Quote:
Originally Posted by 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?
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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.
https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/l...ing_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
Threaded Mode