When you do blueing, you have to add sodium hydroxide until the
boiling point is about 280 degrees in order to get black oxide. Below
that temp. you get red oxide. So I don't think plain water will work.
If you want to try that do it with something else first.

Dan


Carl West wrote in message

Hmmm... I seem to recall something about boiling rusted items in plain
water to turn the oxides black. Ring a bell anyone?