Bluing solution

[Stan Hillis]

Anyone know if there is a commercial bluing solution available that will approximate the color of original Fox barrels? I'm fitting a set of Utica ejector barrels to a Philly receiver. These are not Krupp barrels. They are stamped Savage, and are the Special Alloy Steel. It's not life or death, because the gun will be just a shooter composed of a conglomeration of parts, but I'd like it to look relatively authentic.

Stan

[Dan Rossiter]

Although I use my own rust bluing solution and do not have experience with commercial concoctions
all slow rust bluing is essentially the same. It is the rusting and boiling of the steel that gives it the color not the chemicals, they simply initiate the rusting process.

[Stan Hillis]

Thanks, Dan. I'm going to try my hand at slow rusting barrels later this spring. Ought to work fast down here once warm weather gets here with it's accompanying high humidity.

Stan

[Twice Barrel]

Surface preparation has a lot to do with perceived color. High polish (600 grit or higher) will have a much shiner finished appearance where as a medium polish in the 400 grit range will more closely approximate the original Sterlingworth finish so you may want to experiment with several finish preparation's before you do the barrels.

[Stan Hillis]

Twice Barrel,

I know and understand that going through a finer grit when final polishing will lead to a higher sheen in the bluing, but was more concerned about the actual color, or shade of the blue. I've seen everything from a bright blue to a nearly black. Wondering how these variations in shade of blue are achieved.

Thanks, Stan

[Silvers]

Stan, it's known that chemical salt "comtaminants" in the rust bluing solution will produce slightly different shades of black oxides on the finished work. For example Dunlap's Gunsmithing book lists the ingredients for three similar rust blue solutions, one traditional with just the acids and ferric component, one has an extra mercury salt, and the third one has a copper salt added. From talking with barrel men I know they do a lot of experimenting to come up with different bluing shades. Frank

[Twice Barrel]

Twice Barrel,

I know and understand that going through a finer grit when final polishing will lead to a higher sheen in the bluing, but was more concerned about the actual color, or shade of the blue. I've seen everything from a bright blue to a nearly black. Wondering how these variations in shade of blue are achieved.

Thanks, Stan

Savage era Fox barrels are not blue at all they are black iron oxide. Sterlingworths are finished with about 320 grit graded guns received a higher polish.

The blue hues of Colt Pythons etc are achieved using hot salt blueing solutions.