Shotguns | Rifles | Pistols

About Rust Bluing

You know that with any firearm, moisture, chemicals and handling can remove the original protection leaving it to rust, tarnish or even pitting.

The process of rust bluing is normally only for double barrels or very old firearms. In the past, bluing commonly used a chemical containing Cyanide. Cyanide was the active agent that produced the blue/black or blue/gray color. Today's new 'salts' along with high heat can have an adverse affect on any solder used to fasten the barrels to the rib. Instead, using a 'rust' process with lower heat produces a color closer to the old blue/gray color and it does not have the adverse affect on the solder. But, this process is much more labor intensive, involving up to six or eight applications of the rust bluing process. Thus, pricing is affected by the time involved labor.

Remember, your firearm's color and protection, due to the new durable finish will last for years. The process that has reduced this durable finish is any or all of the steps listed below:

• Disassembly and complete parts inspections.
• Debris, grease and rust removal
• Regarding condition and desired finish, bead blasting
• Polishing with up to five grit polishes
• Oil and polish removal with hot soap process
• Cold rinse
• Pickling chemically
• Hot rinse
• All asects of carding with brushes and wheels
• Repeating the last three steps five, six, or seven more times
• Water dispersed oil bath
• Wipe down, oil
• Reassemble

Hot Bluing

This is a time consuming process that colors and protects the steel on the firearm for an extended period of time. Moisture, chemicals and handling can remove that protection and make it tarnish, rust or even ptting.

Our process recreates a new finish that will last for years if you provide it the proper care. Our process involves some / all of the following steps:

• Disassembly and complete parts inspections.
• Debris, grease and rust removal
• Regarding condition and desired finish, bead blasting
• Polishing with up to five grit polishes
• Oil and polish removal with hot soap process
• Cold rinse
• Hot blue
• Hot rinse
• Oil bath, water dispersed
• Wipe down, oil
• Reassemble

The length of time to perform the above steps may vary depending on the age, style, type and condition of your firearm.

Hot Salt Bluing

The bluing operation is one of the most delicate processes of finishing. Bluin is a rusting process, not a coating. We use Nitrate salts ( a caustic solution ) heated to exactly 292 degrees F. Bluing must be handled with care in regard to the prep and polishing.

Block polishing removes any imperfections and maintains any sharp edges and lettering. Polishing with 240, 320, and 400 rogue grits duplicates the original factory finish. For a high gloss finish we still polish with 500, gray, and then white ( approx 500 grit ). For a low gloss matte finish we block polish the metal, glass bead blast, then blue.

Slow Rust Bluing uses the same procedure as Hot Salt Bluing except extra care must be used while doing a slow rust application. Handling of parts and chemical application is crucial, because any oil spot can damage a perfect finish.

Slow Rust Bluing ( Winchester Finish )

This technique has parts resting in a humidity box 10 - 12 hours, boiling rust into black oxide, letting it cool, carding off the polishing each coat. Before being reassembled, the above steps are repeated eight to then times. Slow Rush Bluing involves a serious time commitment process which produces the prize result, a collector Winchester finish!