How Hot Salts or Hot Dip Bluing is DonePrecision
Bluing offers hot-dip bluing only. The purpose of this process is protective,
decorative and restorative. This consists of a multi-stage process wherein the
piece is first derusted in either a solution of hot alkaline or an acid.
Determination is made by the severity and depth of the oxidation.
This is
followed by the mechanical removal of the etched surface by means of
multiple-grit felt and cotton wheels. Extreme care at this stage has to be
given to any lettering or proofmarks originally found on the piece. A veteran
polisher can work between the letters giving a quality overall effect.
Depending on the final grit used, this depicts the final finish, or luster.
Ex.
A 400 grit final polish is the approximate grit of a factory finish. To proceed
above a 400 grit, for example to a mirror polish would result in a very
reflective, high-luster blue. This is known as the custom and is only
achievable after many hours of hand polishing.
The
bluing process consists of a five-stage system: a hot degreaser followed by a
rinse, a mechanical scrubbing, then back to the degreaser, back to the rinse,
then into molten salts. These are classified as molten because the boiling
point is 290 degrees. After the appropriate amount of time, followed by a hot
water rinse, the part is placed in a spray rinse and sprayed with vast amounts
of water. It is then immediately quenched in a water-displacing oil.
At this
point, the oxide film is very soft and has to be left untouched for
approximately 24 hours. Then the oxide surface is mildly polished. It is then
possible to offer another service of a wax seal which gives an even higher
luster. The piece is then packaged and returned to the customer. This finish
also meets military specifications C13924BAM1 Class 1, Grade A.
A
very high level of attention to precision and quality should be given to each
piece for the best possible outcome.
Hot Dip Bluing: Why it is Necessary and How it is Done
Alright, you say! "What on earth is this bluing??"
Well,
just in case you're not all that familiar with bluing, it is a chemical
process, call “hot dip” applied to all of the metal parts of your gun,
or golf clubs, or decorative swords, or knives, or..... It protects the
said item from rusting and if properly cared for, need never be
repeated. We happen to use Oxynate #7 from Brownell's.
The recent flooding has affected many of these very heirlooms. Bluing can restore these items to their original condition.
Precision
Bluing offers a service that will take the metal surface of a weapon,
primarily gun barrels, to a higher level of beauty and durability. This
is a much desired finished. Gun enthusiasts, owners of family heirlooms,
and war re-enactment participants utilize this process to:
* restore a weapon to its original condition
* customize the weapon
* optimize a weapon for a specific function such as flat gloss for low reflectivity or
high gloss for a presentational piece
* polishing specific trigger parts enhancing the weapon's function, such as smooth
trigger pull, smoother cocking, burr-free, bolt placement
* provide the weapon with a long-term corrosion-resistant protective coating
With proper care and handling, this process need not ever be repeated, making this a valuable investment to a weapons owner.
Other
services offered are general polishing for "white" guns such as antique
muskets, and bead blasting, which offers a flat matte finish.
All services can be offered complimentary to one another.
Are you still awake? Want to call and talk about it? 607-656-4356. Shy? Mark@PrecisionBluing.com
A Short Note on Cold Bluing
First,
let us just say that not all cold bluing is created equal. There are
some products out there that people have been very happy with. There
are some products that could just as easily be replaced with Kool-Aid~
However,
I think it would be very safe to say that a quarter to a third of the
guns that we've had here to reblue were first cold blued. Then they
were taken out in their first rain and the blue simply melted away.
In fact, here is a direct quote from Wikipedia:
"Cold" bluing is generally a selenium dioxide based compound that colors
steel black, or more often a very dark gray. It is a difficult product
to apply evenly, offers minimal protection and is generally best used
for small fast repair jobs and touch-ups.
We use a four-tank hot salts bluing method. When we blue your gun, we send it back to you with a care sheet. If you follow the simple, common sense directions on this sheet, you won't ever need to have your gun blued again. Now wouldn't that be far more economical?Give us a call! 607-656-4356. Shy?
Mark@PrecisionBluing.com