lye and boric acid for blueing?

jigger · February 17, 2009, 09:12 PM

Years ago a gunsmith friend gave me a recipe for a mixture to blue one of my old favorite shotguns. It consisted of lye and I think it was boric acid.
I used it and ended up with a beautiful finish .... I have another patient but my poor old brain just can't come up with the percentages..or even if boric acid was the second ingredient. My friend has since passed on so having never written this down I'm lost..
Has anyone ever used this particular mix?

Jim Watson · February 17, 2009, 11:49 PM

Haven't heard of boric acid in a bluing mix, nor is it shown in Dunlap's book. There is some mention in it in the old Angier book but all I have of that is a google on the table of contents.

Common home bluing salts are sodium hydroxide (lye) and nitrate fertilizer; either ammonium nitrate (OUTDOOR USE ONLY) or sodium nitrate.

Do not use any bluing product containing lye on a double shotgun or one you know or suspect to have a soldered vent rib. Hot lye solution will dissolve the solder and the gun will fall apart.

FALPhil · February 18, 2009, 12:03 AM

Yeah, if you use the ammonium nitrate solution, the boil off is tremendous and will eat your lungs.

February 17, 2009, 09:12 PM	#1
jigger Junior Member Join Date: February 16, 2009 Posts: 6	lye and boric acid for blueing? Years ago a gunsmith friend gave me a recipe for a mixture to blue one of my old favorite shotguns. It consisted of lye and I think it was boric acid. I used it and ended up with a beautiful finish .... I have another patient but my poor old brain just can't come up with the percentages..or even if boric acid was the second ingredient. My friend has since passed on so having never written this down I'm lost.. Has anyone ever used this particular mix?

February 17, 2009, 11:49 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	Haven't heard of boric acid in a bluing mix, nor is it shown in Dunlap's book. There is some mention in it in the old Angier book but all I have of that is a google on the table of contents. Common home bluing salts are sodium hydroxide (lye) and nitrate fertilizer; either ammonium nitrate (OUTDOOR USE ONLY) or sodium nitrate. Do not use any bluing product containing lye on a double shotgun or one you know or suspect to have a soldered vent rib. Hot lye solution will dissolve the solder and the gun will fall apart.

February 18, 2009, 12:03 AM	#3
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2007 Location: Racoon City Posts: 934	Yeah, if you use the ammonium nitrate solution, the boil off is tremendous and will eat your lungs.