BARREL BLUING

cz223

Any one know where to get a barrel hot blued and roughly what kind of money it costs?

Thanks.

landyman

Gerry Guerin knocklofty clonmel was 90 euro few years ago

cz223

cheers mate ill try him

landyman

I was told before I got my barrels done that no one in the country does good job believe it now as it's been 4 or 5 years now and there not great blueing fading rust appearing England does good life time job does anyone know story with sending barrel over there

pedroeibar1

landyman wrote: »

Gerry Guerin knocklofty clonmel was 90 euro few years ago

That seems very cheap - is it really a hot blue process?

landyman

Just say I got it done few years back and I'm looking to get them redone properly but sure for 90 euro I thaugh it was worth a try

pedroeibar1

landyman wrote: »

J........... but sure for 90 euro I thaugh it was worth a try

Nope, Landy, it's not worth it. There are two types of hot bluing, water based and molten salt (nitro blue). Neither is a complicated process but the mixing of the chemicals and temperature control is critical. If it is a proper hot blue process you should see the damage that can be caused to barrels if it is not done properly. (That is why I asked).
For starters the blueing solution is extremely corrosive, the 'steam' it gives off is highly hazardous. In the water based process any aluminium or zinc if they have been used in a rib repair will dissolve quickly. In molten salt, the temperatures can, on older guns, melt the solder used for welding on the ribs. Personally I'd want to see the set-up and talk to the guy before I'd entrust my guns to anyone.

I think he might be doing a cold bluing process, nowhere near as good or long-lasting.

jap gt

eamon galvin in donegal did my sxs last year, top job 120 afaik

rowa

I rust blued a gun once and its a good job, but a bit time consuming. The likes of the birchwood casey cold blue isn't much good in my experience of it.

landyman

Do you have his number japgt

landyman

Thanks for advice Pedro what would you recommend I do and would you know where to get job done right

jap gt

0749132177

tac foley

About ten years ago, after a fifteen-year search, I lucked in to a complete rearsight assembly for my 1937-made Mauser ES350B. Jon Speed was at a gunshow in Kentucky when he called me up to say he'd found it, did I want it, and BTW, it was a steal at 'only' $300.

He mailed it to my cousin in Portland so's we could pick it up and sad to say, it was 'in the white' ie., unblued.

To have it blued here in UK cost me £120, and that included the short-term HAZMAT license used by the gunsmith to enable him to use the correct cyanide salts solution - same as Mauser used back in the day. That way, it all matches now - exactly.

Lesson is, with bluing, as Pedro notes, you have to pay the man what it costs, and these days, for a one-off, it will be costy.

tac

tac foley

landyman wrote: »

I was told before I got my barrels done that no one in the country does good job believe it now as it's been 4 or 5 years now and there not great blueing fading rust appearing England does good life time job does anyone know story with sending barrel over there

If you really have to send it to UK - after failing to find an Irish bluer - give Norman Clark in Rugby a try.

tac

rowa

Someone on the vcrai website was setting up to do bluing, he had all the tanks etc made , i'll see if he is up and running.

pedroeibar1

As the VCRAI will be for vintagers, I doubt if it will be hot bluing.
It is an expensive process mainly because of the work involved; everything has to be completely stripped down and degreased, a lot of rubbing down takes place, and the chemicals when combined are nasty. The finish also will depend on the type of steel in the barrel(s). On modern guns the low temperature blueing solutions never work really well, they tend to corrode the metal too fast. Then the finish will look as it it was sandblasted or 'rough' due to uneven corrosion.

If the gun is special I'd look at the UK, and email a few of the better shops to see who they would recommend. BUt make sure you do not end up being fobbed off with a cold blue rather than the real thing. I'd guess that the smith does barrels in batches, it would not really be worth the effort to do just one item.

rowa

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

As the VCRAI will be for vintagers, I doubt if it will be hot bluing
.

Actually it was, he was set up to do hot bluing , parkerizing etc , he had all the tanks made up etc, but he hasn't posted in a long time. Reading on the american/canadian gun forums bluing is something a lot of people set up to do as a sideline , and quickly learn there is a lot more to it and work involved than first thought, so few last long.
The gun i rust blued was done using a copper sulphate solution, i had no trouble getting it made up, but when i looked to get the chemicals to do a small amount of nitre bluing it was a no-go as they are prohibited due to their use in explosives.
The americans use lye (caustic) for their hot bluing , but its temp is above that of the melting point of solder, and i seen pics recently of a nice english side by side with the barrels and ribs in pieces because some eejit didn't know that.

pedroeibar1

rowa wrote: »

The gun i rust blued was done using a copper sulphate solution, i had no trouble getting it made up, but when i looked to get the chemicals to do a small amount of nitre bluing it was a no-go as they are prohibited due to their use in explosives.
The americans use lye (caustic) for their hot bluing , but its temp is above that of the melting point of solder, and i seen pics recently of a nice english side by side with the barrels and ribs in pieces because some eejit didn't know that.

That’s why I posted a warning here

It was your mention of CuSO4 that clicked – we discussed / had differing views on this before - see this thread - it’s all covered there

rugermk3

I seen a bluing kit in a gun shop, anybody know if there any use ?

jap gt

rugermk3 wrote: »

I seen a bluing kit in a gun shop, anybody know if there any use ?

save your money, id say they only work on small repair jobs

rugermk3

jap gt wrote: »

save your money, id say they only work on small repair jobs

yeah was thinking that myself, my shotgun getting spots all over it shotgun aids lol

landyman

Lads I rang eamon galvin in Donegal he said he do it he said he retired but does odd bits I asked about the process he seemed to know his stuff said he uses hot blue process mentioned CuSO4 chemical process he charges 150 euro what do ye think is it worth sending it up to him

jap gt

landyman wrote: »

Lads I rang eamon galvin in Donegal he said he do it he said he retired but does odd bits I asked about the process he seemed to know his stuff said he uses hot blue process mentioned CuSO4 chemical process he charges 150 euro what do ye think is it worth sending it up to him

i would say it is, he did my sxs and its like new

4200fps

landyman wrote: »

Lads I rang eamon galvin in Donegal he said he do it he said he retired but does odd bits I asked about the process he seemed to know his stuff said he uses hot blue process mentioned CuSO4 chemical process he charges 150 euro what do ye think is it worth sending it up to him

You will regret not sending it to him if he ever did pack it up for good. My sxs is even better than the day it came out of the factory and i'm not exagerating. he put a lovely stain on the timber and his bluing was excellent, he's the best gent at repairing, restoring guns. I'd rate him the best, knows his stuff. He makes stocks for guns netc. He took dints out of my gun too

Kinzig

landyman wrote: »

Lads I rang eamon galvin in Donegal he said he do it he said he retired but does odd bits I asked about the process he seemed to know his stuff said he uses hot blue process mentioned CuSO4 chemical process he charges 150 euro what do ye think is it worth sending it up to him

he blued my friends gun,excellent job

landyman

How much does he finish stock for

4200fps

landyman wrote: »

How much does he finish stock for

you be best ring him. I payed 200 or 250 all in I forget. He done bluing and stock. Entire gun basically. Soppose its down to the condition it's in at the min may depend on price, how much work he's to do id imagine