Rust Bluing

[Ron Wood]

The absolutely important thing to remember is ADD THE ACID TO THE WATER...SLOWLY!!...NEVER ADD THE WATER TO THE ACID!!! If you pour the water into the acid it will flash boil and explode. More than one student has learned this the hard way in the laboratory and got severe acid burns.

As I recall you mix the acids together and add the nails. After the nails have dissolved, add the mixture slowly to the water. You need to use a crock or glass vessel. After it is mixed thoroughly, put the final mixture in a dark glass bottle, sunlight weakens the bluing solution. Oh by the way, it is probably best to do this all outside...that stuff stinks.

Hope I got that all right...I take no responsibility for any foolish attempt to make this stuff, it can be hazardous.

Using the solution to rust blue a gun is another whole process that involves swabbing the solution on very well cleaned metal, rusting it in a steam box, boiling the gun/part and carding off the rust, repeating several times until the desired depth of blue is achieved. I'll let someone else do the honors of writing that up.

[timn]

Originally Posted by hank678417
formula

nitric acid 4oz
hydrochloric acid 3oz
iron 1/2 lb
distilled water 1 quart

This is very close to the old Neidner formula.
Used correctly, you can get different "colorings" depending on the steel.

I refinished (again) my 1911 this way and it turned out exactly like I wanted.

CAUTION: Mixing these chemicals is dangerous.

AAA... Alway Add Acid to water.

When The iron (I used baling wire) is added to the acids it produces a very toxic gas. Do this outside with some breathing protection.

[nukem556]

well, you guys must have connections, because I can find NO ONE that will sell nitric acid to a private individual!

[timn]

Originally Posted by nukem556

well, you guys must have connections, because I can find NO ONE that will sell nitric acid to a private individual!

A good industrial cleaning supply house will sell it to you by the gallon.

That's way too much for a casual user just to make up a small batch of rust blue solution. By the time you get all the acids you will have spent as much as a bottle of commercial solution will cost you.
Plus, you don't have to deal with the dangers and experimentation to get the solution to work the way you want.

You would be far better off to just by some Pilkinton's or similar solution.

The color you get really depends on the way and amount of polishing on the steel and the number of "trips" you make.

It's a slow process and requires a lot of patience to get the best results.

It is worth the effort, but it doesn't happen quickly.