simon1
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I have a bottle of Birchwood Casey cold blue that I've had for years but never used. Have any of you guys used it and what were your experiences.
Cold blue
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It works. It's certainly not Smith & Wesson M27 blue but does cover the surface. My experience says do good prep, short timings for each application, lots of layers, stop when it looks right.
This^
Degreasing is most important, including the rag/cloth you use to apply the solution. If you use carb or brake cleaner to degrease, make sure there is no lube in the degreaser (carb cleaners are bad for this). Wear rubber gloves so your skin oils don't contaminate the work. Your fingers won't turn black either. Warm up the steel before applying (hair dryer or propane torch). It speeds up the chemical reaction and gives a better overall finish.
I've used a lot of birchwood Casey products. Good stuff. Tru-oil is an excellent stock finish.
Degreasing is most important, including the rag/cloth you use to apply the solution. If you use carb or brake cleaner to degrease, make sure there is no lube in the degreaser (carb cleaners are bad for this). Wear rubber gloves so your skin oils don't contaminate the work. Your fingers won't turn black either. Warm up the steel before applying (hair dryer or propane torch). It speeds up the chemical reaction and gives a better overall finish.
I've used a lot of birchwood Casey products. Good stuff. Tru-oil is an excellent stock finish.
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Yes- many bottles-, and excellent advice above: prep and repeat applications.
Brownell's Oxpho is good too, totally different.
AA
Brownell's Oxpho is good too, totally different.
AA
It will darken metal and usually takes several coats. It is not all that durable and will wear off if subjected to rough use.
Brownell's Oxpho +1
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simon1
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Thanks guys. I had heard the Birchwood Casey may wear after time. The Oxpho looks good. All I'm looking to do is some touch up for holster wear. I may try the Birchwood Casey on the top of the front sight on my Blackhawk...I don't have anything to lose.
Found a neat little intro. to cold blue. For what I want the 44/40 may work.
Found a neat little intro. to cold blue. For what I want the 44/40 may work.
Have used both, they work, but neither particularly durable, YMMV.
Wabi Sabi rules.
Yes, it does work but as already mentioned, it's not at ALL durable.
I have a bottle of Birchwood Casey cold blue that I've had for years but never used. Have any of you guys used it and what were your experiences.
I have used the Cold Blue quite a few times over the years, but I use it by doing the Hot Bluing process. After the barrel or receiver prep, (sanding, de-greasing, etc.) Heat up some boiling water and pour it into a plastic trough, the length of your barrel or receiver. I use wooden dowels as handles with broken wire clothes hangers as hooks.
I heat the barrel up in the very hot water for 5-10 minutes, then pull it out and hang it by the hooks, give it a fast dry off with a towel, then apply the Cold Blue. It dries really fast, I give it a once over with 0000 wool, and then back into some boiling water again for another 5-10. Repeat this process dunking, drying and steel wool for as many times as it takes to reach the color and depth that you desire.
I'm usually doing an average of 8-10 coats, before I get to where I want it to be. It's pretty fool proof, and leaves a deep, rich, glossy blue. I've refinished a few old rifles of friends this way and the finish seemed durable enough to me. No complaints yet.
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simon1
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I have used the Cold Blue quite a few times over the years, but I use it by doing the Hot Bluing process. After the barrel or receiver prep, (sanding, de-greasing, etc.) Heat up some boiling water and pour it into a plastic trough, the length of your barrel or receiver. I use wooden dowels as handles with broken wire clothes hangers as hooks.
I heat the barrel up in the very hot water for 5-10 minutes, then pull it out and hang it by the hooks, give it a fast dry off with a towel, then apply the Cold Blue. It dries really fast, I give it a once over with 0000 wool, and then back into some boiling water again for another 5-10. Repeat this process dunking, drying and steel wool for as many times as it takes to reach the color and depth that you desire.
I'm usually doing an average of 8-10 coats, before I get to where I want it to be. It's pretty fool proof, and leaves a deep, rich, glossy blue. I've refinished a few old rifles of friends this way and the finish seemed durable enough to me. No complaints yet.
Thanks, Rob. That sounds close to the process of heating up the part before putting the other cold bluing on. I guess I should have made it clear, I'm just looking for touch up and not bluing an entire piece. If I was doing an entire piece I'd do hot blue.
Thinking about how to treat the bare metal if I file down a front sight a bit. Glad to hear 8-10 coats turns out pretty long lasting.
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simon1
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Touch up? Heat gun and same process with the steel wool for spot treatments.
Thanks, Rob. I think I'll try it on the top of the front sight on the old Ruger that's holster worn for a test. That's what I got the cold blue in the first place for. The holster wear on the front of the cylinders on the blued guns I'm not real concerned about. I don't think the cold blue will work well on the dings on the alloy frame of the Cobra, but I could try it just for grins. I have several hair driers, and a propane torch for real steel.
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simon1
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I hot blued a couple straight blades. Good prep is definitely the key. I actually hung them in the oven at 300, cooled to the touch enough to handle, and throw a coat on. Wash rinse repeat until happy.
They were good practice.
They were good practice.
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simon1
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That does seem like good practice.
I think I'll use a hair drier on high on the small section I need, then try the blue. If it doesn't work well I can always sand it off, then carefully use a higher heat source.
I had some range marks that I put on the old Ruger's front sight at one time. Sighted it in at 25 yards with the load I was using, then used red nail polish to mark the front sight for hold over at 50 yards, then one for 75 yards, then one for 100 yards. Of course the nail polish doesn't last long. I may try that again with a load that shoots well, but use some marks that are more sturdy. Something like this.
I Have This Old Gun: Elmer Keith’s Single Action Army
That’s what glass with bdc’s are for.
A really fine paint pen, or bright paint with a thin brush.... if I was going to notch a sight post, I’d still paint the higher aiming points.
I run an aimpoint and have paint pen marks for off and standard setting on the power setting knob/body. One past the mark for bright outside, two below for night.
A really fine paint pen, or bright paint with a thin brush.... if I was going to notch a sight post, I’d still paint the higher aiming points.
I run an aimpoint and have paint pen marks for off and standard setting on the power setting knob/body. One past the mark for bright outside, two below for night.
Great thread!
I never could get cold blue to work worth a flip.
Makes me want to open up the exact same lookin' bottle of Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue that's been sitting on a shelf at my reloading bench for 25 years or longer and blue something.
I never could get cold blue to work worth a flip.
Makes me want to open up the exact same lookin' bottle of Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue that's been sitting on a shelf at my reloading bench for 25 years or longer and blue something.
Does it have an expiration date?
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