Is Hot Bleu a DIY job?

[FlashGordon]

I've got a couple of sad looking handguns.

I've watch a couple YT videos on doing a hot blue job. I see that it's definitely more involved and on YT land everything always turns out good. The pro gunsmith seems to disassemble most but I've also seen one dunk the entire bolt of a bolt action.

Wondering if anyone ever tried it?

The salt bath runs apparently at 290 degF. I think the springs can handle the heat and so long as it's all steel, should be ok?
What would happen if I left the trigger mechanism and dunked with the frame?

Mess waiting to happen?

 

[Gingerbeard Man]

I wouldn't ever blue anything as an entire assembled piece. Hot and cold blueing is corrosive. Definitely want to treat each piece individually and give it all a good oil bath before reassembly.

 

[steviesterno]

not if you want it to look good. I've done cold bluing but hot seems like a whole 'nother animal to get good results.

also google "color case hardening" if you want to see Blue done right

 

[Double R]

Blueing DIY is not cost effective unless you’re planning on doing it as a business. Here is Brownells starter kit.

https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/paint-metal-prep/metal-bluing/bluing-system-kit/#

 

[rumrunner55]

Hot blue requires a lot of special materials and tanks cold blue is just like paint and only a top covering

 

[FlashGordon]

Blueing DIY is not cost effective unless you’re planning on doing it as a business. Here is Brownells starter kit.

https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/paint-metal-prep/metal-bluing/bluing-system-kit/#

If you peel the layers, it’s just the salt, a pot and a stove burner. Rest is degreaser, WD40 and water.

long gun need more but old kitchen steel pot will do for a handgun.

Doesn’t sound like anyone here has tried it.

 

[palmettomoon]

Try Rust Blue (American formula). A club member showed me a rifle he'd done & I couldn't tell it wasn't hot blued.

 

[Bypass]

If you peel the layers, it’s just the salt, a pot and a stove burner. Rest is degreaser, WD40 and water.

long gun need more but old kitchen steel pot will do for a handgun.

Doesn’t sound like anyone here has tried it.

I always want to parkerize everything but never did it.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

If you're considering any kind of refinish job without completely stripping the firearm first then just stop and let a professional do it.

Stripping the firearm is the easy part, if you're not ready for that you're not ready to refinish it.

 

[jglenn]

Hot.bluing is VERY caustic. One of the main ingredients is lye
The fumes are very bad. Have i done it, yes. I don't do it anymore. My nephew does hot bluing as part.of his firearm restoration business but he has the proper safety equipment. The easy choice is rust bluing. No bad fumes. The best we have found is Mark Lees bluing formula. It does not require a rust cabinet so it's a bit easier on setup. Does a wonderful job