polishing a gun for blueing

bbdmr · 10-19-2006, 07:14 PM

Hi All,

I have some confusion with a Hi-Polish. I have been told,if I use buffing compounds ,it stays in the pores of the metal.

Now it looks great, but I have been told, I will get a crappy blue job, as the blue will not bond well.

We have all seen really hi polishd guns, How do they do it?
I KNOW there are not doing by hand.

Can you point me in the right direction. The stuff from Brownells will be here next week!
I'm doing a old S&W model 10 that was a rusty mess. I have spent over 20 hours filing, sanding, scotchbrighting & polishing.

All the lines are still straight!

Thanks,
bbdmr

Dave Berryhill · 10-20-2006, 06:10 AM

The only problem with polishing and blueing that I know of is if you use rouge buffing compounds that contain iron oxides. Crocus cloth is also coated with rouge. Also, if you use a grease-based buffing compound and don't clean the metal before blueing the grease residue can cause a bad blue job.

If you are hand polishing using emory cloth and/or silicon carbide "wet and dry" paper, you don't need to worry. Just don't use crocus cloth.

A lot of custom guns ARE polished by hand. Unless you are experienced with a buffer, you can do a lot of damage with them.

bbdmr · 10-20-2006, 09:54 AM

Hi Dave,

Thanks, I guess i'll polish with the wet & dry some more!

I's amazing how tiny scratchs POP UP as I go to the finer grade papers!

Be well & I DO appreaciate your help,

bbdmr

Claude Wright · 10-22-2006, 08:42 PM

I high polish blued a Colt .45 last week and it turned out great. I use Brownells white 555 to finish polish and Brownells bluing salts.
I had a gunsmith customer who used rouge polish and I never had a problem bluing guns for him. The only problem I had was that he would round over edges abd lettering was smeared , but the metal was sure shiny :lol: :roll:
No rouge will cause the blue to look funny and some areas wouldn't blue until I rubbed his guns down with laquer thinner and charged him extra for prep work.

bbdmr · 10-23-2006, 05:16 AM

Hi CW,

Your saying that, if I clean the revolver VERY well (degrease)

I can have it polished like a chrome bumper & this revolver will not have a problem taking the blueing correct?

I'm willing to spend the time on her, as this revolver was my first pistol & I traded it away.

Thanks for any help,
BB

Claude Wright · 10-24-2006, 07:08 PM

Yes you can polish mirror bright still blue, but the blue will not stick as well as a rougher finish 400 or 555 grit. The rouge will melt from the heat of polishing and get into pin holes and cracks in the gun and then there is a unblued spot on the gun.
The wax is the culprit with rouge.

bbdmr · 10-24-2006, 07:24 PM

Hi Sir,

I think, I'm going to stay with the 400 grit finish.It seems to be real close to the orignal finish.
All the stuff came yesterday. I have to buy a large pan (The one my wife has is too small to work with.), distilled water and a pryex bottle for the blue and some astone(sp) degreaser.

I'm really looking foward to this.
I spent $60 so far more tomorrow.I could have had the gun blued by a local guy for $40 (Tinkering-It really is an obsession)

How many guns can i do with a pint of the bluing?
I'm guessing 6-7 coats on this gun.

Thanks,
bbdmr

Jess Gypin · 11-06-2006, 06:11 AM

Polishing with the Brownells wheels and compound can eat up the flat or straight surfaces in a hurry. Most of the custom guns that you see are done by hand. Most of the factory finishes are not much finer than 400-600. As far as cleaning goes, I use Simple Green to wash the gun to get all of the grease and crud off and if there has been any previous bluing, it gets washed with a 10% solution of water and muratic acid to strip the old blue off. Then it gets doused in disc brake cleaner and then distilled water. Then into the bluing tank for about 20-30 minutes. I have not found any real advantage to running a pistol into the salts more than one time. If it is prepared right, then you can get the bluing real even the first time. And if there are areas that appear lighter or not taking the blue, you can try spot cleaning it and then redipping it, but if I get any spotting, I just re-wash the piece in muratic acid and then back into the tank again.

Hope that helps. And I use home brew salts, not the commercial salts.

