Simple Black Oxide

[BirdsThaWord]

Found this vid on youtube. Looks like a simple enough process, without boiling, etc. May try it on some parts.
https://youtu.be/e7R8N3b4OtE?si=EjWufEPMl-DIHTzz

[dao]

Interesting. I wonder how much it adds to the surface thickness? Would using it on an entire frame for example make the hammer or trigger slots too small? Or the pin holes to too small for the pins?

[BirdsThaWord]

Interesting. I wonder how much it adds to the surface thickness? Would using it on an entire frame for example make the hammer or trigger slots too small? Or the pin holes to too small for the pins?

Hmmm, that's something to consider. Maybe someone who has used this stuff will step in and answer for us.

[gb6491]

I use Caswell black oxide concentrate. It's a cold blue that uses chemicals similar to Birchwood Casey's Super Blue and other cold blues (Material Safety Data Sheets are readily available for comparisons). IMO, it adds no more to the surface than the other cold blues do. Caswell's is a decent product, but I've found it to be no more durable than the others.

Rust bluing (that needs boiling) it much more durable. In that regards, I have had excellent results using Mark Lee Express Blue #1.

Regards,
Greg

[BirdsThaWord]

I use Caswell black oxide concentrate. It's a cold blue that uses chemicals similar to Birchwood Casey's Super Blue and other cold blues (Material Safety Data Sheets are readily available for comparisons). IMO, it adds no more to the surface than the other cold blues do. Caswell's is a decent product, but I've found it to be no more durable than the others.

Rust bluing (that needs boiling) it much more durable. In that regards, I have had excellent results using Mark Lee Express Blue #1.

Regards,
Greg
Before that video, I watched a rust bluing video. The finish came out really nice from the looks of it. I've also heard that method does give a more durable finish. Does it come out really black like that oxide? Would be good to hsve options that range from blue to black.

[gb6491]

Before that video, I watched a rust bluing video. The finish came out really nice from the looks of it. I've also heard that method does give a more durable finish. Does it come out really black like that oxide? Would be good to hsve options that range from blue to black.
The finish is very similar in appearance to hot salt bluing done on a satin finish surface (rust blue is carded with a steel brush or fine steel wool at the end of each cycle). It can be very dark but, it depends upon how many times you repeat the process.
I'll pull out a hand-rifle that I did the receiver with the Mark Lee product and post some photo of it later.

I've found cold blues will look more "black" when applied to matte surfaces, but have a blueish sheen when applied to polished surfaces. The Caldwell product is no exception to this in my use.

Regards,
Greg

https://i.postimg.cc/0jdZ9KvZ/handi.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
FWIW: the barrel has the factory finish on it.

[BirdsThaWord]

Great job on that receiver. Smooth and uniform. Thanks for the pic and explanation. I intend to use various shades, between blue & black on my next one, so knowing that will be useful. 😊

[Bawanna]

I got a bottle of that Mark Lee Express Blue years ago after you recommended it. I've yet to try it out. I even set the bottle in a more obvious location so I'd get to it. Guess now I'm waiting for a victim.
Hope I get half the great result you did on that Handi rifle.

[dao]

That looks great Greg! Being able to add or repair a finish opens up quite a few mods that we can do that would require a refinishing.

[BirdsThaWord]

That looks great Greg! Being able to add or repair a finish opens up quite a few mods that we can do that would require a refinishing.
I see a checkered front strap on a blued 1911 in your future sir!
21115

[dao]

:D I surely hope so!

[yqtszhj]

Since Greg has chimed in let me brag on him for a minute. I remember him posting a parkerizing job he did on I believe a 1911 some years ago. I think it was a RIA or Armscor variant if memory serves me correctly. Looked very nice too. It was an obvious improvement over the factory finish.

[dao]

I'm wondering about the frontstrap on the Springfields. The carbon steel is advertised as being hot salt blued, frame and slide, with polished flats. So does that mean that the frontstrap radius is also salt blued but just not polished? If so, does anyone have any idea of whether or not a cold bluing, carefully applied to a newly checkered area of the frontstrap would match the color of the same are that has not been checkered?
Or would it possibly be a better match to use black oxide on that checkering?

[Bawanna]

Colt blue is like stain or a box of chocolates, you never really know what your gonna get. That being said, I usually use a few different cold blues, maybe one then the other, some leave kind of a dull blue but darken well, others, leave a bit more of a shine. With checkering that might not much matter. You should be able to match or get very close. And if it's just a tad off, it'll look kind of custom.
It does help to warm up the area to be blued, not too hot to touch, a hair dryer or a heat gun are plenty. Seems to make the bluing stuff work better.
I don't really have experience with the black oxide so not sure how closely that would match. Different guns or even different parts of guns take bluing different. Some really well, some not so good.

[dao]

I think we're looking at this quite the same Colonel. I think if I mask off the checkered area, then so long as it takes the bluing well, because it's a segregated area even if it's a bit different color it will look "right". And also that while I don't think it will take a shine either, if it does it will again just look "right".
That being said, if the gun is actually black on the rounds I may just try a black oxide on it. In either case if the process doesn't take well I can always just run the file over the checkering again and for the most part clean it off, in order to try another method.