bluing for stainless?

[Knebel]

Hey,

I've got a 1911 with a stainless frame and steel slide. I've been messing around with different finishes (i first nickelplated the whole thing but i am too oce for that with fingerprints) Then i used flat black engine enamel. Looks quite good but dosent even hold up handling. I now have used birchwood caseys superblue on the slide, i quite like the apperance. Is there a priduct that gives a similar look on stainless steel parts?

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[Stomper]

You'd probably be better off having it professionally ceracoated a similar color.

 

[Knebel]

Well its an 80% build and i really want to try to get a decent finish on it myself I thought about the DLC coating but...expensive plus prepwork plus the whole shipping deal...

 

[Joe13]

Bead blast it back to stainless matte

 

[KKG]

Any good bluing salts will turn SS blue, it just takes time. If you are cold bluing, you need to heat up the metal. An extra long time in a Hot Bluing Bath will also work.

 

[RVTECH]

Bead blast it back to stainless matte

Ditto this.

 

[Knebel]

Any good bluing salts will turn SS blue, it just takes time. If you are cold bluing, you need to heat up the metal. An extra long time in a Hot Bluing Bath will also work.

can you recommend one? unfortunately i have to stick with coldblue.

 

[KKG]

can you recommend one? unfortunately i have to stick with coldblue.

Brownells sells a very good one. Still should warn the parts to get it to work best.

 

[The Heretic]

There are a number of treatments that will darken SS, including melonite and nitriding. Not sure which will work best with a polished surface though. I prefer a matte finish on all of my firearms.

 

[Knebel]

I understand that everyone has different preferences on finishes and I simply domt like the beadblasted look. I generally like the flat black paint but its its not durable enough. I really liked the polished nickel look but thats really really hard to get right and had imperfections I just couldnt live with (also waaay harder to touch up).

Im specifically asking on how to give a stainless frame a blued look. I applied some more coats of the superblue on the slide and really like the look of that. Not polished but sanded with 600grit and then blued.

 

[Knebel]

Thats how the nickel finish looked. However that was just a magnet for smudges and fingerprints and what and I cant stand that. Afterall I want to use and shoot the gun and not look at it and wipe it down every 30 seconds.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

The easiest method would be to trade it for a blued one!

If you're looking for something you can do yourself you might look at DuraCoat, or more specifically DuraBlue if you really want a blued finish.

 

[Knebel]

Ok so this is how I currently have it finished. The frame is painted.

 

[KKG]

Well that seems to be what you wanted. Of course a good high polish and some extended time in a hot tank will be longer lasting. Looks good to me.

 

[Knebel]

Well that seems to be what you wanted. Of course a good high polish and some extended time in a hot tank will be longer lasting. Looks good to me.

Yes. well, I am looking for more of a blued look on the stainless frame. I would rather have an actual metal finish on it than a paint. Thats what I'm asking

 

[Mooseman]

We use this...Insta-Blak SS-370 – Stainless Steel – Black Oxide – EPI

Of course , I decided I wanted a 2 tone...

 

[Knebel]

I tried the stainless steel blackener and sealer from caswell...I finally got a somewhat even colored coat on but man that stuff is GARBAGE. The sealer is a water based solution and even after it dries it comes right off when you rub ot with a sweaty finger. takes the blackening off too right down to the metal. So far the best finish has been the nickel plating. Maybe I'll try that down the road with black nickel.

 

[KKG]

Yes. well, I am looking for more of a blued look on the stainless frame. I would rather have an actual metal finish on it than a paint. Thats what I'm asking

What I was getting at is that you will get a True Blued Finish by placing a Stainless Steel Firearm in a Hot Blue Tank for an Extended Period of Time. I'm still suggesting that as your way to go!!!

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

I tried the stainless steel blackener and sealer from caswell...I finally got a somewhat even colored coat on but man that stuff is GARBAGE. The sealer is a water based solution and even after it dries it comes right off when you rub ot with a sweaty finger. takes the blackening off too right down to the metal. So far the best finish has been the nickel plating. Maybe I'll try that down the road with black nickel.

If you're considering nickel plating, you might as well go straight for black nitride.

 

[DirectDrive]

Whatever Brownell's uses on their Glock (clone) slides sounds like what you want.
It is a black nitride and is the deepest, most beautiful finish that I've ever seen on a Glock slide.
"Such a deep black, it's blue."

I would pick their brains and see if they will tell you.
The slides are 17-4 stainless steel.