[sidewinder]

I have some parts that I want to re-blue on a 1928. There is some brass parts on gun.
A friend of mine who does Bluing states not to put brass in with bluing salt mixture but this seems to be conflicting with brass parts on the other firearms.

Can I re- blue with brass parts on gun and who's bluing salts do the refinishing gurus recommend. Does the temp of bluing mixture matter with brass parts. I could use a bit of instruction on this.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Lucky#13]

My understanding is that the Brass or Bronze will tend to kill the salts. I believe jmann got two guns blued before they gave out. It might well depend on what the specific chemical solution is. Some may stand up better to the intruduction of bronze.

You are going to need to talk to someone in your area who does bluing and see what they say about it with their mix. You might find someone willing. Or, you can always to the cold blue method as on Jon Moran's site. Dolf Goldsmith told me that the original 1917s were done in similar fashion.

http://browningmgs.com/Colt1928/Bluing.htm

 

[sidewinder]

Bluing salts and Bronze

I do not care much if the salt solution gets ruined. I just want to blue the 1928 with the bronze parts attached to water jacket with out destroying bronze parts. I want some info on if I should not make bluing salts not as strong or is the only thing going to happen is the salts will be NG after refinishing the 1928.

Thanks for the link

 

[JOHN B MCGUIRE]

Do not put anything with copper in bluing salts. You may be on a trip to the emergency room. Explosion could occur. If not that a violent chemical reaction with all brass parts ruined.

The only way to blue these guns with the brass parts is to use rust blue.

Checked into rust bluing a 1928. Cost 1000 dollars and you would loose money on labor.

John McGuire

 

[sidewinder]

Rust Bluing

IS rust Bluing a form of cold bluing. Any sources of Rust Bluing chemicals

 

[Bill S]

I don't believe rust bluing is considered a "hot" bluing process, but you will need to flush parts in boiling water. It's a labor-intensive process. Brownell's sells rust blue chemicals, and will probably provide information on how to do it.

 

[jmann]

They will blue fine. Just polish the brass after the gun comes out as it will be a bronze color instead of brass. You can get about 2 watercooled guns out of 2, 5 gallon buckets of brownells oxynate 7 salts. Mix full strength and follow directions exactly. The most expensive part is a tank and burner setup large, and deep, enough to handle the entire gun. Bluing tank must not be stainless steel. The other 4 tanks can be. And it will not blow up, or fizz anymore than a regular steel gun, just watch out for aluminum, it will dissolve instantly. All of oow's watercooled 28's are done this way, cause thats who taught me how to do mine.

 

[PKw VI Tiger1]

Will the blue eat/etch the brass any? I'm looking to have mine done too.

 

[sidewinder]

OOW bluing of 1928

Jmann
I spoke to Bob Landies at OOW and he said all their 1928 goes into the blue tank and they use brownells salts. I am not disputing the brass reaction to salts and I could polish up brass but I want the brass to still be there.There seems to be great deal of controversy of having brass in solution.

 

[pingeorge]

How do you post a new question, need a new bolt assembly

I feel pretty stupid, but how do you post a new question in the Forum? I need a new bolt assembly for my semi 1919, and I want to know how to ask the group how to do it.....please help.

Pingeorge

 

[Bill S]

.....how do you post a new question in the Forum?

1.Click on FORUMS at the top of the main page.

2. Select the appropriate forum and click on it.

3. At the bottom of the forum listing you will see a button for NEW THREAD. Click on it.

From there you should be on your way.

