VH grade trigger finish

[David Penland]

How where the triggers and trigger guards finished on VH grades when they left the factory? Thanks for any help.

[Jerry Harlow]

Nitre (Niter) blued.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

[Brian Dudley]

All grades were Nitre blued.

[Dean Romig]

Not all triggers were nitre blued

VH triggers and trigger guards were nitre blued.

DH and higher triggers were nickel plated except AAH and higher were normally gold plated.





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[Brian Dudley]

Forgive me Dave. I read too quickly and thought you were asking about trigger Guards.

What Dean said is correct about triggers. Grades below D were blued.

[Dave Noreen]

That can't be right!! Bachelders finished the triggers on my 1930 vintage 20-gauge VH-Grade bright. :shock:

[Gary Bodrato]

DAVID, I asked this same question. there are several pages with great photos from several members, posted on Oct. 5 2017 in the general forum, it was a great help

[Breck Gorman]

I read in Parker Story that triggers were fire blued.

[Bill Paul]

Does Niter bluing take differently on different metals? The piece I saw was much "brighter". It was not on a Parker, but Definitely NOT what I have seen here. I would like to have my trigger guard done as close to original as practical, but don't want to have to strip and re-polish it either. Is all niter bluing the same?

[Jerry Harlow]

Does Niter bluing take differently on different metals? The piece I saw was much "brighter". It was not on a Parker, but Definitely NOT what I have seen here. I would like to have my trigger guard done as close to original as practical, but don't want to have to strip and re-polish it either. Is all niter bluing the same?

Bright blue probably meant it was hot blued. Duller bluing probably shows that it was rust blued like barrels. Nitre Bluing equals a tougher process to get right. You are correct as each piece of steel will respond differently and for every ten degree difference in the temperature of the nitre bluing, one gets a different color, from purples to straw colored to black to the perfect blue, and also depending upon how long it is left in the salts. And we are dealing with a solution at about 600 degrees. So if someone tells you they want $75 or more to do your triggers and trigger guard in nitre blue, be happy. It is not as easy as one thinks. Don't ask how I know. :banghead:
https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-362_Nitre_Bluing_Bluing.pdf

Degrees Fahrenheit
Color Of Steel
430
Very pale yellow
440
Light yellow
450
Pale straw-yellow
460
Straw-yellow
470
Deep straw-yellow
480
Dark yellow
490
Yellow-brown
500
Brown-yellow
510
Spotted red-brown
520
Brown-purple
530
Light purple
540
Full purple
550
Dark purple
560
Full blue
570
Dark blue
640
Light blue

[charlie cleveland]

j a you must have been down this road before....charlie

[Brian Dudley]

Does Niter bluing take differently on different metals? The piece I saw was much "brighter". It was not on a Parker, but Definitely NOT what I have seen here. I would like to have my trigger guard done as close to original as practical, but don't want to have to strip and re-polish it either. Is all niter bluing the same?

The color of Nitre Blue is completely dependent on the temp that the salts are at.

Most think of Nitre blue as being the royal blue colors that are found in some applications where it is used.
However, near Black colors can be had at much higher temps. 830 degrees is the target temp for jet Black color. I have had a pretty hard time getting my salts anywhere near that temp, but I get very good results at 725-750 degrees. See the photos below of a VH that I Nitre blued the triggers and trigger guard on.

Brownells will tell you that you cannot heat the salts that high as it will ruin them. This is fake news as they say. I have been using the same pot of Brownells salts for years and evrytime they get heated up, they go up to those high temps.

61589

61590

[Jerry Harlow]

I get the dark blue at less temperature by constantly watching the part. No matter what the temperature of the nitre salts, the part will not reach that temperature instantly, so as it changes colors I quit when it is what I desired. Yes I have had Barney purple colored trigger guards and had to start over because I pulled them too soon. But I admit to being an amateur.

[Bill Paul]

Thanks J.A.; sounds like you have been there , done that. Is it reasonable to assume that standard commercially available salt will produce the appropriate color on a Parker trigger guard ? Can you start at say 570 and increase the temp to get the right color or should you start at a specific temperature ? How much material does it take to do one trigger guard and a set of screws ? Do you have specific recommendations as what to use at what temperature for how long ? Unfortunately, I don't have the where with all to attempt this myself, but would like to be able to discuss it somewhat intelligently with some one who can. Thanks again; I am just trying to educate myself.

