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-----How to blue guns as a hobby
Q. I am wanting to get some info on bluing guns. I want to do this as a hobby on my own guns not a job. Where do I find the info on starting this?
Debbie McCalvin- Ashland, Kentucky, USA
2003
A. Debbie,
This is a big project. You might search 'gunsmithing' and bluing instructions. When you blue guns, the metal must be finished before bluing just as you want it to be after bluing, so you will also have to get into polishing. Hot bluing is a process where a chemical bath is heated to around 300 deg. so a lot of safety is involved. The chemicals can cause burns by themselves, as well as the temperature. You will need tanks for cleaning, rinsing, and bluing, and a place to locate them with proper burners and ventilation. You can get a lot of enjoyment from doing this yourself, but there is also a lot of work and caution involved.
Good luck,
Ed Kay- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
A. Hi, Debbie. For a quick intro, see our FAQ, "Black Oxide and Cold Bluing". For more detail, you can see the Metal Finishing Guidebook.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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A. If you are going to blue a few guns at home you can do so with a minimum of equipment required. This can be accomplished using a product called Belgian blue available from Brownells .
It comes complete with instructions. You may ask me for a few tips on the use of this product. I have been using this product for over thirty years. Good luck.
- Espanola, New Mexico
2003
Ed. update Nov 2025: Although bluing solutions remain available from Brownells and others, Brownells does not seem to offer Belgian Blue anymore
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