Thread: barrel bluing ?
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Old December 1, 2010, 08:53 PM   #20
James K
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Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
Brazing and soldering are the same thing in a way, but the metal used is different. As the name indicates, brazing uses brass (or bronze or copper) while the term "solder" is used with lead. The problem with hot tank bluing anything with a soldered joint is not only the temperature, but the fact that the bluing salts attack and dissolve lead and also aluminum. They won't harm brass or copper brazing.

Dropping an old style soldered sxs shotgun in a hot tank blue is a quick way to make two single barrel guns. Most folks know that, but some don't know that caustic bluing will also dissolve light weight aluminum receivers. Some gunsmiths have had to buy new guns for the customers when their aluminum alloy guns vanished in the tank. (I had a friend almost lose an eye when he threw a BHP magazine in the bluing tank, not knowing it had an aluminum follower; the follower dissolved and the spring flung hot caustic into his face.)

On the steam cabinet, I have never seen a steam cabinet used with any acid, only as an alternate way to do rust bluing without a tank. The bluing solution is swabbed on, and the gun put in the cabinet to rust. After a coating builds up, it is carded off, and the process done over until the desired color is achieved.

Jim
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