Stuff to turn machined parts black

finsruskw

finsruskw

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
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What is it called and where can it be had?
Viewed a couple threads where folks placed parts in a solution and it dyed them black oxide? like.
Curious as to what this stuff is.
Finishing up some Tee nuts and would like to do this to them to keep from rusting.

Thanks!
 
Caswell Canada Black Oxide and Sealer. Worked SO well on my Atlas Lathe restoration. I also Birchwood Casey Super Blue from Cabbalas. There is a specific one for Aluminum. Amazon has the aluminum stuff.

Cheers,

Derek


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I have not yet tried it, but this is a link I saved to my local source:

Birchwood Casey Super Blue:
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/370

It was recommended on this site.
I thought the price was reasonable.

-brino
 
Brino,
Does this stuff from Cabelas just brush on then?
 
To my experience, none of the cold blue products really work very well, they do not offer much permanence nor rust protection. One rather easy way, if heat treatment may not be an issue is heating to a black heat and quenching in oil, the best is hot blue, using nitrate salts melted to 600 - 650 F; dip the parts in until the color is as desired (does not take long) remove and quench in warm water, then into boiling water to remove salt residue, then into hot oil. I posted this process in more detail sometime in the past, it is the US Armory method of bluing, the result is very durable and rust resistant.
 
finsruskw said:
Brino,
Does this stuff from Cabelas just brush on then?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I do not know.
I have not tried it yet, but I do have some future projects where I will.
So no direct experience......however......

This video:

shows just wiping it on, and then rinsing off within a minute.
(starts re-bluing at about 1:23 after cleaning off all old blue and rust)

-brino
 
In my model building, I am more interested in colour than permanance. There are several chemicals from Birchwood-Casey for steel. They vary in price, upward for more "permanance". Refered to as "Cold Bluing", they are by no means as good as "Hot Bluing". Mostly as a touch-up for a gun smith.

What I mostly use is the colouring agents for brass and aluminium. They are acidic, requiring washing in clear water with a little added soda, after the colour has taken. FWIW, ZAMAK contains a large proportion of aluminium. The "Aluminium Black" works quite well on ZAMAK, albeit slower than on the direct metal. I have not tried any on copper, that may be an experiment for "one day". I have to assume the steel bluing agents work similarly.

The quantities I use are "3 oz" / 90ml bottles. A little goes a long way as I use it. I use a natural fiber bristle artist's brush (#10?) to apply. Prewashing is done with automotive carburator cleaner and I wear rubber gloves when prewashing. Any stain or oil on the metal will disrupt the chemical reaction.

My supplier is Brownells,
www.brownells.com

Premier Supplier of Firearms, Reloading Supplies, Gunsmithing Tools, Gun Parts and Accessories | Brownells

Brownells is a leading supplier of firearms, reloading & gunsmithing products, gun parts, and ammunition. Since 1939, Brownells has been committed to gunsmiths, shooters, police, and hunters.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com
Their "root" page, searching from there. I don't know how their prices compare to other vendors, I just use them because they "sit in my mind".

Bill Hudson​

.
 
Ospho Rust (phosphoric + chromic acid) blackens steel readily when applied hot. It may not be pretty enough of a color for a gun, but it's good for tools.
 
The Caswell stuff has lasted on my lathe. Still looks as it did when I finished the restoration. Say 2 years ago.


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