[Bill Paul]

Thanks J. A. looks like you have been there , done that. Do you have recommendations for what to use , at what temperature , for how long to get the appropriate color on a Parker trigger guard and screw set ? Are all commercially available products the same? can you start at a lower temp and increase until you get the color or should you start at a specific temp. ? How much material does it take to do one guard and screw set? Unfortunately, I do not have the where with all to attempt this , but want to be able to discuss it intelligently with some one who can. Just trying to educate myself. Thanks again, Bill.

[Bill Paul]

My apologies! I got lost trying to post . Dah!! Ok so what color is the trigger guard supposed to be? If it should be black, can you not get the correct color using slow rust bluing process ? I guess that gives me away as some one who has never actually seen an original in pristine condition. Some pictures appear to be a deep royal almost black/ blue, and of a much higher polish; yes? no?.

[Brian Dudley]

Black with a tinge of blue to it in the light is correct. Nitre is how Parker originally finished them.

Rust blue will of course give you a black, but rust bluing small parts like guards, triggers and screws is a pain in the butt. It is much easier to hang them in the salts for a while and pull them out.

I quench in water immediately then dry and put into motor oil for 24 hours.

[Jerry Harlow]

Thanks J.A.; sounds like you have been there , done that. Is it reasonable to assume that standard commercially available salt will produce the appropriate color on a Parker trigger guard ? Can you start at say 570 and increase the temp to get the right color or should you start at a specific temperature ? How much material does it take to do one trigger guard and a set of screws ? Do you have specific recommendations as what to use at what temperature for how long ? Unfortunately, I don't have the where with all to attempt this myself, but would like to be able to discuss it somewhat intelligently with some one who can. Thanks again; I am just trying to educate myself.

Brian who is in the business of restoring these guns would be your best bet. He is the professional, I am not as I wrote. If you send the parts to him when he gets around to doing a batch you will not be disappointed. Unless you are going to do a lot of them the time and effort to get set up (Brownells salts, stainless tub, propane burner, tongs, etc.) would not be financially worth it. It is also not a safe operation as you are dealing with hot chemicals where a mistake will put you in the intensive care/burn department.

As Brian wrote about using a higher temperature, you need to start higher than what the chart calls for. Even though it shows to be in the high 500s, like Brian I have to be over 600 degrees to get the correct colors.

[Bill Paul]

One more question. Should the cross bolt be blued or hardened, for wear ?

[Brian Dudley]

Cross bolt?

[Bill Paul]

Again, my apologies. I should have checked the proper terminology. I mean the recessed hinge pin(screw) and ,or sleeve ? I am getting ready to have the heat treating and nitre bluing done and that question just occurred to me as I was looking at this blog. Thanks again.

[Brian Dudley]

The hinge pin is case colored. Right along with the frame. Installed into it.

[Dean Romig]

Brian, is it customarily removed for the color case-hardening process?





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[Brian Dudley]

No. I remove them for polishing but re-install them and set screw timing before coloring.

[Tom Flanigan]

I heat the nitre salts to 600 degrees and then place the parts to be treated in and watch the color transformation. The parts will go through all the stages of color depending on how long they are in the solution. They have to be carefully watched and removed at the right time to get the correct color for the part being colored.

Perhaps the prettiest color (not right for Parkers) is peacock blue. I use this color on the screws of muzzle loaders and other hardware. The part has to be polished to a bright sheen with 600 grit and then left in the bath longer than the normal Parker nitre blue color.

[Tom Flanigan]

The bluing salts can be used over and over for years. I use a quarter tank and when I'm finished let the solution harden and then place tin foil over the tank. Nitre salts will draw water from the atmosphere which is not good. The tank has to be covered when not in use. I have to add more salts from time to time when the level goes down from use. But a bucket of salts will last for a long time.

[Tom Flanigan]

Does Niter bluing take differently on different metals? The piece I saw was much "brighter". It was not on a Parker, but Definitely NOT what I have seen here. I would like to have my trigger guard done as close to original as practical, but don't want to have to strip and re-polish it either. Is all niter bluing the same?

Brighter may be because the part was polished to a finer degree. Highly polished parts (not appropriate for a Parker) results in a brighter nitre finish.

[Tom Flanigan]

Brian, I sent you a private message.