Has anyone tried blueing metal?

[Jampy00]

You know where you heat it up then dunk it in oil to turn it from silver to black/blue.
I've seen a few video's on YouTube in regards to this and looks pretty straightforward.

Not sure how it would work on a chromed part, so I'd though I'd asked if anyone has tried it and how were the results?
I have a couple of nuts that would look better black instead of chrome, but wanted to get some advise before I ruin the parts.

 

[GreyGhost]

I haven't done it. What happens if these nuts failed? I don't like getting things hot enough to change their properties unless you fully understand what is happening.

I would be shocked if that treatment worked on chrome. It sounds a lot like blueing and for that you'd have to strip the chrome off first.

 

[Gary]

Sharpie.

 

[Jampy00]

OMG, yes it blueing. I'm an idiot..
These are nothing structural, so no fear of failure. But I assumes I'd have to remove the chrome. May be easier to see if they come in black.
It's for a HD so they HAVE to come in black right? LOL

 

[GreyGhost]

OMG, yes it blueing. I'm an idiot..
These are nothing structural, so no fear of failure. But I assumes I'd have to remove the chrome. May be easier to see if they come in black.
It's for a HD so they HAVE to come in black right? LOL

I know a gunsmith that died while hot bluing. May or may not have been related to the fume cloud. Use lots of ventilation. Cold blueing is also a thing.

 

[Hack]

You know where you heat it up then dunk it in oil to turn it from silver to black/blue.
I've seen a few video's on YouTube in regards to this and looks pretty straightforward.

Crappy bluing maybe...
Proper/quality bluing is a specialized thing and not cheap

 

[Maniac]

Haven’t tried it myself, but people are getting great results using Birchwood Casey Super Blue liquid, no heating required.

 

[Jampy00]

Haven’t tried it myself, but people are getting great results using Birchwood Casey Super Blue liquid, no heating required.

Thanks, I heard of this as well. I'll look more into it.

 

[nobbie48]

Thanks, I heard of this as well. I'll look more into it.

I use gun blue on bare steel. While it doesn't compare to the hot / extensive chemistry type it would give you ai idea of what the end result would look like. The part has to be surgically clean and warm helps.

I've never used it for outdoor applications.

 

[fzrcraig]

Not an expert, but I don’t believe that blued steel has very good corrosion properties. Leave your gun in the rain a few times without wiping down properly afterwards and you’ll see what I mean.

 

[Jayell]

I've done it a few times recently on noncritical nuts and bolts. Easy, cheap, effective.

I'm certain all traces of chrome plating would have to be removed first.

Not an expert, but I don’t believe that blued steel has very good corrosion properties. Leave your gun in the rain a few times without wiping down properly afterwards and you’ll see what I mean.

I'm not an expert either, but rust is the sole reason I've done it. So far, no rust.

 

[nobbie48]

FWIW

 

[nobbie48]

If the video doesn't play it was YouTube "How to Turn Steel Black - All you need to know about Bluing"

 

[amdsmokem]

Are the parts you want to be blued, chrome-plated? Blueing can't be applied on top or chrome. Ceracote is a good alternative. But, it may be more cost-effective to buy new bolts in the color you need

 

[Jampy00]

Are the parts you want to be blued, chrome-plated? Blueing can't be applied on top or chrome. Ceracote is a good alternative. But, it may be more cost-effective to buy new bolts in the color you need

I agree, I was asking more out of curiosity over a desire to actually do with with parts. But I would like to see the results with some "extra" pieces I have laying around.