Bluing

[randytulsa2]

I picked up this sweet, old 870 last week in a gunshop. I've posted elsewhere about it.

I need to blue it up a bit. The finish, which was rusted (I got rid of it), is pretty worn. I don't have the mechanical acumen or inclination to do a "real" hot bluing job, nor do I have the money to take it to someone who does.

I'm needing some advice about cold bluing, and the best reviews I've read are for something Brownell's puts out called "Oxpho-Blue".

Does anyone here have any experience with it?

If so, any hints as to application?

I've never blued anything, so we're dealing with complete beginner-ness here.....

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[locobombero]

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/showthr...light=duracoat

Might wana contact this guy. He has pics of some shot guns he has done on that link.

[QKShooter]

Sure...you can cold blue it. Carefully prep - degrease - no fingerprints - follow the instructions.

Usually, the best results are obtained by cold bluing once...then ultra fine steel wool - degrease - then repeat.

As good as your prep work is determines how good the job will look.

Go for it. It hardly costs anything and you can always have it hot blued later on.

Some folks Cold Blue entire guns.

[rocky]

The big drawback I have found to cold blueing is the rust factor. Seems the cold blueing is very prone to rusting , even in less than high humidity environs.

[P95Carry]

Oxpho is quite good but I found 44/40 better. Mind you, even the paste types can be quite effective.

QK mentions the method - which is patient attention to scrupulous degreasing and repeated applications with fine wire wool between times. Remember bluing is only a form of rust anyways - in this case Selenium being the coloring agent.

I did a rebuild way back on my Mk VI Webley (took all surfaces back to bright metal) which was in pretty bad shape - and while yes, the cold blue will react badly to moisture, fingermarks etc - a well applied and maintained external protection from CLP, Boeshield - whatever, will keep things looking quite reasonable.

[QKShooter]

I have had my best results with VAN'S Instant Blue.
Van's actually darkens the metal just like regular hot blue.
In other words it does not just add copper & then darken it like some cold bluing.
My best jobs were done heating the clean "Base Metal" lightly with a heat gun. You could use a blow dryer.

Search Van's Instant Blue on the web. It's been around for ages.

[P95Carry]

Good point QK re warming the metal - forgot to mention that.

Must check out the Van's stuff - surprised over the years I had not found it already.

[QKShooter]

SAY AWAY from the Blue Wonder blue.

I recommended it on this forum at one time in the past.
BUT, then it did not pass the QK Hard Use Durability Test on highly polished steel even when exactly following the manufacturer application instructions.

It looked absolutely incredible but, sucked.

Blue Wonder is fantastic and the most durable "Home Applied" Blue IF you intend to sandblast the metal FIRST. AKA on lightly blasted steel it is amazing stuff.

That would be the only way I'll ever use it again.