Rust bluing a frame question - what is 'in the white'?
 

I am playing around with rust bluing and hard carding and am very happy with the results. I have a luger frame that I want to rust blue. Not having access to an original older model luger, what was left 'in the white' during the rust blue days? I am aware that the inside top of the frame was left in the white, but what about the mag well and areas around the spring?

Thanks
Mark

I don't have one handy but will check soon.

Also not being a trained gunsmith I don't know how you would go about keeping areas "in the white" during the process. Maybe covering them with some sort of lacquer and degrease with water based detergents? Usually I degrease parts with break cleaner and then card with steel wool wet with acetone to further fight oil. Both of those products would remove just about anything applied to block the rust bluing.

Virtually all interior surfaces of the rust blued guns were in the white. Some ask why... obviously they are not aware of the rust blue process to ask that question. Can you imagine what it would be like carding off the interior surfaces?

The Hot Salt blue process solved all those problems, and was much cheaper to boot.

...That said, nothing is as beautiful on a firearm as a properly done rust blue finish...

Another factor that helps keep the interior in the white is that the rust blue solution is swabbed onto the exterior. The gun is not dipped as in a hot blue finish.

Thank you for the information on the frame. I suspected that all the interior parts were in the white, but was not sure. It is labor intensive, but the results are fantastic.

Mark