[TheForge] finish help

[northwoods]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Horgan" <lughaid@earthlink.net>
To: <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: January 08, 2002 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] finish help


> >I use it on my blackpowder firearms where parts can be and often are
subject
> >to a rather corrosive enviroment, and find that it does a very good job
of
> >preventing surface rust. Not the most durable finish, but it does prevent
> >rust. All parts that I routinely temper blue are taken to a high level of
> >polish first, which probably in and of itself provides a decent degree of
> >corrosion resistance.
> >Another route would be to charcoal blue. This finish definately provides
> >corrosion resistance, and a good looking blue finish not unlike a temper
> >blue. Probably overkill for a trivet though.
> >To get a charcoal blue simply place object to be blued in an oxygen free
> >enviroment (like a charcoal fire) and hold at black/red heat approx. 1
hour.
> >Remove and rub with wool or course cloth liberally oiled with neatsfoot
oil.
> >T. Clark


> Gee, Tom, Sounds like a recipe for Color Case Hardening.  That would
> certainly help out with the gun furniture.

I routinely case harden (not color case harden) the locks on my 18th century
guns, and your right in that the method is not unlike charcoal blueing, the
main difference being that the lock parts are placed in a crucible or cast
iron box along with a source of carbon. The case hardened effect is not what
I am directly after in this case (modern locks don't need it), it is the
finish. Kind of ironic because this is an extra step I have to do after
polishing, whereas  in the 18th century all locks were case hardened and
polishing would have been the extra and more costly step.
I use charcoal blueing for barrels on all fine guns and it is an
historically accurate finish. The temper blue is strictly a corrosion
prevention treatment which all firearms get on small parts get like pins,
screws, trigger, etc. even when they can't be seen. I have found that a much
more durable and corrosion resistant temper blue can be achieved by not just
bringing the part up to color and stoping it, but to bring it up and "soak"
it at 575-600 degrees for a while. Temper blueing has been used for
centuries in N. America as a rust and corrosion prevention treatment on
firearms.
Tony Clark