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Forums10
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Mar 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16 |
It has been my experience that bringing to temp and maintaining temp isolated from the atmosphere gives the colors much better longevity: i.e. in a bath of melted lead or nitre. Nitre is clear so the color changes can be seen.
This is very important to me.
I believe some form of oxidation takes place. I have tested all forms of metal finishes I've done over decades in actual field condition, anecdotal for sure but custom guns I've applied the finishes and done the actual field usage. Foremost my Hughes/Fox I've shot for nearly 25 years.
All my pics died with Photobucket. I've written columns with color pics in the past for Shooting Sportsman and they are in both of my Double Guns books. I use Brownell's Nitre Salts and helped them write the original instructions but asked to have my name removed from a procedure requiring 600*+.
I was not in on the final formulation but I know it is not pure saltpeter because it melts at a much lower temperature. Pure saltpeter melts at very close to 600*F.
I've used both "stump killer" and SA bat shit in the distant past and found each to be incredibly dirty.
Last edited by SDH-MT; 07/03/17 05:50 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,122 Likes: 192
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,122 Likes: 192 |
The traditional Birmingham bluing tank formula as used for decades.
3 Pound of Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide)
5 Pound of Sodium Nitrate
3 ounces of Sodium Chloride
17 ounces of Trisodium Phosphate
10 pints (UK) Distilled Water.
Bring to the boil to use.
Put a mark on the inside of the tank when first filled and keep adding water to keep the same level as the boiling reduces the water content.
This formula produces that fine Birmingham made gun deep bluish black colour, if the solution looses its strength just add a little Sodium Nitrate to bring it back up to strength.
My personal experience of this bluing mixture is that it is not too sensitive to moderate temperature swings as long it is kept boiling.
***** Do not try to use this to blue vintage side by side shotgun barrels, the liquid temperature is higher than the soft solder melting point that hold's the barrels together and the ribs on. Rust bluing only for them!!!!
The only lessons in my life I truly did learn from where the ones I paid for!
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16 |
***
The traditional Birmingham bluing tank formula as used for decades.
That formula is for hot dip bluing, not NITRE BLUING.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,122 Likes: 192
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,122 Likes: 192 |
SWDH you are not wrong and where did I say it was!!
Please read what I say and not run off at a tangent with what you think I said.
Kieth's Formula also is not Nitre Bluing so put your rattle back in the pram.
You may be what you say you are but you are not the fount of all knowledge either. Or do you put vintage double gun barrels in nitre bluing tank? Because it is obvious to the average wood carver from what I had written it was not Nitre bluing.
Oh just to get the playing field level I write and can take photographs but I have found that I can make more cash by sorting out the mistakes of other gun orientated people, So impressed with you I am not!!!
The only lessons in my life I truly did learn from where the ones I paid for!
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 617
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 617 |
Hi Bonny,
Can you find the items on the popular auction site as food grade for meat curing ?
Failing that, a clock repairer or horology supplies firm may be able to help you out.
Rust never sleeps !
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 388 Likes: 1 |
Thanks for all the help. I think i'll try the rust and caustic bluing, though i might give the lead bath a try, i know lead baths are good for spring tempering if you have not got a proper ht oven.
The problem in Ireland is a huge amount of chemicals that are available easily everywhere else, are difficult or impossible to find here.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 16 |
Heat bluing screws in a lead pot is exactly the effect you get as tempering a spring.
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,461 Likes: 207
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,461 Likes: 207 |
BTW, if you take a little more time and harden the screws first, then polish and heat blue( either with torch or lead pot), it will make them more resistant to screw driver damage( not proof from it however).
Mike
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 277 Likes: 4
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 277 Likes: 4 |
Twenty plus years ago I was using pure Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter), it was easy to get, any major pharmacy had it, you could also get it from a Vet, or order it from a scientific supply house. Think I had my pharmacy back then order me 5 lbs. of it.
Im not sure whats in Brownells stuff, I imagine something to make it useless for black power manufacture (Charcoal, Sulfur and Saltpeter)
lead might be a PITA, trying to remove it.
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