On Sun, 09 May 2010 18:36:32 -0400, Wes
wrote:

Don Foreman wrote:

Oh..if you want Black...cold black oxide is fairly cheap and works well.

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/black.htm

$19.95 for a 4oz gel kit.

Gunner

I didn't know Caswell had come out with that 4 oz gel. I've used their
cold black oxide on a number of projects and have always been pleased
with the results. I've had more consistent results with that than
with any of the Birchwood-Casey or Brownell's products. Photo of one
example at
http://members.goldengate.net/dforeman/rifle_bolt/

The black oxide I see on many machine details is very black.

Iggy used blackening in his subject line but most of us think of firearms and bluing. Why
we call it bluing if it tends to be black escapes me.

Most firearms I've seen tend to be mostly black but some have had hints of blue.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...olt-python.jpg

There is an example of a Colt Python that often has positive comments on its finish as it
tends to have a strong blue cast.

I know that nickel steel receivers on 1894 Winchesters tend to come out purple.

Is the color a function of the steel alloy?

Wes

An old form of blueing predating salt baths (rust blueing) supposedly
gave a blue tint. Salt blueing yields black. Unless you let the temp
get 5-10 deg above 295 F, then you get a purple cast.

Pete Keillor