What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

******

eat the samoosa to reply

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I use Birchwood Casey Perma Blue.
Karl

On Sep 30, 12:40 am, Phil Hansen wrote:
What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

******

eat the samoosa to reply

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:40:28 +0200, Phil Hansen
wrote:

What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

******

eat the samoosa to reply

it is called heat.

clean the surface. sit the item on a square of copper sheet for even
heat dissipation and heat the underside. when the item shows a blue
colour all over tip it into the oil to quench.

the trick is to be subtle with the heat.

Stealth pilot

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
...
What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

Several ways to get the blue color.

Cold Bluing. CLEAN metal, apply. Generally has copper somewhere in the
formula.

Hot Salts Bluing. Several formulas, ranging from simple nitrates to
cyanide. CLEAN
metal and cycle through several heated tanks.

Heat bluing. CLEAN metal. Heat to desired color. Quench. Works best on
small
parts---screws, pins etc.

All of the above require CLEAN metal. Really clean---see yourself in the
shine. NO
grease, fingerprints, etc.

For your rusty bolts the blacksmithing practice of swabbing on a coat of
some mixture
of beeswax/linseed oil/other oils/"secret ingredients" might do the trick.
Done to hot
metal, it leaves a smooth black surface.

The trouble with heating to achieve a certain color is that the surface
is not protected. The part WILL rust as soon as the humidity goes up.
Years ago, I took a basic blacksmithing course and made a half
dozen hammers, fullers, etc.. The were hardened, polished, then
tempered (the process you are talking about) from the faces inward
toward the eye so they showed the full range of temper colors. They
looked great for a year or two in my shop, but the first time I took
them out for a weekend of demonstrating to the public, it rained and the
humidity in the air rusted everything and my pretty colors were all gone.

Pete Stanaitis
------------------------

it is called heat.

clean the surface. sit the item on a square of copper sheet for even
heat dissipation and heat the underside. when the item shows a blue
colour all over tip it into the oil to quench.

the trick is to be subtle with the heat.

Stealth pilot

"spaco" wrote in message
.. .


The trouble with heating to achieve a certain color is that the surface is
not protected. The part WILL rust as soon as the humidity goes up.
Years ago, I took a basic blacksmithing course and made a half dozen
hammers, fullers, etc.. The were hardened, polished, then tempered (the
process you are talking about) from the faces inward toward the eye so
they showed the full range of temper colors. They looked great for a
year or two in my shop, but the first time I took them out for a weekend
of demonstrating to the public, it rained and the humidity in the air
rusted everything and my pretty colors were all gone.

What those colors are is extremely thin layers of oxide. Different compounds
form at different temperatures and they create different colors. As you say,
they don't really protect anything, but they look nice if they're kept
protected.

Other methods of blueing, and some kinds of color case-hardening, create
much deeper and more protective layers of color.

--
Ed Huntress

Phil Hansen wrote:

hat is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing.

Brownells oxpho blue is good stuff.

Wes

On Sep 30, 4:40 am, Phil Hansen wrote:
What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

******

Commercial hardware uses a black oxide process, you can get kits to do
that from various online suppliers. Not particularly rust resistant,
more for appearance. Parkerizing isn't really that rust resistant,
but the treated parts are usually dunked in various rust-preventative
baths and the porous structure retains it. Or you can paint it with
baking enamel like the Brits do with their small arms, very durable.

What you remember was an old blacksmithing process, heat your cleaned
iron article up and wipe it down with linseed oil so that it smokes
off, repeat until it's the color you want. Also not particularly rust
resistant, but better than bare metal.

Cold blues are mostly for appearance, Oxpho-Blue from Brownell's works
pretty well, but will still rust if allowed to.

If you've just GOT to have something that will prevent rust, look at
LPS 3, this is like spray-on cosmoline and is good for quite a number
of days under salt water. The surfaces you apply it to have to be
rust-free to start with, though. Check out www.lpslabs.com for spec
sheets.

Stan

Bill Marrs wrote:

"Phil Hansen" wrote in message
...
What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

Several ways to get the blue color.

Cold Bluing. CLEAN metal, apply. Generally has copper somewhere in the
formula.

Hot Salts Bluing. Several formulas, ranging from simple nitrates to
cyanide. CLEAN
metal and cycle through several heated tanks.

Heat bluing. CLEAN metal. Heat to desired color. Quench. Works best on
small
parts---screws, pins etc.

All of the above require CLEAN metal. Really clean---see yourself in the
shine. NO
grease, fingerprints, etc.

For your rusty bolts the blacksmithing practice of swabbing on a coat of
some mixture
of beeswax/linseed oil/other oils/"secret ingredients" might do the trick.
Done to hot
metal, it leaves a smooth black surface.

Is this the same concept as breaking in a cast iron skillet?

Parkerizing is rust. It is a controlled rust. Simply better than not.
Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


wrote:
On Sep 30, 4:40 am, Phil Hansen wrote:
What is the process called that gives that blue color to steel. Looked
at parkerizing but it does not seem to be the thing. I remember
something about heating up a part and quenching in some sort of oil.
Want to take old bolts etc, clean off the rust and then coat them with
this black coating/covering/protection.
Any help appreciated

******

Commercial hardware uses a black oxide process, you can get kits to do
that from various online suppliers. Not particularly rust resistant,
more for appearance. Parkerizing isn't really that rust resistant,
but the treated parts are usually dunked in various rust-preventative
baths and the porous structure retains it. Or you can paint it with
baking enamel like the Brits do with their small arms, very durable.

What you remember was an old blacksmithing process, heat your cleaned
iron article up and wipe it down with linseed oil so that it smokes
off, repeat until it's the color you want. Also not particularly rust
resistant, but better than bare metal.

Cold blues are mostly for appearance, Oxpho-Blue from Brownell's works
pretty well, but will still rust if allowed to.

If you've just GOT to have something that will prevent rust, look at
LPS 3, this is like spray-on cosmoline and is good for quite a number
of days under salt water. The surfaces you apply it to have to be
rust-free to start with, though. Check out www.lpslabs.com for spec
sheets.

Stan



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On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:40:28 +0200, Phil Hansen
wrote:

Thanks for all the replies. The oil dipping seems the way to go. Will
try it first and then if not suitable try the other suggestions.

******

eat the samoosa to reply

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Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com