fire blue how to?

[andy42s]

Anybody know? I did some online research about tempering, and around 560-570 degrees, steel turns a blue color, depending on carbon content. I want to fire blue my hammer and trigger pins and frame screws, and maybe even the base pin where it is visible. I found a couple of places that will do it for anywhere between $30-$80. I have access to MAPP gas and oxy-acetylene torches. Does anyone know if all that is done is the factory blue is removed, then the pins are heated with a torch until they turn the desired color? I am thinking of doing it myself, but I'm a little concerned about altering their hardness. Appreciapte any ideas/input 

[St. George]

Small Stuff...
« on: May 06, 2004, 09:47:15 AM »     

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One of the most common gunsmithing projects in C&WAS is smoothing an action.
Numerous articles have been written and even more gun parts have been ruined by guys trying for that "extra edge" that in many cases, their own increased practice would have refined.

No matter.

There will always be someone available to do that sort of work, and some guys really are worth the money spent - as long as the shooter possesses the sophistication the really be able to use it.

On the other hand - some "cosmetic" things can be good for those Colts and Remingtons and Smith & Wessons and one of those is the benefit of good, highly-polished screws - complete with absolutely straight slots.

Fire-bluing of gun screws is something that can be done easily as long as you have patience and a good eye for color.

In essence, all you really do is to polish the head (and the end, if exposed), to a fare-thee-well and head over to your torch.

Obviously, you'll be clamping the screw in something like a soft-jawed pliers, so as not to burn yourself.

Now, with your torch set for a moderately wide flame, hold the screw head up to it and watch it heat up.

It'll take a minute, but it'll change color.

As it does - decide what color is best for your gun and once you've decided that - immediately quench the screw in oil.

Practice on used gun screws - not wood screws or anything similar - practice on what you'll work with.

After some time, your eye will tell you that you're getting a color match and once that happens, you're on your way.

Fire-blued screws add to the overall "look" of a firearm - giving that slightest hint of "extra" work having been done.

Now that you have a set - make certain that you have screwdrivers that are straight-sided and fitted to the screw slot.

Those slots - when flared or peened - are the first indicator that whoever disassembled the gun may not have known what he was doing.

Buy yourself a good set and take care of them.

For good gunsmithing equipment - Brownell's has a "Cowboy Action Catalog" - call them toll -free at 1-800-741-0015 or email at www.brownells.com, and get a copy.

Personally, I like the screws made by "Peacemaker Specialists", as they give you a very deep slot that looks good and their finish is superb.

There are some top-notch gun books out there, so buy them and read them thoroughly before you tackle something, and be sure to take your time.

It'll pay off in reliability and more importantly - in pride.

Vaya,


Scouts Out!

[andy42s]

Thanks a lot! just as I had imagined. I'll post pics when complete

[rifle]

Get some potassium nitrate salts and heat them to 600 degrees. Hang the parts on a wire or in a wire basket and tip them in the molten salts. The salts are clear so you can see the color of the metal change. When it hits the color get it away from the salts and over to the water and quench the parts. The salts are just a heated medium that will turn the part a uniform all at the same time color. Don't splash water into the molten salts. The better the polish the better the fireblue.  Nitre blue is what it's called. The color keeps turning even after the heat is taken away so...learn to get it out just before/as it is turning the color you want. Takes a little practice. After the dark blue comes light blue then to white. Fireblued screws don't stay that way long. There is a solvent made for cleaning the adhesive from the body where a colostomy bag is hooked up. Detachol. Get it from the pharmacy. It's the color of water. Paint it on the parts to be fire blued. Let it dry for a day. Then do the fire blue thing and the Detachol will bake a clear coating of carbon on the parts and protect them. Detachol has some sort of iso paraffins in it. That's what does the trick. Works to preserve case hardening colors too. A thin spray of shellac after the fire blue preserves too.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Great tips, here.

[Guns Garrett]

As kind of an aside here:  I recently built a double set trigger "kit" from Track of the Wolf, for a muzzleloader I'm working on.  After filing and fitting the triggers and sears, you harden them (heat to cherry red, then quench in oil).  To temper (draw) them, the directions tell you to put the parts in your kitchen oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes, then shut it off and leave the parts in the oven while it cooled.  The parts came out the most beautiful, dark, midnight-blue - like an old Colt "Dome Blue"  I polished up some small steel parts (trigger plate, barrel wedges, screws) and did the same to them, and they came out the same.  I tried rubbing the parts briskly on some rough denim, and the color seemed to take a lot of buffing to get it to lighten - seemed tougher than some touch-up cold blue.  To get the best color, be sure the parts are polished, and clean (no fingerprints, oil, etc.)
My  electric range only goes up to 500, and I've never verified the thermostat.  I set the temp for whatever, and when it beeps, I start cookin', so, your results may vary.

[St. George]

Properly done - heat bluing, whether by oven or torch - is  far 'harder' than any 'nitre blue'.

Long ago, Colt tried that finish - and while beautiful, they found that it faded and 'peeled' (for lack of a better term).

The secret lies in the preparation and the 'eye' of the workman.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[andy42s]

well, I've pretty much lost intrest in bluing my parts now. I've turned steel blue and other colors while grinding with an angle grinder, and you're right, it does just come right off. I don't have the equipment to nitre-blue, nor do I want to aquire it. I guess I don't want to go through the effort of removing the factory blue and heating it just right, only to have it wear right off. Maybe sometime in the future if I have a wall hanger or something. Thanks for all the info

[Virginia Gentleman]

Buy some Nitre Blue salts from Brownell's and you will get excellent results.