The correct blue for pre 1900 should be charcoal blue, I can imagine that back in the day in the UK gun making centres, there would have been outfits that specialised in this and that's exactly what they did all day. In fact Malcom Cruxton of Price St., Birmingham once told me, as a young lad, he would often take furniture and barrels to the trade blackers in the gun quarter.
Here in the UK, most people in the modern gun trade that I know use the caustic hot blacking salts.
The only people I know who do charcoal blueing (which produces that beautiful deep gloss black colour) is St. Ledgers, of the colour hardening fame.
My old gaffer used to charcoal blue parts, with a small tray of charcoal, some tow (a fibreous material used for cleaning down stuff, looks like wool) and lime (natural powdered lime, the type farmers put on their land to change the acidity of soil). The part had to be polished, degreased and then placed over the hot coals. Periodically, the part was removed and rubbed down with the tow and lime and returned to the heat. After a while the black started and you eventually ended up with a charcoal blue part (usually the triggerguard, top-lever and safety catch and for a boxlock the floorplate too).
Last edited by Fletchedpair; 12/15/11 12:37 PM.
