ModernChivalry.org
Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Sir Patrick on 2013-07-31, 04:13:24
-
Anyone ever done this? Any tips? Is it reversable?
-
Anyone ever done this? Any tips? Is it reversable?
Bluing is very time consuming process. I know, I tried. Gave up & went with black paint. We have a whole forum string on this topic. Ask Sir James.
-
Since it's mild steel, I was thinking more of gun blueing rather than heat blueing. What's that like to work with? Does it wear off over time?
-
Gun bluing can definitely still scratch/wear off over time. Pistols will get a certain amount of holster-wear, along corners and edges. I'm sure it'll be the same for armor.
-
I've blackened and darkened some bucklers I've made, but the methods I use require fire.
I'm planning on using a gun bluing kit I have laying around here (was part of a prize I got, useless to me ::) ) on a buckler I'm currently working on and then testing the finish. I'll let you know how it turns out.
other wise I do oil burns.
1)oil & charcoal powder applied with a brush and burned of gives a nice dark black finish
2) linseed oil burned off gives a dark grey
** that's all I usually use if paint isn't involved in some way.
-
Gun bluing can definitely still scratch/wear off over time. Pistols will get a certain amount of holster-wear, along corners and edges. I'm sure it'll be the same for armor.
Yep, mild steel is mild steel. You can get off-the-shelf wipe-on bluing, but it's a bit annoying. Have to prep the surface with other chemicals first, use rubber gloves, rub the bluing on, trying to keep even coats so that it doesn't show "overlaps" or darker/lighter spots; and then it can still rust. Which means stripping the bluing down to bare metal ... rinse, lather, repeat. I tried on some scrap pieces and wasn't happy with it. Not to mention, if your articulation is off and the plates rub anywhere, it'll rub the blackening off down to bare metal.
Now, done right, it looks *fantastic* to me. I haven't been too impressed with the OTS wipe-ons, the ones I've seen that come out well are done with a heat source (like Allan's).
Paint is a good option, powder-coating is even better. It's like a hardened paint shell. Common with motorcycles (gas tanks), aftermarket upgrades on vehicle brake calipers, and / or parts that take a beating that regular paint wouldn't hold up to as well. It is, of course, more expensive, and harder to find somewhere that can do it, since it is an electro-chemical process.
-
I'm kicking around trying it on my helmet. Going for something like this:
EDIT: Will it mess up the brass?
-
Not if you avoid it. ;)
-
Not if you avoid it. ;)
You make it sound easy.
-
If you heat the brass, it will scorch and melt. Unavoidable at bluing temperature.
-
boiled linseed oil over an old gril. make sure the linseed and the fire never meet or u got big flames! lol. put some tin foil or a cookie sheet down first. it blacked my helmet with a red hugh. oh SOAK YOUR LINSEED OIL RAG! then get rid of it. boiled linseed oil can randomly combust and burn down your house. i know someone who had this happen to his shop;
-
manufacturer’s warning that all oil-soaked rags should be stored under water in a covered, metal container, or washed before storage or disposal.
Very true about linseed oil spontaneously combusting while it oxidizes, therefore you should hand wash them prior to disposal and as an additional precaution I seal them in a Ziploc bag while still wet. ;)
-
boiled linseed oil over an old gril. make sure the linseed and the fire never meet or u got big flames! lol. put some tin foil or a cookie sheet down first. it blacked my helmet with a red hugh. oh SOAK YOUR LINSEED OIL RAG! then get rid of it. boiled linseed oil can randomly combust and burn down your house. i know someone who had this happen to his shop;
This may sound stupid, but do you close the grill? That's a big grill to stuff a helmet in!
-
i did but my helmet was smaller.
but i have seen people lite a fire and put the helmet on a stand above it and pour motor oil on the helmet. lol WHOOSH goes the fire hehehehe
-
Not if you avoid it. ;)
You make it sound easy.
Well, to say so is easy- it is the doing that isn't, not so much. Sir Wolf's suggestion of a grill is one I've heard of being successful before. Well away from the house (and yourself).
-
lol (i did it on the back porch lol) i would move it next time. ehehehhe
-
I used a wipe on gun blueing solution on my breast and back. It was easy to do, just time consuming to get right. It has aged very well, in my opinion. My armor has the look of worn and aged "munition" armor. I also used a different solution on one of my helmets and it turned out dreadfull, despite my taking my time. I've since given this helmet to my sargeant to paint, it will be used in conjunction with a different breast and back that will be painted. If you decide to go the blueing method, I recomend the 44/40 brand solution, apply it LIBERALLY. Let it set for a few minutes to a few hours, depending on your desired finish (longer will be darker), then THOROUGHLY wipe down the metal with oil, I recoment Kroil Oil (comes in an orange can). Let it sit some more, as it will rust more and then retreat with oil until the rusting stops. Patience and care are you main strongpoints in this. If you have brass or other fittings you do not wish to cover, use painters tape to tape them off until the blueing has been applied and wiped off at least once with oil.
-
Do you have any photos? I'd love to see the end result!
-
I have a bunch on my facebook page, facebook.com/matthew.leiby. I'll try to post a few links directly to some. I don't have any on the computer to post up here at the moment.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201654608878150.1073741838.1567096987&type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201654608878150.1073741838.1567096987&type=3)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=612110948802019&l=d2eb933dba (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=612110948802019&l=d2eb933dba)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=593365974009850&l=c2c52eb6c4 (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=593365974009850&l=c2c52eb6c4)
-
Oh wow, I think that came out great. I love that look.
-
Nice, those shots look great!
-
Wow, yeah, nice job on that! The breastplate is stainless or mild?
-
Breastplate, Almaine Collar and Helmets are all mild steel. My experience is stainless does not take blueing very well.
-
Put my oven on 500'F, baked it for 30 minutes, and then I rubbed gun oil on the piece, came out brilliantly!
-
Put my oven on 500'F, baked it for 30 minutes, and then I rubbed gun oil on the piece, came out brilliantly!
Just be careful, at those temps you can ruin the temper on a heat treated piece.
-
True but in this case it was a hand made (by me) shield boss made from 16 ga mild I got from home depot.