Mark D's Luger Rust Blue Solution and Refinishing Tips Article - Page 2

markbritt · 04-28-2012, 07:16 PM

Here is a 1918 that I got - bad finish, stripped and then reblued using the solution. - Mark

lugerholsterrepair · 04-28-2012, 07:29 PM

Mark, Very nicely done!

Neil Young · 04-28-2012, 07:40 PM

I like it Mark--looks great.

Neil

padredan · 04-29-2012, 09:58 AM

outstanding job mark

Terry Tiell · 07-09-2012, 11:11 PM

Wow Mark that turned out great!

I ordered the rust blue from Brownells and a pound of sodium nitrate today, I also strawed all the small parts which tuned out really nice. Tomorrow I polish my Luger to look like Mark's pre bluing. I'll post pics up when its done.

markbritt · 07-10-2012, 01:02 AM

Looking forward to it

Mark D

Olle · 07-13-2012, 12:24 PM

I just mixed a batch, and got a $75 Mauser 1910 guinea pig waiting in the shop. Will be interesting to see what it will look like.

By the way: The bottle from Brownells contains 4 oz, so I doubled the recipe while I was at it. I haven't measured it exactly, but I poured in an 8 oz bottle and it appears to be about 5-6 oz, instead of 4. I measured everything on a calibrated lab scale, so I don't think I screwed up (even if there is a chance...). Anybody else seen this?

Terry Tiell · 07-17-2012, 03:42 PM

Ok so I boiled the gun in distilled water with Dawn dish detergent, scrubbed with Dawn and a toothbrush then let air dry and then used 100% pure acetone to rinse the parts off with followed by the Blue Wonder gun cleaner. I think its clean as the gun cleaner didn't get anything further off the metal. I mixed up the posted formula and applied 2 coats and am now waiting for it to rust (its 98 with 76% humidity with a dew point in the low 70's very sticky and it should rust nicely) I'll let you all know how it goes after I boil it and card it after 7.

Wish me luck.

BTW I did this all outside and now have a splitting headache, is it from the bluing stuff or no?

markbritt · 07-20-2012, 12:05 AM

Terry:

Curious on your boiling with Dawn. Did you do this between every application or just to clean the luger for prep? I would think that detergents might leave a residue on the luger?

Mark D

Terry Tiell · 07-20-2012, 12:38 AM

Just the 1st initial cleaning and then it was washed under hot water and finished up with acetone.

Paladinpainter · 12-21-2014, 07:42 PM

I'll add to this thread rather than start another.
I've had great results cleaning guns with Easy-Off oven cleaner, as the last step before bluing. I use the fume-free variety. I spray each piece I intend to blue and go over them with a toothbrush, then rinse in water. One nice thing is that you can check your work as you go along. If the rinse water "sheets", you know the surface is clean. Any oily contamination repels the water leaving gaps in the "sheet" and it tells you where you need a second treatment.
I recommend gloves and eye protection, because although this stuff doesnt smell too bad, it IS caustic.
I hate to expose myself to acetone and oven cleaner is an effective alternative.
Have fun!

lugerholsterrepair · 12-21-2014, 07:53 PM

I hate to expose myself to acetone..Millions of Women do it everyday. Nail polish remover=acetone.

markbritt · 09-09-2022, 05:32 PM

All, it has been about 8 years since the last response and 10 years since my post. Just wondered if anyone has done any movement on the bluing process?

Mark

BurtonErni · 01-23-2024, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Hydrogen Chloride 10.8 grams
Nitric Acid 5.4 grams
Hydrogen Chloride 5.4 grams
Water 54.0 grams
Ferric Nitrate 21.6 grams
Ferric Chloride 10.8 grams

Why is Hydrogen Chloride called for twice in the bluing recipe?

BurtonErni · 02-22-2024, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurtonErni

Why is Hydrogen Chloride called for twice in the bluing recipe?

