How to get to the right finish for bluing

Heinz · 11-30-2020, 10:13 PM

If you want the finish to look like the original, you will need to rust blue it like the factory originally did. Some of the later Lugers are dip blued, but the older ones are all rust blued. This requires 3 things. An appropriate blueing formula, careful hand finishing with abrasives, and a "pickle" of the metal before applying the browning solution. The rusting requires an application to a spotlessly clean pickled finish, allowing the rust to form, brushing the rust off, and then boiling the browned finish to convert to black. It usually takes at least 3 passes. Some folks are extremely good at this. There are no shortcuts. Bead blasting and cold blue will not get you there

Unless you are doing it yourself, it is probably too much work for a shooter. But the pickle and quick blue will give you a nice matt finish IF you have carefully prepared the surface.

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11-30-2020, 10:13 PM	#14
Heinz User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Greenville SC Posts: 1,004 Thanks: 377 Thanked 411 Times in 180 Posts	If you want the finish to look like the original, you will need to rust blue it like the factory originally did. Some of the later Lugers are dip blued, but the older ones are all rust blued. This requires 3 things. An appropriate blueing formula, careful hand finishing with abrasives, and a "pickle" of the metal before applying the browning solution. The rusting requires an application to a spotlessly clean pickled finish, allowing the rust to form, brushing the rust off, and then boiling the browned finish to convert to black. It usually takes at least 3 passes. Some folks are extremely good at this. There are no shortcuts. Bead blasting and cold blue will not get you there Unless you are doing it yourself, it is probably too much work for a shooter. But the pickle and quick blue will give you a nice matt finish IF you have carefully prepared the surface.