quote:

Originally posted by Jim Watson:
Probably. The usual hot blue is a solution of nitrates and nitrites to oxidize the surface of the steel, and sodium hydroxide to raise the boiling point for the oxidation to take place and come out with black iron oxide instead of red rust.....

Thanks Jim.

The new "blued" guns are not blued, they are blackened, usually using a far different finish, such as DLC. My 210 Compact has a fantastic, shiny finish, but it's not blue. You also won't find nickel finishes anymore, the EPA has all but outlawed the process in this country. The only modern production blued gun I have seen in years was a Colt 1911 Talo edition called the Colt Royal, IIRC.

quote:

You also won't find nickel finishes anymore, the EPA has all but outlawed the process in this country.

Where does this stuff come from?
APW NICKEL ELECTROLYTIC – Very durable and water resistant, it has been around the industry forever.
Matte With Flaw Removal $290.00
Brushed 400 Grit Polish $290.00
BRIGHT all finishes $770.00

Ford's
Nickel
Used for over a century on firearms, Nickel has a soft, yellow glow. It does not have quite the durability of chrome, but it is the popular choice when restoring classic pistols and revolvers. We offer Nickel in Matte (bead blast finish), Brushed (400 grit polish) and Bright (mirror) finish.

Etc.

Jim and other posters above are correct, that not all "Bluing" is the same. They in fact are nowhere near the same. The best is time consuming, way more expensive, very precise, and cannot be 100% automated, being as much art as it is science. Back in the day blueing and parkerizing were more or less the only economical options (I think anyway), but the former was never durable compared to what we have today in passivating, plating, and covering steel.

Me too. Exactly why I asked. And an Anaconda. Both 4".

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Still dreaming of a new blued Colt Python

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
The new "blued" guns are not blued, they are blackened, usually using a far different finish, such as DLC. My 210 Compact has a fantastic, shiny finish, but it's not blue.

That's good enough for me. I'd just be happy to have more revolvers made with a darker-colored finish rather than having nothing but finished stainless steel as (all too often) effectively being the only option out there.

Is there anyone doing blueing anymore, have a Smith 29-3, the blue under the grips in some areas has delaminated, the rest of the gun is fine, but those areas need to be addressed, bought it that way.

quote:

…the blue under the grips in some areas has delaminated …

quote:

Where does this stuff come from?

It's due to the (runaway) power of the internet.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:
A question I have is, does the bluing that IS being offered today involve the same process that was done say in the 1960's? I realize the polishing prior is not done to the extent, or as finely, as was done then but chemically is it the same process?

No, I remember reading the EPA had something to do with that. Here's what I found on the internet

"The older guns were blued in a hot bluing process that most manufacturers no longer use for a variety of reasons. The older blue is a deeper, smoother, richer looking blue where as the newer guns are more black in color and usually not as deep or shiny. The link will give you the technical basics."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Is there anyone doing blueing anymore, have a Smith 29-3, the blue under the grips in some areas has delaminated, the rest of the gun is fine, but those areas need to be addressed, bought it that way.

Fords is the go to for reblueing

https://www.fordsguns.com/

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Is there anyone doing blueing anymore, have a Smith 29-3, the blue under the grips in some areas has delaminated, the rest of the gun is fine, but those areas need to be addressed, bought it that way.

Fords is the go to for reblueing

https://www.fordsguns.com/

Thanks forgot about that, just a couple hours ride from home...

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
... the Colt website, ...did see "black diamond" finish.

I am pretty sure that's their take on a DLC type of black finish.

I guess I should clarify - I don't specifically want some revolvers blued, just some dark-colored non-shiny options. Cerakoting black or something similar, or blued would be fine with me.

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
The new "blued" guns are not blued, they are blackened, usually using a far different finish, such as DLC. My 210 Compact has a fantastic, shiny finish, but it's not blue.

That's good enough for me. I'd just be happy to have more revolvers made with a darker-colored finish rather than having nothing but finished stainless steel as (all too often) effectively being the only option out there.

There are various black paints and plating techniques that seem to have taken over the industry. They have the advantage that they can be applied over stainless steel.

As for what is called "bluing," I usually see three types:

1) Cold bluing (e.g. Birchwood "super blue") -- I think of this as "fake bluing." It's usually used for minor touch up of scratches or dings on a blued gun. It just forms a thin deposit of copper and selenium onto steel and has little or no protective qualities. But it looks a lot better than a bright silver ding on a blued gun.

2) Hot bluing -- the standard gun finishing technique for most of the 20th century. Not so common from factories these days, but lots of shops still do it. It's a dip into a chemical bath that forms a black oxide layer on the surface of the steel. It's pretty quick and well-suited to a production line, but the chemicals are hot and noxious.

3) Rust bluing -- the standard way to blue a gun before about WWI. It's also an oxide layer, but you form the layer by inducing a thin film of actual (red) rust, and then boiling it in water or steam to convert it to the desirable black oxide state. It takes 5-10 cycles of rusting and converting (so will take several hours to accomplish), but it's relevant today because any hobbyist can do it with minimal equipment. Done well, it's beautiful and more durable than a standard hot blue (the oxide layer can go deep).

There were some other clever and interesting ways to get a beautiful oxide layer to form, but the above are the most standard.