Does anyone else have fingerprints that are extremely hard on blueing?

Pendragon · October 8, 2002, 01:31 AM

My first gun was a cheap BHP model with poor bluing so I though the discolorations were due to a poor finish.

Now, I had handled my Valtro and oiled it and carefully put it away, but I just took it out and noticed some discoloration in the shape of finger prints.

I looked at my 1965 S&W Model 14 and it has some of this as well.

HELP!

I now remember that I once had a pair of glasses that I turned the alloy frames a kind of green tarnish.

I guess I just have a toxic personality

Is this everyone or are some people just more acidic or something?

I now think I am going to have the Valtro hard chromed - at least the slide - I would like to carry it in the future, but I am afraid I am going to wreck the bluing.

I actually now prefer the classic look of blueing, but I dont think it is going to work for me.

Oh - the Ruger Single Six that I traded in - the bluing was totally gone from the cylinder flutes where my fingers had touched it to rotate it to unload and load about 1500-2000 rounds in about 4 trips to the range.

Advice, comments, anything?

4570Rick · October 8, 2002, 02:35 AM

I know what you mean. I tend to leave prints too.

As far as refinishing, try Melonite. 8 times as resistant to salt spray as Hard Chrome.

citizen · October 8, 2002, 05:47 AM

Wore (sweat, acid, whatever) off the blue on my Ruger .22; off the backstrap and grip.

Have been told by meds I have a very acidic system; even can turn gold to green.

Oh, well........

Clayton Hufford · October 8, 2002, 06:31 AM

My sweat is extremely corrosive. I can rust a gun in a matter of hours.

I've had excellent results maintaining my gear with FP-10 CLP.

Also, I have used MAAS and Flitz polish to remove stains and light oxidation on blued and stainless steel equipment, with excellent results.

www.fp10.com

www.maaspolish.com

www.flitz.com

Best regards,
Clay

Joe Demko · October 8, 2002, 07:24 AM

Yes.

Hemicuda · October 8, 2002, 07:41 AM

My father can eat the stainless steel back off a quality watch in less than 2 months...

his answer to that is to treat the guns (and watches) with a regular cleaning with Breakfree CLP... (he just stole my sample of FP-10 to try)

the watches last a year or so, and his guns(not in constant contact) show NO wear...

FP-10 IS a bit thicker and less likely to run, than Breakfree... either way, a GOOD protective oil is necessary for you acidic types! (and can work JUST fine!)

Al Thompson · October 9, 2002, 08:23 AM

Until this summer, it was never a problem. Looks like my body chemistry changed.

I like both Flitz and Iosso's gunbrite. Can't tell the difference. For active rust, especially when I can't get to it, (think SG mag tubes) the CorrosionX stuff works very well.

Mick J · October 9, 2002, 10:04 AM

Brownells sells their Rust Preventive # 2 that neutralizes fingerprints on your gun. Works good.

I think it sells for about $8.00 a pint from Brownells in Iowa.

bkb · October 9, 2002, 12:27 PM

Pop had an old Belgium made Browning A-5. Got it brand new. First thing he did was strip all of the oil & grease off. then he waxed it with Minn Treewax paste. Put it on and get it warm like being out in the sun on a Texas 100deg day. then rub it in just like a car. His shotgun went duck hunting in saltwater marshes , steamy east Texas woods, down poreing rain. All he did was dry it off and swab the bore and internal workings with Hoppes or Rustprufe. no problems! 40 years! it won't rust if it can't stick to it . and you can still hang on to it without all the mess of the oils . try it on a different piece of metal first . clean it , sand it , dry it , wax it , handle it , then set it down and check it next day ???

**4V50 Gary** · October 9, 2002, 01:13 PM

Got a buddy who has acid hands. Bad for guns. Wore off the blue from several guns just handling them (over the course of a month). As for me, I'm dry skinned and have to use lotion just to keep my hands from cracking.

rg1 · October 9, 2002, 09:52 PM

If you have a job in a ball bearing factory, only certain employees who have their skin oils and sweat tested, can handle bearings with bare hands. I saw a bearing that came from an airplane prop shaft that failed due to the fingerprint corrosion from someone who handled it.
I've never had that problem but if my nephew handles my rifles I have to wipe them down soon or his fingerprints will start rust. I found this out on one of my shotguns.

Clayton Hufford · October 10, 2002, 07:24 AM

Corrosion-X is great!

www.corrosionx.com

Regards,
Clayton

BMWGS80 · October 10, 2002, 10:52 PM

Still hace a Colt Diamondback with my thumb print on it . I preserved it on purpose. I have since then polished all of my blued guns with paste wax. I learned this from a retired Nashville Policeman. His S&W md.10 still looks new after 20 years in the holster and no telling how many lrd down the barrel. OF course that was 20 years early in the last century. His wife gave me that gun after we sent him on. It is a very prized remeberance.

Cheers,

ts

October 8, 2002, 01:31 AM	#1
Pendragon Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2001 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,153	Does anyone else have fingerprints that are extremely hard on blueing? My first gun was a cheap BHP model with poor bluing so I though the discolorations were due to a poor finish. Now, I had handled my Valtro and oiled it and carefully put it away, but I just took it out and noticed some discoloration in the shape of finger prints. I looked at my 1965 S&W Model 14 and it has some of this as well. HELP! I now remember that I once had a pair of glasses that I turned the alloy frames a kind of green tarnish. I guess I just have a toxic personality Is this everyone or are some people just more acidic or something? I now think I am going to have the Valtro hard chromed - at least the slide - I would like to carry it in the future, but I am afraid I am going to wreck the bluing. I actually now prefer the classic look of blueing, but I dont think it is going to work for me. Oh - the Ruger Single Six that I traded in - the bluing was totally gone from the cylinder flutes where my fingers had touched it to rotate it to unload and load about 1500-2000 rounds in about 4 trips to the range. Advice, comments, anything?