Jess

10-19-2006, 07:14 PM	#1
bbdmr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Augusta Ga. Posts: 12	Hi polish finish on a S&W model 10 & bluing problems Hi All, I have some confusion with a Hi-Polish. I have been told,if I use buffing compounds ,it stays in the pores of the metal. Now it looks great, but I have been told, I will get a crappy blue job, as the blue will not bond well. We have all seen really hi polishd guns, How do they do it? I KNOW there are not doing by hand. Can you point me in the right direction. The stuff from Brownells will be here next week! I'm doing a old S&W model 10 that was a rusty mess. I have spent over 20 hours filing, sanding, scotchbrighting & polishing. All the lines are still straight! Thanks, bbdmr

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polishing a gun for blueing

rubbing compound for bluing

rusty smith & wesson model 10

s&w bluing

s&wmodel10

smith and wesson bluing issues

10-20-2006, 06:10 AM	#2
Dave Berryhill Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,559	The only problem with polishing and blueing that I know of is if you use rouge buffing compounds that contain iron oxides. Crocus cloth is also coated with rouge. Also, if you use a grease-based buffing compound and don't clean the metal before blueing the grease residue can cause a bad blue job. If you are hand polishing using emory cloth and/or silicon carbide "wet and dry" paper, you don't need to worry. Just don't use crocus cloth. A lot of custom guns ARE polished by hand. Unless you are experienced with a buffer, you can do a lot of damage with them.

10-20-2006, 09:54 AM	#3
bbdmr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Augusta Ga. Posts: 12	Hi Dave, Thanks, I guess i'll polish with the wet & dry some more! I's amazing how tiny scratchs POP UP as I go to the finer grade papers! Be well & I DO appreaciate your help, bbdmr

10-22-2006, 08:42 PM	#4
Claude Wright Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fern Creek, Kentucky Posts: 45	I high polish blued a Colt .45 last week and it turned out great. I use Brownells white 555 to finish polish and Brownells bluing salts. I had a gunsmith customer who used rouge polish and I never had a problem bluing guns for him. The only problem I had was that he would round over edges abd lettering was smeared , but the metal was sure shiny :lol: :roll: No rouge will cause the blue to look funny and some areas wouldn't blue until I rubbed his guns down with laquer thinner and charged him extra for prep work.

10-23-2006, 05:16 AM	#5
bbdmr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Augusta Ga. Posts: 12	Hi CW, Your saying that, if I clean the revolver VERY well (degrease) I can have it polished like a chrome bumper & this revolver will not have a problem taking the blueing correct? I'm willing to spend the time on her, as this revolver was my first pistol & I traded it away. Thanks for any help, BB

10-24-2006, 07:08 PM	#6
Claude Wright Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fern Creek, Kentucky Posts: 45	Yes you can polish mirror bright still blue, but the blue will not stick as well as a rougher finish 400 or 555 grit. The rouge will melt from the heat of polishing and get into pin holes and cracks in the gun and then there is a unblued spot on the gun. The wax is the culprit with rouge.

10-24-2006, 07:24 PM	#7
bbdmr Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Augusta Ga. Posts: 12	Hi Sir, I think, I'm going to stay with the 400 grit finish.It seems to be real close to the orignal finish. All the stuff came yesterday. I have to buy a large pan (The one my wife has is too small to work with.), distilled water and a pryex bottle for the blue and some astone(sp) degreaser. I'm really looking foward to this. I spent $60 so far more tomorrow.I could have had the gun blued by a local guy for $40 (Tinkering-It really is an obsession) How many guns can i do with a pint of the bluing? I'm guessing 6-7 coats on this gun. Thanks, bbdmr

11-06-2006, 06:11 AM	#8
Jess Gypin Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 73	Polishing with the Brownells wheels and compound can eat up the flat or straight surfaces in a hurry. Most of the custom guns that you see are done by hand. Most of the factory finishes are not much finer than 400-600. As far as cleaning goes, I use Simple Green to wash the gun to get all of the grease and crud off and if there has been any previous bluing, it gets washed with a 10% solution of water and muratic acid to strip the old blue off. Then it gets doused in disc brake cleaner and then distilled water. Then into the bluing tank for about 20-30 minutes. I have not found any real advantage to running a pistol into the salts more than one time. If it is prepared right, then you can get the bluing real even the first time. And if there are areas that appear lighter or not taking the blue, you can try spot cleaning it and then redipping it, but if I get any spotting, I just re-wash the piece in muratic acid and then back into the tank again. Hope that helps. And I use home brew salts, not the commercial salts. Jess