Help bluing steel with 999 gold and silver inlays

AndrosCreations

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Jul 14, 2010
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Does anyone know of a solution that will blu/darken steel without affecting 999 gold & silver inlays?

...preferably something that doesn't require allot of heat. I believe last time I tried birchwood casey's super blue, that it turned the gold dark, perhaps not directly but by residue migrating over the inlays.

I wonder what this gentleman is using at 26:45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEmTdx6VuWk

Thanks in advance
 

Leland Davis

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I use Mark Lee Express blue for my blueing works great but I don't know yet if it will darken gold but will find out soon going give it a try. I'll let you know if it works or a disaster.
 

JJ Roberts

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I've used Mark Lee Express and like it but don't know how it will react to gold or silver,easy to use de-grease the metal and heat the metal with a hair dryer and apply the bluing solution with cotton ball with a few coats the metal will turn brown now take a stainless bowl fill with water and bowel on the stove leave your metal in for ten minutes the metal will turn black take oooo steel wool and go over the metal and you should have a nice blued finish.Hope this is of help to Andy. J.J.
 

tsterling

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I just use Birchwood Casey Super Blue and then go over the copper, gold or silver inlays with my finest grit of ceramic pencil stones to remove the color. I really like the raw look of the gold after the abrasive.
 

AndrosCreations

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That would be good... Wish I could find it in small quantities as I don't need 40 lbs. I emailed brownells to see if they have anything else in a smaller quantity.
 

Leland Davis

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Andy, I finally got around to trying the Mark Lee express blue over .999 silver. It darkened a little but the final step is buffing with 0000 steel wool cleaned up the silver nicely. The customer has the gun and I have not heard anything about bleeding like you described.
Leland
 

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