Removing dip blue
 

Simple but dumb question; I'm going to experiment with removing dip blueing and I've seen references to using OOOO wire wool and OOOOO wire wool. I can only find OOOO wool locally, is OOOOO that much finer that I should wait and hunt it out ?

Thanks, Stu

There is a lot of discussion on this topic on our sister forum for that "OTHER" 9mm handgun... Search their archives and you will find plenty of information...

The Link: http://www.P38forum.com

Thanks John, I'll try a post there.

How old are you? I was just wondering if you had the time to remove blueing with super-fine steel wool. If you're in your teens, you might make it by retirement if the gun is small. Seriously, fine steel wool is used with solvent to clean rust from blueing without removing it. Even dry it really doesn't scratch the blue. There are chemical products that instantly remove any kind of blueing. They usually contain phosphoric acid, are advertised as rust removers and are available at hardware stores and home centers.

Saxman, I think they are talking about COLD dip bluing , NOT HOT Caustic salt bluing (also dipped). The cold version is removable with oil in steel wool and most of the time the idea is to take the top cold blue off with the hope that the remaining blue is the orginal bluing. Some of the recent imports were cold dipped blued right over the existing finish. Orv Reichert of the P.38 forum has talked about this procedure many times but it is limited to the cold blued guns. I have never tried it myself, I take the entire blue off chemically when I rework a firearm.

Hi Saxman. I was thinking of the cold dip blue. I've a shooter grade gun with a hideous do it yourself finish I was wondering if I could rescue.

I've used chemical strippers to take all the blue off but in this case I wanted to try to see what's underneath [img]smile.gif[/img]

I've got plenty of time to work on it right now !

To the original question, #0000 will be plenty fine enough. Try a little 'Clenzoil' on the wool. I wasn't aware of this procedure (to remove cold blue from rust blue), but it sounds interesting.

This is what I have posted on the P38 forum for the removal of dipped blue from the Russian Exports...Orv Reichert

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The Russians did a quick 'dip' of all the captured guns into a bluing solution. This was done to preserve them for long term storage and was POORLY done. My professionals tell me that we would not be able to easily remove it if it had been properly done.

The 'dipped blue' does not adhere well to any blued surface but does stick to the bright or worn areas.

Because of this, it is easily removed from most of the gun.

I take 00000 (5 ought) steel wool and a little dish of clear oil. -- the gun is disassembled in front of me..I take each piece and dip a small piece of steel wool in the oil..then lightly scrub on the finish...I wipe it off quite often with a kleenex....[note the dark blue on the kleenex..]

wipe it dry and examine the piece closely from time to time..........you don't want to mar the finish..

I often wrap a bit of steel wool around Q-tip and use that in the corners...etc.

This has worked for me...

Orv Reichert

Not really sure where I heard this,but the I was told the Russians took the P08s and P38s, cleaned them, did a function test, dipped them, then stacked them in a 30gal steel drum with the grips up close together, aligned in a semi circle to the curvature of the barrel with the gun barrels pointing inward. Next came a sheet of thin wood on top of them. Another layer of guns, wood, ect until the drum was completely full with pistols. Next they poured in heavy motor oil until the drum was completely full. Then sealed and coded the drum, and put them away. Wonder if there are any of those barrels still sitting around? I'd like one of each, thank you.

rk

During the Pre-68 imports, many folks reported to me that the vendors had drums of guns..just full of guns and then filled with a thick grease. Apparently shipped that way?

Many of these guns came from the Eastern Zone but were shipped in thru Switzerland and Austria to hide the 'proscribed' source.

ORV REICHERT
P O BOX 67
VADER, WA 98593-0067
360 245 3492 (TEL)
360 245 3702 (FAX)
MR.P38@LOCALACCESS.COM

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