Barrel does not need to be hot, but should at least be warm.

Now the cold blue/black is not real durable, and will fade to a grey/black, with handling and use, which I really like. I think it looks great. But I'm the guy that also "ages" my brass. Some people would prefer it to stay shiney and new looking, and polish their brass, but I really like the aged, "patina" or faded look. At any rate it won't stay shiney bright blue-black for long. Again I like the look as it fades to grey-black, and it becomes non-reflective as it does this.

Another option is to lightly steel wool it with very fine steel wool and oil after it's blued, and you will get a nice artificial grey "patina"[url] look...in[/url] other words it will look like a barrel that was originally left in the white, and went grey after years of use. I did that to my 1861 and it came out really nice. When I got my '61 it looked like a chrome rifle, and there just wasn't time to let it naturally age before I took it hunting...and I wasn't going to try hunting with a chrome rifle!!! I mean, it was certainly beutiful...but.....

Good luck. Not to worry.

Rat

 

[RussB]

Rat, would you elaborate just a bit on that "Super Blue" you are using?
I can't say I'm familar with it. I have used Oxypho Blue from Brownells, and Cold Blue from BC, even did some Browning over the years, but I have never heard of "Super Blue...that I remember.

I like the process you described....."When I use super blue, I put it in a big bowl, the whole container, and dilute it a bit with water, ........... Keep doing it over and over...slop slop slop".....

Now thats a process I could learn to like! :redthumb:

I'm in need of some new bluing products right now, and I might have just learned something.

Thanks.
Russ

 

[Rebel]

Weren't mine that were rusted ya goll darned solvent user. Mine is squeaky clean from all them soap bubbles in the barrel. :crackup: And why are you using that Super Blue that is diluted with WATER. Why that means you actually put water on your gun. :: Now it probably won't shoot straight, and will disentegrate on ya from those unseen rust moelcules you applied to it. :crackup:

 

[Rat]

Russ that's Birchwood Casey Super Blue. For some reason it doesn't seem to matter how much you dilute it...still works the same. But the slopping it on seems to really eliminate that un-even effect you get with cold blues. Also small parts you can just drop in the bowl, and they instantly turn black!

:results:

O.K. Reb you old rattle-snake! Now did I say I ever had rust on a gun?? I don't think so!! Once again I'll have to tell ya, you can put water ON a gun, but not IN a gun, you NINNY!! Sheeeesh!

:curse:

Now go back to your bubble bath, and yer rubber ducky, and I'll go brush my tooth! With Hoppe's #9+!!



Rat.