Well - I got the stuff! Going to give it a test run now. Wish me luck. Photos to come.
Bluing
- Thread starter Earcutter
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- #2
Ok - so keep in mind this was only a test run for application purposes on an extra blade I have kicking about. This was the stuff I used.
I think hot blue will look very sweet. I cant wait to see pics. Hurry up. 
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Here is the blade before.
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I think hot blue will look very sweet. I cant wait to see pics. Hurry up.
LOL - here's the first aplication - light.
It looked great but it was to light.
Looks good. I was just kidding but that was fast.
I think this is a great idea for any razor owning gun nut !
Looking forward to more pictures
Looking forward to more pictures
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- #8
So i put more on and it didn't like the re-app. It's ok, but not smooth like the first application. So the trick is to do it right the first time. I intend to do just that and use motor oil to darken it even more.
Anyway - the other thing I really wanted to see was how it would look with an edge - spine taped. And spine not taped. That was key for me. Here it is - Sorry the photos just don't turn out well. Though I don't like it with application two as much as just the one - it does look ok. Better than the photo's.
Oh and the next blade will be one that's had a "forced mustard patina." That may be interesting.
Anyway - the other thing I really wanted to see was how it would look with an edge - spine taped. And spine not taped. That was key for me. Here it is - Sorry the photos just don't turn out well. Though I don't like it with application two as much as just the one - it does look ok. Better than the photo's.
Oh and the next blade will be one that's had a "forced mustard patina." That may be interesting.
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- #9
When I get more time to do it right I'll post more - I just wanted to "whet" my feet and give it a quick run so that I can sleep on it and maybe get some ideas.
The first idea that's hit is to get some white rust paint and fill in the type - that'll "pop" like no tomorrow and I think will look great!!
The first idea that's hit is to get some white rust paint and fill in the type - that'll "pop" like no tomorrow and I think will look great!!
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- #10
The more I look at it, the more I like it! It's drying nicely.
I might be trying this again sooner than I thought lol. I think if I applied it liberally to a nice cloth the first time - after buffing out the blade a bit first, this might just be the answer to my distain for the discolouring I seemingly can't stop getting on my razors.
Now I just have to think of the right scales to match and I'll be golden lol.
yay!!
I might be trying this again sooner than I thought lol. I think if I applied it liberally to a nice cloth the first time - after buffing out the blade a bit first, this might just be the answer to my distain for the discolouring I seemingly can't stop getting on my razors.
Now I just have to think of the right scales to match and I'll be golden lol.
yay!!
how does baxter/hart get the not a replica straight so dark? same method as David?
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- #12
If you can work with a blade before it's been tempered or put in the oven, you can get just about any kind of finish you want. Unfortunately, I can't apply any heat to my blade for fear of destroying the edge.
Someone else will pipe up and state exactly how they do it but - hot bluing vs. the cold bluing I am doing, will look 1000 times better!
A not-cold, not-hot solution is Mark Lee's Express Blue, or Rust Brown: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=0/k=Mark+lee/t=P/ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=Mark_lee
Use a hairdryer to pre-heat the blade, instead of the flame-pass, and use a double-boiler. I've done quite a few knives this way, in addition to a Ruger Super Blackhawk frame. A phenominal home-smith blue, as close as I've ever seen to factory blue.
Use a hairdryer to pre-heat the blade, instead of the flame-pass, and use a double-boiler. I've done quite a few knives this way, in addition to a Ruger Super Blackhawk frame. A phenominal home-smith blue, as close as I've ever seen to factory blue.
I think the forced patina with mustard is going to look sweet. I have seen knives done like this and it turns out nice.
White vinegar makes for a nice forced patina too, if you want something more even. Get a narrow diameter piece of PVC, cap one end, fill with white vinegar, then drop the blade down in there overnight after you've done all the polishing and finish work you want to. Comes out a nice even dark grey. Mustard patinas are cool, but never even because it's the thin areas that do the patina work, only on the edges. If you layer it right, you can almost get a damascus steel look with mustard too. Here is an ESEE 5 I did with a white vinegar patina and a few other small things. I only left it in for a couple of hours because I didn't want it too dark, and then I hit it lightly with some steel wool to brighten up the high spots. I etched the logos into it using PCB etching fluid from Radio Shack.