October 8, 2002, 02:35 AM	#2
4570Rick Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2002 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 137	I know what you mean. I tend to leave prints too. As far as refinishing, try Melonite. 8 times as resistant to salt spray as Hard Chrome. __________________ When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson

October 8, 2002, 05:47 AM	#3
citizen Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2000 Posts: 796	Wore (sweat, acid, whatever) off the blue on my Ruger .22; off the backstrap and grip. Have been told by meds I have a very acidic system; even can turn gold to green. Oh, well........ __________________ ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM NRA, GOA, AOC Ignorance can be cured, Stupid is forever Life is too short for dial-up

October 8, 2002, 06:31 AM	#4
Clayton Hufford Member Join Date: December 10, 2000 Location: Arkansas Posts: 92	My sweat is extremely corrosive. I can rust a gun in a matter of hours. I've had excellent results maintaining my gear with FP-10 CLP. Also, I have used MAAS and Flitz polish to remove stains and light oxidation on blued and stainless steel equipment, with excellent results. www.fp10.com www.maaspolish.com www.flitz.com Best regards, Clay __________________ "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" - Proverbs 16:7

October 8, 2002, 07:24 AM	#5
Joe Demko Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2000 Posts: 1,143	Yes. __________________ "No honest man needs a handgun smaller than a canned ham." Bill Ruger

October 8, 2002, 07:41 AM	#6
Hemicuda Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,757	My father can eat the stainless steel back off a quality watch in less than 2 months... his answer to that is to treat the guns (and watches) with a regular cleaning with Breakfree CLP... (he just stole my sample of FP-10 to try) the watches last a year or so, and his guns(not in constant contact) show NO wear... FP-10 IS a bit thicker and less likely to run, than Breakfree... either way, a GOOD protective oil is necessary for you acidic types! (and can work JUST fine!) __________________ Hemi. gun and car collector. Rare cars, and rarer guns.

October 9, 2002, 08:23 AM	#7
Al Thompson Staff Alumnus Join Date: May 2, 1999 Location: South Carolina Posts: 3,611	Until this summer, it was never a problem. Looks like my body chemistry changed. I like both Flitz and Iosso's gunbrite. Can't tell the difference. For active rust, especially when I can't get to it, (think SG mag tubes) the CorrosionX stuff works very well. __________________ http://www.scfirearms.org/

October 9, 2002, 10:04 AM	#8
Mick J Junior Member Join Date: October 3, 2002 Posts: 1	Brownells sells their Rust Preventive # 2 that neutralizes fingerprints on your gun. Works good. I think it sells for about $8.00 a pint from Brownells in Iowa.

October 9, 2002, 12:27 PM	#9
bkb Member Join Date: October 8, 2002 Location: texas Posts: 20	TRY IT Pop had an old Belgium made Browning A-5. Got it brand new. First thing he did was strip all of the oil & grease off. then he waxed it with Minn Treewax paste. Put it on and get it warm like being out in the sun on a Texas 100deg day. then rub it in just like a car. His shotgun went duck hunting in saltwater marshes , steamy east Texas woods, down poreing rain. All he did was dry it off and swab the bore and internal workings with Hoppes or Rustprufe. no problems! 40 years! it won't rust if it can't stick to it . and you can still hang on to it without all the mess of the oils . try it on a different piece of metal first . clean it , sand it , dry it , wax it , handle it , then set it down and check it next day ???

October 9, 2002, 01:13 PM	#10
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,847	Got a buddy who has acid hands. Bad for guns. Wore off the blue from several guns just handling them (over the course of a month). As for me, I'm dry skinned and have to use lotion just to keep my hands from cracking. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

October 9, 2002, 09:52 PM	#11
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	If you have a job in a ball bearing factory, only certain employees who have their skin oils and sweat tested, can handle bearings with bare hands. I saw a bearing that came from an airplane prop shaft that failed due to the fingerprint corrosion from someone who handled it. I've never had that problem but if my nephew handles my rifles I have to wipe them down soon or his fingerprints will start rust. I found this out on one of my shotguns.

October 10, 2002, 07:24 AM	#12
Clayton Hufford Member Join Date: December 10, 2000 Location: Arkansas Posts: 92	Corrosion-X is great! www.corrosionx.com Regards, Clayton __________________ "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" - Proverbs 16:7

October 10, 2002, 10:52 PM	#13
BMWGS80 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 288	Still hace a Colt Diamondback with my thumb print on it . I preserved it on purpose. I have since then polished all of my blued guns with paste wax. I learned this from a retired Nashville Policeman. His S&W md.10 still looks new after 20 years in the holster and no telling how many lrd down the barrel. OF course that was 20 years early in the last century. His wife gave me that gun after we sent him on. It is a very prized remeberance. Cheers, ts __________________ Everyone should be given a Bible, a boyscout manual and a Swiss Army knife at birth. All life's problems can be solved with these tools.