Blueing - question
Savage Model 311, picked up dirt cheap, cracked stock. Going to restock, needs blueing.
Here is the question
I have had success preparing metal for a re-blue on a Star pistol, came out really nice using Oxy-Pho, secret was the prep work, this is a much larger project, barrels and reciever, should I try this or prep it and have it done professionaly.
By the way the Star Super B 9mm came out really nice, new blueing, springs, I did the jewelling on the barrel where the ejection port is, Carved wood grips, adjustable sight, really a fun project to learn on. Also did some polishing to the frame and slide. Used a grease I use for fishing reels and an oil called Corrosion X . Pistol is super smooth.
Penn Saltwater Reel Specialist
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Here is the question
I have had success preparing metal for a re-blue on a Star pistol, came out really nice using Oxy-Pho, secret was the prep work, this is a much larger project, barrels and reciever, should I try this or prep it and have it done professionaly.
By the way the Star Super B 9mm came out really nice, new blueing, springs, I did the jewelling on the barrel where the ejection port is, Carved wood grips, adjustable sight, really a fun project to learn on. Also did some polishing to the frame and slide. Used a grease I use for fishing reels and an oil called Corrosion X . Pistol is super smooth.
Penn Saltwater Reel Specialist
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<*))))><{ <*))))><{
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Try it! What's the worst thing that can happen-you screw it up? Big deal.
You get to keep your birthday and then get a professional to clean it up.
Have faith in yourself first and all things will fall into place.
You are your own best teacher. My advice is to question all things. Seek for answers, and when you find what seems to be an answer, question that too. L'Amour0 -
Glad to hear that your Star Mod. B project worked out. You now have something that means a lot to you because of the effort you put into it; besides being a good pistol. As for the shotgun, as far as I know all 311s were joined with silver solder and will survive a trip through a hot bluing tank. I realize that a hot blue is not in your plans, but thought I'd mention it anyway as an item of info you can store away. Were I going to take on your 311 project at your present skill level and amount of equipment I would attempt to do all of the polishing on the barrels lengthwise. You haven't indicated the presence of severe corrosion and/or pitting, so basically you're looking at removing the remaining finish and smoothing and polishing the surface metal without having to drawfile. There is always some handwork involved in doing a good job on doubles because you can't get a buffing wheel into the areas where the barrels radius into the center rib. A creditable job can be done using wet & dry sandpaper dipped in kerosene, starting with 220 grit, over a block that has been radiused on one side to approximate the radius of the barrels. Polish back and forth, lenghtwise, and when it's looking the way you want it to, go to 320 grit and repeat. Folks usually don't want a high gloss polish on a shotgun because of light glare when shooting, so you may find 220 or 320 to be satisfactory. You'll want to use a flat sanding block on the receiver's sides, polish in the same direction as the barrels, and when you get done with the wet & dry you can even things out nicely by going over everything with maroon colored Scotchbrite. Use this dry, and again polish only lenthwise. I've found that you get a better job with Oxpho if you thoroughly degrease before application; despite Brownells claim that it's not necessary. You might also want to look into Belgian Bluing, which you can do at home if you have some burners available. This is a hot/cold water process that reqires two tanks of suitable length (must be black iron or stainless--not galvanized), the appropriate solution, a brush to paint it on with (one of those sponge-on-a-stick types will work), and some 0000 steel wool. Easy enough to do once you're set up, but labor intensive. One tank contains boiling water. The bluing solution is poured into a jar which is suspended into the hot water tank to keep the solution hot, and the barrels (and receiver) are immersed into the tank. The barrels must be tightly plugged, because this is a rusting process, and we don't want to rust the bores. When the barrels are hot they are removed and painted with the solution (you can handily leave the small paint brush sitting in the solution in the jar) and then the barrels are placed in the cold water. In a few minutes they will rust (red) and are ready to be placed back in the hot water. When hot again, they are removed and painted again, then back into the cold water. Paint the solution on from opposite ends each time on alternate times out of the tank--muzzle to breech, then breech to muzzle--to obtain an even finish. Every second or third time when removing the barrels from the cold tank you card it down with the steel wool. You'll be amazed that something which now looks so awful has a nice blue finish beneath the red rust. You'll probably have to repeat the process 20-25 times before being finished, but the resulting blue will be thicker and outlast a hot blue. Wear rubber gloves, because most of these solutions are toxic. As for the stocking job, doubles--even boxlocks-- are among the most difficult guns to restock, so I advise you to begin with a replacement stock from Boyds or Gun Parts that is as close to finished as possible. 0 -
Thank you very very much for the information, I was planning on going thru the grits of wet/dry paper up to 1500 grit to get a really nice finish. Out of curiosity why use kerosene as a wet agent?
Also the stock I picked up from Great American Gunstocks. Seems pretty much done except for sanding and finishing, figures I picked a difficult project.
Penn Saltwater Reel Specialist
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quote:Originally posted by Amberjack Reels
why use kerosene as a wet agent?
Because it provides a good lubricity to keep the grit from breaking down, stays wet longer (lack of evaporation), and helps prevent surface rust after drying. It also is easy to remove with solvents before blueing. Try Blue Wonder cleaner and a heat gun to clean the metal before blueing. It does a great job.
Measure twice, cut once.
Empty the clip!0 -
The kerosene is a light oil which reduces the cut depth of the grit and causes the finish to be smoother.
Love them Beavers
SUPPORT THE I.N.S. , THE COUNTRY THEY SAVE COULD BE YOUR OWN0
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