# Bluing or black oxiding your custom made tools?



## Alan H. (Jun 27, 2017)

I recently made an arbor for my mill out of 1144 Ultra Strength and I decided that I would blue it rather than keep it raw.  I  blued it with Brownells Oxpho Blue.  Turned out okay but it has driven my interest to find out what alternatives are out there for coating a tool. 

So if you wanted to blue or coat a tool you've made, what would you use?


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## bss1 (Jun 27, 2017)

I made a short chuck wrench out of oil hardening drill rod with a 304 SS handle for my four jaw. I used the brownells oxpho blue as well. It turned out nice and has held up better than expected.


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## Firestopper (Jun 27, 2017)

Hi Allan,
I've had good luck with Kleen-bore Black Magic on machined gun parts. Prep is very important prior to bluing, I use lacquer thiner to clean toughly and coat with lite oil after bluing to prevent further oxidation.


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## aliva (Jun 28, 2017)

Caswell plating has some great products. I've used the cold blackening solution , with good results


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## Alan H. (Jun 28, 2017)

Caswell makes a lot of good stuff.  I have bought some of it in the past.  My experience with them is that they are bit pricey but if it works, why not?


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## royesses (Jun 28, 2017)

Parkerizing see :http://www.parkerizingkits.com/
http://www.parkerizingkits.com/
I've not yet tried them but I've seen some nice finishes done by others. From gray to black. I'm eventually going to try one of the kits.

Roy


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## burtonbr (Jun 29, 2017)

I just recently tried the creswell black oxide, very simple and quick. These clamps won't get much wear so should hold up well, but it's so easy i could re dip them anytime they came out good. 




	

		
			
		

		
	
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## ddickey (Jun 29, 2017)

You could try hot oil bluing.


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## 4GSR (Jun 29, 2017)

Any of these blueing processes require the parts to be absolutely clean, except for the hot oil process.  I've used the Brownell's, Caswell's version as well as Birchwood Casey's tool black.  Both with good results provided you follow the simple process preparing your parts for blueing.  They all require the parts to be clean before applying the blueing or dipping them in solution.  I'll wash off the parts using a little Dawn dishwashing soap, rinse with hot water, getting the part hot.  Be sure to wear disposable gloves to keep the natural oil's from your skin from touching the part.  While the part is reasonably hot from the rinse water bath, apply the blueing solution.  I don't recommend it, but you can heat up the solution to around 150 degrees F along with the part being fairly warm, 90-120 degree F.  The heat will help get a good deep black finish to your part.  Try to polish the part to rid of tool marks if you can.  The tool black will bring out them!  Ken


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## benmychree (Jun 29, 2017)

I have posted this before, but will repeat it;  The U.S. Armory method, which I found in an American Machinist article, was to use a 50/50 mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate melted to 600 - 650 degrees F.  until the desired color is reached (from blue to black), quench in warm water then in boiling water, and then in hot oil.  this makes a very durable, rust resistant finish.  Cleaning any oil or anything adhering to the article is not necessary.  More details are available in my original post, posted with permission of American Machinist.  My experiences with cold blue processes, including Birchwood Casey's have been not all that good, compared to the above .


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## gregc (Jun 29, 2017)

I have been told the hot processes are far better (deeper penetration) Parkerizing is different as the surface contains phosphorous unlike bluing.  


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## gregc (Jun 29, 2017)

None of the processes work well if the steel has a large non Fe component like nickel or cobalt.  For these cases it seems that plating something  Nickel may be better (like stainless).  Any recommendations for these cases? 


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## 4GSR (Jun 29, 2017)

gregc said:


> None of the processes work well if the steel has a large non Fe component like nickel or cobalt.  For these cases it seems that plating something  Nickel may be better (like stainless).  Any recommendations for these cases?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I disagree with this statement.  

Higher nickel, chromium, makes it more difficult to get blackening.
Higher iron based materials, like cast irons, low carbon steels, blacken with a much deeper darker color.
Any true parkerizing process is heated to at least 190 degree F for best results.

Ken


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## Alan H. (Jun 30, 2017)

Here are a couple of pieces I blued in the last few days with Brownells Oxpho-Blue.   As you know this a cold process.  Cleaned the parts with brake parts cleaner and then alcohol before the coating.

The slotting saw arbor I made (the screw is as supplied):



An indicator clamping bar for a BXA tool holder:


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## darkzero (Jun 30, 2017)

I also now use Caswell's "Black Oxide" kit. It's not actually a black oxide kit, it's a cold blue process also.

I've used Brownells Dicropan T4 in liquid & gel, Brownells Formula 44/40, Birchwood Perma Blue & Precision Brand Tool Black. I used to use the Dicropan the most but I like the Formula 44/40 better but it's expensive. I never got good results with the Precision Brand Tool Black. Dicropan would usually give me a glossy like black finish & Formula 44/40 would usually give me a deep flat black finish. I've heard the Oxpho-Blue works well but I never got around to trying any.

I use Caswell's blackener for stainless & liked it so I decided to try one of their steel blackeners. I'm sold on their Black Oxide formula & their sealer to go with it makes a really big difference. I get more consistent & deeper black than I have ever got using other products.

It might seem expensive initially but it really is not. Their black oxide solution is concetrated. You mix 1 part of the solution to something like 9 parts of water. So 1 pint will make over 1 gal of solution. Way cheaper than any of the other gun blues out there & it works really well. Withbthe others, sometimes I would have to heat the part to get better results, not with the Caswell stuff though. And again, I really like the sealer.

I can snap some photos & post them if you would like to see.


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## Alan H. (Jun 30, 2017)

Okay Will, show us those photos!  Do you have any photos of before and after the "sealer"?  Doesn't it appear a bit chalky before you put the sealer on?

Here's a snippet from the MSDS for the sealer.  From this we see the sealer is a mixture of ~80% mineral spirits and some mineral oil.   I am assuming that the mineral spirits dilute the oil adequately to get it into the pores and then the the spirits evaporate.  (Stoddard solvent = mineral spirits)


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## darkzero (Jul 3, 2017)

It never occured to me to look up what the sealer was, usually I'm curious about things like this too & look it up. Funny cause Caswell even includes the MSDS with all their products & I never even looked at it. Should be easy enough to make your own batch if you wanted to.

Mineral spirits & mineral oil makes sense though as the sealer does "dry off". I don't get flash rusting with it when I use it & it makes the finish more uniform. In the past I just used what I had laying around, WD40, way oil, machine oil, etc.

Well I snapped some pics with my phone. I remember these 2 parts to look darker when I did them. I guess after the sealer dries they get lighter. These are just mild steel.

(Adapter piece)







Here's my tool post wrench (middle).




As you can see the Caswell stuff is a flat finish rather than glossy. I did not get a chalky look before the sealer. Depending on the alloy I would get a chalky finish with Formula 44/40.

I don't have any photos before sealer. I need to redo the handle on one of my wrenches that came out very blotchy with Dicropan, I'll snap some pics of it when I do before I dunk in the sealer.


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## Zamfir (Jul 6, 2017)

I am gonna need to come back to this thread!  nice information!! and love the pictures of different results!


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