No clue, huh? Why is this place so dead? Why didn’t anyone catch this over the years this formula was posted.

lugerholsterrepair · 02-22-2024, 06:57 PM

Why? The eternal question for the ages. "We have met the enemy and he is us" POGO

04-28-2012, 07:16 PM	#21
markbritt User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 240 Thanks: 5 Thanked 48 Times in 22 Posts	Refinished 1918 Here is a 1918 that I got - bad finish, stripped and then reblued using the solution. - Mark Attached Thumbnails

04-28-2012, 07:29 PM	#22
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,771 Thanks: 4,926 Thanked 3,124 Times in 1,434 Posts	Mark, Very nicely done! __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

04-28-2012, 07:40 PM	#23
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 545 Thanks: 559 Thanked 442 Times in 168 Posts	I like it Mark--looks great. Neil __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

04-29-2012, 09:58 AM	#24
padredan User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: louisiana Now, but from the Rebublic of Texas Posts: 937 Thanks: 429 Thanked 316 Times in 182 Posts	outstanding job mark __________________ In this world nothing is free, except the grace of God

07-09-2012, 11:11 PM	#25
Terry Tiell User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: The Fascist State of Maryland Posts: 224 Thanks: 55 Thanked 26 Times in 14 Posts	Wow Mark that turned out great! I ordered the rust blue from Brownells and a pound of sodium nitrate today, I also strawed all the small parts which tuned out really nice. Tomorrow I polish my Luger to look like Mark's pre bluing. I'll post pics up when its done. __________________ Trying to redo grand dads Luger the best I can.

07-10-2012, 01:02 AM	#26
markbritt User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 240 Thanks: 5 Thanked 48 Times in 22 Posts	Looking forward to it Mark D

07-13-2012, 12:24 PM	#27
Olle User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,149 Thanks: 159 Thanked 663 Times in 318 Posts	I just mixed a batch, and got a $75 Mauser 1910 guinea pig waiting in the shop. Will be interesting to see what it will look like. By the way: The bottle from Brownells contains 4 oz, so I doubled the recipe while I was at it. I haven't measured it exactly, but I poured in an 8 oz bottle and it appears to be about 5-6 oz, instead of 4. I measured everything on a calibrated lab scale, so I don't think I screwed up (even if there is a chance...). Anybody else seen this?

07-17-2012, 03:42 PM	#28
Terry Tiell User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: The Fascist State of Maryland Posts: 224 Thanks: 55 Thanked 26 Times in 14 Posts	Ok so I boiled the gun in distilled water with Dawn dish detergent, scrubbed with Dawn and a toothbrush then let air dry and then used 100% pure acetone to rinse the parts off with followed by the Blue Wonder gun cleaner. I think its clean as the gun cleaner didn't get anything further off the metal. I mixed up the posted formula and applied 2 coats and am now waiting for it to rust (its 98 with 76% humidity with a dew point in the low 70's very sticky and it should rust nicely) I'll let you all know how it goes after I boil it and card it after 7. Wish me luck. BTW I did this all outside and now have a splitting headache, is it from the bluing stuff or no? __________________ Trying to redo grand dads Luger the best I can.

07-20-2012, 12:05 AM	#29
markbritt User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 240 Thanks: 5 Thanked 48 Times in 22 Posts	Terry: Curious on your boiling with Dawn. Did you do this between every application or just to clean the luger for prep? I would think that detergents might leave a residue on the luger? Mark D

07-20-2012, 12:38 AM	#30
Terry Tiell User Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: The Fascist State of Maryland Posts: 224 Thanks: 55 Thanked 26 Times in 14 Posts	Just the 1st initial cleaning and then it was washed under hot water and finished up with acetone. __________________ Trying to redo grand dads Luger the best I can.

12-21-2014, 07:42 PM	#31
Paladinpainter User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Vermont Posts: 64 Thanks: 14 Thanked 45 Times in 15 Posts	I'll add to this thread rather than start another. I've had great results cleaning guns with Easy-Off oven cleaner, as the last step before bluing. I use the fume-free variety. I spray each piece I intend to blue and go over them with a toothbrush, then rinse in water. One nice thing is that you can check your work as you go along. If the rinse water "sheets", you know the surface is clean. Any oily contamination repels the water leaving gaps in the "sheet" and it tells you where you need a second treatment. I recommend gloves and eye protection, because although this stuff doesnt smell too bad, it IS caustic. I hate to expose myself to acetone and oven cleaner is an effective alternative. Have fun!

12-21-2014, 07:53 PM	#32
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,771 Thanks: 4,926 Thanked 3,124 Times in 1,434 Posts	I hate to expose myself to acetone..Millions of Women do it everyday. Nail polish remover=acetone. __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

09-09-2022, 05:32 PM	#33
markbritt User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 240 Thanks: 5 Thanked 48 Times in 22 Posts	All, it has been about 8 years since the last response and 10 years since my post. Just wondered if anyone has done any movement on the bluing process? Mark

02-22-2024, 06:57 PM	#36
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,771 Thanks: 4,926 Thanked 3,124 Times in 1,434 Posts	Why? The eternal question for the ages. "We have met the enemy and he is us" POGO __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."