Opinions please on Birchwood Casey Super Blue?

[Larry (Omaha)]

Some of my previous ML builds have had both cold and hot brown solutions for metal finish. I am considering BC Super Blue for a current build. Will that be a good choice for a decent result? I need a cold blue or brown, as I have four brass under ribs solder on the barrel. Can't use heat this time
Thoughts would be appreciated.
Flintlocklar

 

[Zonie]

If you want to use a cold bluing, use Birchwood Casey Perma Blue on your muzzleloader. It is made to be used on low carbon steel.
The Super Blue is made to be used on high strength alloy steels and it doesn't work as well on the low carbon steels.

 

[oldwood]

All the cold blues are selenium dioxide. The strongest cold blue is hands down , FORMULA 44-40 cold blue. All i can say is try the BC and 44-40 side by side .. Do the Q tip test. For a m/l shop , 44-40 best...
For large projects , if still available, Birchwood Casey gun blue paste is excellent. It produces a non-streak deep blue. Used paste blue on some modern rifles I was doing before got into m/l's..........oldwood

 

[Dale Lilly]

Some of my previous ML builds have had both cold and hot brown solutions for metal finish. I am considering BC Super Blue for a current build. Will that be a good choice for a decent result? I need a cold blue or brown, as I have four brass under ribs solder on the barrel. Can't use heat this time
Thoughts would be appreciated.
Flintlocklar

Laurel Mountain Forge browning and degreaser works great, requires no heat and will even brown through light grease [fingerprints, etc]. I just finished removing blue and browning four barrels. They all are now a pretty dark chocolate brown. Not a great picture but here's one of them Polecat

 

[hanshi]

That finish does look really good, Dale.

 

[PM]

I've had good luck with BC on a few modern guns but it wasn't fantastic. Worn well on one for the last 25 years. I used BC Perma Blue paste on a cap pistol and I must have done it wrong because it was all streaks. I'm going to try LMF browning on the one I'm doing next. I never hear a bad word about it.

 

[Dale Lilly]

I've had good luck with BC on a few modern guns but it wasn't fantastic. Worn well on one for the last 25 years. I used BC Perma Blue paste on a cap pistol and I must have done it wrong because it was all streaks. I'm going to try LMF browning on the one I'm doing next. I never hear a bad word about it.

I'm always tempted to hurry the process. Don't. Polecat

 

[bang]

I've used BC Perma Blue on several. Main thing is prep. Degrease to glove handle clean. I even after degreasing will wipe with alcohol then scrub with clean white cloth till absolutely no color shows then some more to make sure. Then sopping wet wipe with the BC. Rinse. 0000 steel wool. Cloth wipe. Repeat till it won't blue any darker.
Yeah there will be occasional times a bit of repair needs doing but follow the preparation process and it will match.

 

[Billy Boy]

I use Brownells rust blue liquid. It was designed for hot water ‘rust’ blueing of period arms and doubles that couldn’t take caustic buff and dunk hot blueing. It ‘blues’ fine on soft steel without boiling.

 

[Art Caputo]

I have finished my very few builds with both BC Super Blue and Browning solution with very good results. Another option. With a recent build, a Kibler Colonial Rifle, and a different look, I decided to try Jim Kibler’s Patina solution and was very pleased with the results on both steel and brass components. Degree of darkening can be controlled to ones preference. It can take brass from a mild darkening to black, and steel from very light to dark grey tones. With some heat applied, the lock can be toned to a faded case color appearance with grey/blue /and brassy tones. This finish is very easy to use. Overall, gives and aged, but still elegant appearance.
https://kiblerslongrifles.com/collections/finishing-supplies/products/patina-solution

 

[sdilts]

Brownell's Oxpho-Blue works well too.

 

[oldwood]

There's two pieces of info that might help some folks . One....all steel wool used around bluing/browning operations , should be washed in a degreasing solution to get the preservative oils out of it. Also , about 40 years ago , in frustration , after trying every method of degreasing steel to be blued/browned , I accidentally discovered the best , most positive way to clean ferrous metal for blueing/browning. All i did was excoriate the steel w/a very fine texture wire wheel on my buffer/grinder. Results were amazing. Be sure to wear a clean pair of cotton gloves and don't touch the surface to be treated. When I was first trying to blue or brown steel , I was told to use everything from urine to household cleaners for a degreaser. None worked . Using a fine wire wheel , was amazing. The struggle was over........oldwood

 

[Smokestack]

Bit of a hijack, but is there a way to 'seal' cold blue finishes? I've noticed mine gradually fade after a week or two after a very solid and clean application, oiling and the works.

Thanks.