doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Seeking tips for blending sleeved barrel bluing

Rebluing a set of sleeved barrels. Originally damascus, they were sleeve with fluid steel. The sleeving was done very well. I'm looking for tips on getting the bluing to look uniform across both materials. Currently, they are media blasted to give them a uniform patina from which to start polishing.

My initial thought was to use an aggressive agent, to get a strong etch, and more cycles than usual.

The flats are clearly stamped "SLEEVED", and I am not trying to hide the fact that they were, but I would like for the naked to not be able to tell by looking at the outside, if possible.

My advice is to just blue them wiyh Mark Lees and see how they look. Usually the difference between tube to breech block is hardly visible except under close inspection in the right light.

You say the barrels were media blasted; I would guess if you just rust blue them now, the two different steels and the damascus pattern will show. If you thoroughly polish then up by hand, getting rid of all the media markings, to at least a nice longitudinal 320 finish, it will be very hard to tell they are sleeved, if the joints are tight, and don't leak. I would suggest a mild rust blue solution like Pilkingtons. I would not use a strong etch.

Yes, they will be polished like usual. Thanks for the mild etchant suggestion. That get to point of what I was wondering about: if a a strong or mild etchant would blend better.

I don't understand why any etchant solution would be used, it would show up the Damascus. Just boil and card.
Mike

Bluing agent, which etches the metal, not ferric chloride etchant.

B.Grahm,
If you mean the bluing agent, then I agree with you.
Mike