Help, please: Protect Nitre Blue Finish

dlilazteca

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What's the best way to protect the nitre blue finish based off your experiences, I have a client that wants it on a pair of 1911 grips and trying to figure out the best way to protect it since it's so delicate, while being able to maintain its luster.

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MICHAEL

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I dip in motor oil right after blueing. Then wipe off and use gun oil after. Since they are on grips the finish will wear off and leave a gun metal grey luster that some may or may not like. If it just sits in a gun safe or not handled much it will be ok for a long time. Be interesting if anyone uses clear laquer or similar product to seal and how well it holds up.
 

dlilazteca

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The only way to preserve it at all is with Brownell's baking lacquer. Grips are a bad place to niter blue.
I agree about placement, trying to find a way to get it done

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highveldt

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What's the best way to protect the nitre blue finish based off your experiences, I have a client that wants it on a pair of 1911 grips and trying to figure out the best way to protect it since it's so delicate, while being able to maintain its luster.

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Real Nitre Bluing (liquid Potassium Nitrate bath at 800 -900+ degrees F 20-30 minutes) tolerates use much better than the so called "niter bluing" salts (not real) sold by Brownells and used by a large number of gun finishers--because it is easy, not the best way. The late Dr. Oscar Gaddy wrote a detailed method of proper Nitre Bluing in issues of "Double Gun Journal" a couple of decades ago. Proper Nitre Bluing using Potassium Nitrate is somewhat of an art, and a dangerous one at that due to the high temperature of a liquid at nearly 1000 degrees F. It took me some time to learn how to do it properly.

Nitre Bluing, Rust Bluing (blacking) and Charcoal Bluing are the old methods that were used by gunmakers throughout the world at one time, especially England.

Any time you encounter gun finishers who advertise that they do these finishes you should take what they say with much caution. Case in point is Rust Bluing. Proper Slow Rust Bluing (really blacking) is a long process (I just finished a set of barrels with 14 coats of application that was applied during a 15 day period of time). Slow Rust Bluing as advertised by gun finishers of today in USA is most often "Express Slow Rust Bluing" (completed in a couple of days) and it looks dull upon completion, compared to what you can see from a set of barrels rust blacked by Stevens and Johnson in England for example. Look at the Purdey website to see S&J's work.
 

dlilazteca

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
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Location
Laredo, Texas
Real Nitre Bluing (liquid Potassium Nitrate bath at 800 -900+ degrees F 20-30 minutes) tolerates use much better than the so called "niter bluing" salts (not real) sold by Brownells and used by a large number of gun finishers--because it is easy, not the best way. The late Dr. Oscar Gaddy wrote a detailed method of proper Nitre Bluing in issues of "Double Gun Journal" a couple of decades ago. Proper Nitre Bluing using Potassium Nitrate is somewhat of an art, and a dangerous one at that due to the high temperature of a liquid at nearly 1000 degrees F. It took me some time to learn how to do it properly.

Nitre Bluing, Rust Bluing (blacking) and Charcoal Bluing are the old methods that were used by gunmakers throughout the world at one time, especially England.

Any time you encounter gun finishers who advertise that they do these finishes you should take what they say with much caution. Case in point is Rust Bluing. Proper Slow Rust Bluing (really blacking) is a long process (I just finished a set of barrels with 14 coats of application that was applied during a 15 day period of time). Slow Rust Bluing as advertised by gun finishers of today in USA is most often "Express Slow Rust Bluing" (completed in a couple of days) and it looks dull upon completion, compared to what you can see from a set of barrels rust blacked by Stevens and Johnson in England for example. Look at the Purdey website to see S&J's work.
Ok...thanks for the info......but what's the best way to protect the nitre bluing.....

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Southern Custom

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Carlos, This may or may not apply to your application but while visiting a friend last week at his shop to pick up a gun, he showed me a catalog for a new product from Dura Coat. It's a two part gun finish in an aerosol can that's mixed when you puncture the catalyst by a button on the bottom of the can. Apparently they have a clear coat and from what I've heard this stuff is quite durable.
Just thought about it when someone mentioned clear Cerakote. May be of use on another project if not for this one. Worth taking a look at anyway.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/20...s-finish-finally-finished-can-finish-firearm/
 
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