When you are satisfied with your bluing, remove the gun parts and rinse them off thoroughly in cold water. Gently spread the solution to the part to be blued as evenly as possible, applying a clean applicator. Use the solution in a single pass to cover small surfaces, or in parts no larger than 4 to 5 inches when covering large areas, then smooth it out using sandpaper. It’ll prevent the bluing from looking “messy.” Doing this step correctly will help you later when you clean your gun and apply the bluing solution.

Nitre bluing is a common way of bluing small steel parts such as screws and pins. Typically referred to as fire, heat, or temper bluing, this provides a unique blue color. This coloring is done by heating the metal up until it tempers to the right hue. This blue color is reached at approximately 570 and 650 degrees Fahrenheit and can be done with a propane torch, oven, or salts. These processes were later abandoned by major firearm manufacturers as it often took parts days to finish completely, and was very labor-intensive. They are still sometimes used by gunsmiths to obtain an authentic finish for a period gun of the time that rust bluing was in vogue, analogous to the use of browning on earlier representative firearm replicas. Rust bluing is also used on shotgun barrels that are soldered to the rib between the barrels, as hot bluing solutions melt the solder during the bluing process. The bluing chemicals used in the process can be toxic and should be handled with care. It is essential to follow safety instructions and wear protective equipment while working with bluing chemicals. 10. Can gun bluing be done on any type of metal? After bluing, you’ll need quality gun oil to protect the newly blued surface and prevent future corrosion. The Step-by-Step Bluing Process For many cold bluing projects, however, you’ll likely find that the majority of your bluing will remain intact.Surface Preparation: Ensure the metal surface is smooth and polished using sandpaper and steel wool. While you might have heard of gun bluing, or even owned blued firearms, what you may not know is how to do it yourself. Transforms metal surfaces into a deep blue finish, enhancing the appearance and providing rust and corrosion protection. The common uses for nitre bluing are screws, pins, and various other small parts. Larger parts are rarely done this way as it wears relatively fast and provides no extra corrosion resistance. Additionally, heating up larger parts to those temperatures can change the tempering of the part, potentially affecting its strength and durability. It is largely used for decoration over practicality and is a really beautiful accent to other bluing methods. Hot Blue vs. Cold Blue

A gun that has its finish worn or damaged can be reblued. In fact, this is one of the most common jobs completed by a gunsmith. It is done by completely removing the old finish, degreasing the surfaces, then rebluing using one of the five methods listed above. Rebluing a firearm will sometimes hurt its value. Therefore, considerations need to be taken before having this work done. I wrote the article below to help you determine if refinishing your gun will help or hurt its value. Do not simply apply the bluing solution once. For a proper finish, you’ll likely need to apply it around seven times, using a new piece of steel wool to smooth out every new layer. If you’ve got a weapon you wish to blue, choose one of the best gun bluing kits from the list above and follow the steps carefully to make sure you get the job done right. In most cases, Birchwood Casey’s cold bluing kit can work great in removing all types of scratches, stains and even fingerprints that are hard to remove. Bluing a gun is both an art and a science. It’s a skill that requires practice and precision, but the results can be advantageous. Whether you’re restoring a vintage firearm, protecting a valuable investment, or simply enhancing the appearance of your guns, mastering the art of bluing is a valuable skill for any firearms enthusiast.You’ll want to start by judging the state of your bluing. If you think it’s too damaged, you may decide to go ahead and remove it entirely. Ensure that the firearm is safely disassembled. This means breaking down the gun into its parts, such as the barrel, frame, slide, and smaller components. Cleaning Solvent Yes, once the bluing process is completed, the blued surface can be polished to achieve a smooth and shiny appearance. 15. Is gun bluing legal?

If you want to have a better long-lasting result it’s good to get a complete kit rather than just a bluing solution. Especially if you are a beginner, investing in a complete kit makes a sense. Whatever product you use, just make sure that you do not get that on the inside of the barrel, especially when hot bluing.Bluing is often a hobbyist endeavor, and there are many methods of bluing, and continuing debates about the relative efficacy of each method. First of all, you have to remove the bluing that was initially there. It may not always be necessary. If you need to, you can use rust remover made of phosphoric acid or white vinegar or the remover that comes with the kit. Rotate the parts through the cold water to wash off the bluing salts. Leave to air dry for 3 minutes. Step #5 Boiling

Importantly, make sure that you do not put your gun’s stainless steel parts into the bluing solution. Make sure to keep these tips in mind: use a cotton T-shirt for large area applications and a cotton ball or swab for smaller areas. Preparation: Clean the gun parts thoroughly with a degreaser or solvent to remove any existing bluing, rust, or oil. Over time, however, this coating can fade, which ultimately leads to gun rust. Without rebluing your firearm, you’ll find that it begins to lose its luster and can rust in a hurry.Hot caustic bluing has become the industry standard for bluing. It is done by submersing your metal parts in a boiling bath of caustic salts and letting them sit for a set amount of time. This process is one of the most economical to have done but the most expensive to get set up for. The colors achieved are phenomenal and vary depending on the brand of salts that you go with. Treating with an oiled coating enhances the protection offered by the bluing. This process is also the only process safely used to re-blue vintage shotguns. Many double-barreled shotguns are soft soldered (lead) or silver brazed together and many of the parts are attached by that method also. The higher temperatures of the other processes as well as their caustic nature could weaken the soldered joints and make the gun hazardous to use. [4] This bluing kit offers an organized and tactical system when it comes to maintaining and cleaning your firearms. So, you can not only clean your firearm easily but also it will be quite faster for you and you don’t have to spend too much time behind it. This is why it is the best home gun bluing kit on our list.