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- #16
Man that looks great!! You think I could blue on top of a vinegar job?
That viniger job looks sweet on that Esee. I have a Izula 2 and I am stripping the coating off if it and might have to do this to it.
I have some other pictures of it that show the etched logos a little better, and a few other things I did to it, but didn't want to take over the OPs thread. I'm sure you could cold blue over a vinegar patina, but I don't know if it would show up any differently than just cold bluing. FYI, they sell Birchwood Casey cold blue at Bass Pro, and even Wal-Mart sometimes. Wash the metal with soap and water, then spray with brake cleaning fluid until it's running off the metal, and let it air dry, then apply your blue/patina/etc. I blued a pistol barrel and it came out great using this stuff, and it's almost instant. Just dip it in, pull it right back out, and wipe off the excess fluid. At that point if you want to give it that "weathered" or "aged" look, hit it with some 000 or 0000 steel wool with a few light passes and it will wear the finish down on the high spots, and smooth everything else out. I have a Becker BK11 that I cold blued and buffed in this manner, and it looks pretty cool. Let me quantify this by saying I am in no way a professional, I just like to make things my own.
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- #19
Gents - it's not quite a razor but... this thing has been with me for years (And no, I am not one of those guys who will try and shave with it lol!!). It has sentimental value and as you can see, it was in dire need of some love.
I bought it back in the day when I lived in Jamaica, and i tell you, it's a valuable tool around the yard. Anyway as you can see the rust was deep and it took the efforts of a Dremel.
Here it is all blued up with the same stuff I used on my razor.
And here it is with an edge put on and after being used to remove some shrubs;
So you might wonder why I would post showing you my bluing job on a cutlass that I could have replaced for $27.50. Well to show off of course lol - No that's not it (well all of it lol)... It's because I got to tell you guys - this thing stinks!! Literally. The first thing my wife said upon inspection was, "Wow it stinks, don't keep it in the house." And it does. Like sulfur. It's nasty. I didn't smell it on my razor but it has me nervous.
The other thing I noted was the blue took like a king to this thing. I note that perhaps a rough finish might take better. I did not try to put a finish this thing. But even after I had at it with the shrubs, it fared well. So i am glad.
Anyway, there you have it - a great bluing on a rough finish that stinks to high heaven!! Anyone else note that blues stink?
I bought it back in the day when I lived in Jamaica, and i tell you, it's a valuable tool around the yard. Anyway as you can see the rust was deep and it took the efforts of a Dremel.
Here it is all blued up with the same stuff I used on my razor.
And here it is with an edge put on and after being used to remove some shrubs;
So you might wonder why I would post showing you my bluing job on a cutlass that I could have replaced for $27.50. Well to show off of course lol - No that's not it (well all of it lol)... It's because I got to tell you guys - this thing stinks!! Literally. The first thing my wife said upon inspection was, "Wow it stinks, don't keep it in the house." And it does. Like sulfur. It's nasty. I didn't smell it on my razor but it has me nervous.
The other thing I noted was the blue took like a king to this thing. I note that perhaps a rough finish might take better. I did not try to put a finish this thing. But even after I had at it with the shrubs, it fared well. So i am glad.
Anyway, there you have it - a great bluing on a rough finish that stinks to high heaven!! Anyone else note that blues stink?
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Blues definitely smell like sulfur. I too happen to be a bolo fan, and have a Tramontina 14" that I oiled and contoured the handle on, and gave it a mustard/white vinegar patina. Is the one in your picture a Marbles? I really like the fullers in it. I heavily modded the blade on my Tram. Lower 4 inches on the front are scandi grind, the rest is convexed and sharp enough to sever a vein in the back of my hand(don't ask). The back I ground the lower 4 inches dead flat, and rounded over the rest to use as a draw knife. I also added some jimping.
