Question: what happened?

gcleaker

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Jan 24, 2015
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392
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jefferson city Missouri
Good morning all I just finished a reproduction black powder pistol with Birchwood Casey bluing kit. I had inlayed silver and some gold on the barrel. I have used these cold blue kits before with great results. But I never had silver or gold on the items. So my problem is the silver and the gold turned black right along with e the barrel. What did I do wrong?
Skill comes from diligence.
 

tsterling

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May 20, 2007
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NW Florida, USA
Cold blue will darken gold and silver as well as steel. I use a really fine grit tiny ceramic superstone to restore the colored inlay surfaces. Gesswein and Tira Mitchell both carry them - they fit in a pencil holder like pencil leads, so buy one of those as well.
 

JJ Roberts

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gcmelak,Next time you are bluing with gold or silver inlays try Pilkington's American slow rust bluing solution solded by Brownell's gunsmithing supply's,Tira polishing stones work great I use them for prep & restoration of guns.:thumbsup: J.J.
 

jerrywh

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Baker City , Oregon
You can use Laurel mountain browning solution and then boil it for a rust blue and it will not do that. I don't think the gold turns blue but the blue from the steel adheres to the gold and silver kind of like a plating solution. I you cover the gold with lacquer first you will not have that problem either.
 

Takoyaki

Member
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Dec 29, 2015
Messages
75
Location
Japan
Hi there,


before trying abrassives,
try an plastic eraser (not the older style eraser with abrassives in!)
though, I never tried it on steel, but plastic erasers clean tarnish on silver and gold,
without to change their surface finish!
So polish stays polished, matt stay matted!
to reach every corner cut them in shape with a carpet knife.

good luck,
Tako
 

Mike Bissell

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Nov 11, 2006
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Location
Ludington, MI
I have had good results using the pink pearl pencil eraser. It brightens the gold and has minimal effect on the bluing. Your mileage may vary.
 

zzcutter

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Sep 19, 2011
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326
Location
Berks Co. Pa.
I have used Flitz polish which should not hurt the bluing, Also i haved used bronze wool which should also not hurt the bluing. Both can be gotten from Brownells
 

gcleaker

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Jan 24, 2015
Messages
392
Location
jefferson city Missouri
No the eraser was a fail but did not hurt the blue, the Flitz started to polish but it took the fresh bluing off. So off it will go to someone with a lot more expertise in this process. I will say in all defense for Birchwood Casey I know I will use their cold blue but not with gold and silver.:)
Skill comes from Diligence.
 

JJ Roberts

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Birchwood Casey and any of the other cold bluing solutions are not made to blue an enter gun,get with a gunsmith to do hot bluing.I use a gunsmith were in town. J.J.
 

horologist

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2015
Messages
45
Location
Melrose, FL
These aren't much help for a whole gun, but if you have small objects to blue I have used:

1. Bluing salts - A horological tool supplier sent me a sample tub with an order but apparently no longer supplies this product. This looks similar https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/bluing-salts?code=B0131 This is probably similar to the stuff Brownells sells but in a more convenient sized package.
A good hotplate outdoors and a thermometer will yield a rich deep blue. The thermometer is important as I managed to heat my last pair of clock hands too hot and went past the blue I wanted. Polishing once is not much fun, polishing again because you botched the bluing less so.

2. Some time ago there was an ebay seller clearing out a large number of labratory hotplates. They can be set to a precise temperatire and programed to heat for a specified amount of time. A corningware dish with clean sand and you are set.

3. Hot air gun. Takes a bit of practice and doesn't give as uniform a color but our local Harbor Freight sells the heat gun for about $25.

Whatever you do test your material to see how well it blues before making your part. Don't ask.

Troy
 

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