 

[jmann]

It will not pit or do anything to the bronze other than tarnish it very slightly. Hitting the brass the next day with a soft cloth and brasso will have it looking like a million bucks. When I blue I use 3 pipe burners and 6 tanks. All tanks are stainless steel except the blue tank which is mild steel. 1st tank is dicro clean, heated acording to directions. Next is a flowing cold water rinse in my rinse tank which uses tap water run through a carbon filter and injected through a spraybar along the bottom of the tank and constantly overflowing to flush away gunk and keep from redepositing it on the gun as it is brought out of the tank. 3rd tank is oxynate 7 according to directions. 4th is back into the flowing cold water rinse. 5th is into a bleed out neautrilizer soak according to directions. 6th is into a hot water rinse tank. 7 is fully submerged and suspended off the bottom of a water displacing oil tank. If it sounds like a pain, it is. Is it worth it? I think so. I might not know a lot, but bluing watercooled 28's is something I have done once or twice.

It is not like parking, metal prep is of utmost importance and to do a good job you need at least 2 pipe burners and 4 tanks. The hardware required to do one correctly can easily cost as much as 4 or 5 of the watercooled parts kits.
The chemicals can be pretty dangerous to use and improper dunking can cause air trapped in the water jacket to create an eruption of 300 degree caustic salts. If you respect it with a mild dose of fear all should be good. Wear protective clothing and read everything you can get until you have memorized it. Brownells has some pdf files with instructions to download from their website and they are invaluable. It is a major ordeal, so make sure you are fully comitted to a blue gun before you take the plunge. If oow will blue it for you you will come out cheaper than doing it yourself, even if they charge 3 grand. It is rewarding to do it yourself and I am somewhat anal. I wanted my gun done a certain way and I could not find anyone to do it like I wanted so there you go. Take your time and explore all roads before proceeding down one. Blue guns are expensive and a path most folks wish they had not started down once the cost and maint. is realized. But to those few that like it, there is nothing quite like it. Good luck in your journey and keep us posted on your progress.

For the regulars, I am sorry to show these same old pics again. I will try to get something else before I post anymore pics.

 

[PKw VI Tiger1]

Thanks for the information it helps alot.

 

[Rory]

For the regulars, I am sorry to show these same old pics again. I will try to get something else before I post anymore pics.

i vote for a pic with the fine young lady wearing the furry hat in your booth at kcr.

if you can't tell i was a touch smitten


hahaha
r

 

[jmann]

I cant even remember who had on a furry hat. I remember a cowboy hat. Was it a russian hat or a **** skin cap? Blonde? Was she smoking a 10 inch cigar? Aw that doesnt help, everybody had cigars

 

[twin60s]

Hey John I just figured that was your wife and son on your line section with you,as I remember a very long legged tall blonde.Did not notice a hat though!!Hope you have a Merry Christmas

 

[Rory]

russian hat.

well i am pretty sure at least

 

[oprod]

blueing

Im going for the hot water blue method that brownells offers which is different then the oxynate 7 blue as very well described above. The process is more labor intensive but requires care( think safety). I have the oxinate 7 hot blue set up as well, but still i think the guns will come out closer to original with the hot water process. I have used the hot water process on several rolling blocks and sharps and they come out looking great. It was a process designed around belgium doubles as i understand as the caustic( oxinate 7) blueing eventually takes the ribs(that are soldered on) off. As these guns do have solder i am skeptical as to use the caustic solution, but certainly cannot argue with to what great effect the photos above show. You can apply the hot water blueing on more times to get a darker rich look that the oxynate 7 solution gives you, however if you are trying to immulate an older time worn streaky finish as an old battle gun would have then the hot water blueing can also achieve this. If you have not used caustic bluing before I cannot stress the danger and nastiness of these chemicals enough. It is some stuff that will burn a wound that will weep for days. It wipes out clothing and plastic lensed glasses too! And you shouldnt just dispose of the chemicals any ol where. good luck with your project.

 

[oprod]

Water cooled day?

Hey jmann.... ooohhh shiney !
I have never seen so many water cooled guns together at one time. Was this water cooled day at the range? No really is this a get together that happens every year?

 

[Conch1]

Wow! So that's how it's done...

I gave up after searching far and wide for somebody with the equipment and willingness to help me do mine and took the easy route- Laurer's Duracote Gun Blue with satin clearcoat. It does look 98% as good as Jmann's, but not 100%!