Factory deep blue CZ maintenance

[A.]

 - What is the best way to clean, protect and maintain Cz deep blue finish? Any difference from guns with regular polycoat?
 - What is the best way to touch up small imperfections?
Please share your knowledge and secrets.
Thank you!

[alp3367]

 Simple oiling is all you really need to do. Use CLP or something similar to wipe down good and then remove excess. Blued guns are not nearly as corrosion resistant or durable as the polycoat or a nitride type finish. Need to make sure that you wipe it down well with a CLP type product anytime it's exposed to moisture or something like that.

 As far as touch up goes it's more of an art than anything. I've had some success with the bluing pen type products out there. Going slow is the best way. If it's a small scratch just rub the pen on it lightly and wipe off after a few seconds. Repeat as needed. But it will almost never be a perfect match and always noticeable if looked at closely.

 Those are for something that is being used. If putting up for long term storage a layer of grease works pretty well.

[RSR]

Polycoat is paint.  Bluing is metal surface treatment only slightly more durable than bare metal.  A basic gun blue pen should be fine for blemishes.  Use a good gun treatment like G96 to stave off rust, especially if you store it in a chinese drywall safe that's facilitates corrosion...
https://www.secureitgunstorage.com/gun-safe-corrosion/

If you get corrosion, you'll want to look at fine steel or bronze wool and various protocols used by owners of fine shotguns.  Best bet is to avoid it in the first place. 

Worst case, you can always have your gun polycoated/equivalent later.

[xring11]

Is there a bluing type pen that folks can recommend?
Thanks!

[RSR]

Is there a bluing type pen that folks can recommend?
Thanks!

No experience with blued CZs, but generally:

Birchwood Casey (Cold) Blue Pen if you're wanting traditional bluing or their Alumnablack pen if you're wanting more black oxide coloring...

[xring11]

Good to know.
I'll add those to collection of tools and supplies.
Thanks!

No experience with blued CZs, but generally:

Birchwood Casey (Cold) Blue Pen if you're wanting traditional bluing or their Alumnablack pen if you're wanting more black oxide coloring...

[M1A4ME]

If you take care of it the blue will stay nice and pretty for decades.  If not longer.

When you're done with it, take it out of the holster and clean it.

Wipe it down with an oily rag.  Make sure the whole blued surface is protected by the oil.  It's okay to use more and then wipe off the excess with that oily rag.  It's okay to use a small clean brush (I've used a tooth brush for years) to work the oil into the cracks/crevices, checkering, around the sights, etc.  Take the grips off now and then and wipe oil under the grips before putting the grips back on it.

Once you've wiped it down correctly do not touch it with your bare fingers/skin.  Some people may be worse for it than others but the oils/sweat/salts on your skin can cause the metal to rust where you touched it.

If you've wiped it down correctly it can sit on a shelf in a gun safe or in a gun case for years and not rust.

My M29 S&W sat in it's factory wood/presentation box till the blue foam disintegrated, but it didn't rust.  It's been in a "pistol rub" for the last few years.  Oh, the M29 was bought new in about 1983 and carried on duty for a couple years and got shot quite a bit before we went to 686's.

Here's a picture of a section of the barrel off my Ithaca M37 that I cut off in the last 80's to make it a better brush gun for grouse/rabbits.  It did rust where I touched it during the cutting process and after sitting on a shelf in the attic for 20 some years.  My dad bought the shotgun for me, used, in 1969 and I hunted in all kinds of weather during the fall and winter months in ND, WV, IL, AR, TX and VA.  It stayed in an old Sears padded carry case when not in the woods/fields in my hands. 



Just for the heck of it (and to prove a point) I got a small piece of 0000 steel wool and some oil (3n1 oil, Mobil 1, doesn't matter if it's a light oil) and some light rubbing removed that light corrosion and made it shine like new again.  This piece of barrel is about 55 years old and sat in the attic on a shelf for over 20 years after I handled it without wiping it down again.



If you plan on carrying a nicely finished/blued handgun in a holster you need one that is formed and padded to fit the handgun well and protect the finish from inserting, removing from the holster and from moving around in the holster.  They used to make good leather holsters like that.  A kydex holster, or a plain leather holster without the additional material (like a fine soft leather sewed inside the holster) will wear the finish on your pistol.

[bang bang]

welcome,

as mentioned about the difference between the polecat vs blue.

with regard to bluing.  There can be different quality's. 

the blue cz i have is nice, but the bluing is not has "heavy"/"thick" as my S&W or Colts.. its just a observation since i have no way to "measure" the thickness.

In any case, the backstrap on my CZ is thinning.

Also, fwiw, there is a thing call SWEAT.  Most people do it to some degree.  IAC, some peoples sweat can be more ACIDIC.  so, if you are one of them and you know who you are or if you handle a blued gun you may notice that anyplace touches will start to rust faster.

so, if some that has more acidic sweat touches your gun, i would try to oil it down ASAP. 

all you can do is to keep the gun oiled.

If you want to try and "touch up" any spots, thats up to you.  To me, you are only chasing your tail.  but some people love doing so.  I myself get dizzy and will eventually barf.

good luck

[xring11]

That's an insightful observation I'll keep in mind.  Thanks! 

If you want to try and "touch up" any spots, thats up to you.  To me, you are only chasing your tail.  but some people love doing so.  I myself get dizzy and will eventually barf.

good luck

[JGW006]

For maintenance, just clean it and oil it.  I use CLP or Rem Oil.  If I was out I would use about any light oil, to include 3 in 1 oil, motor oil, etc.  (but if I did that I would come back with CLP or Rem Oil when I had it again.  I believe they are superior).

JGW

[RSR]

For maintenance, just clean it and oil it.  I use CLP or Rem Oil.  If I was out I would use about any light oil, to include 3 in 1 oil, motor oil, etc.  (but if I did that I would come back with CLP or Rem Oil when I had it again.  I believe they are superior).

JGW

G96 Triple Gun Treatment is what I use on blued guns exteriors that aren't safe queens.  It bonds to metals similar to PB blaster.  But I still prefer slip 2000 oil or grease for the internals.

[JGW006]

When I was deep into M1 Garand rifles, I was taught:  “If it slides, grease it.  If it pivots, oil it”. ( And oil metal surfaces generally of course).  The tendency when using grease is to use too much.  I like to use the red colored Mobile 1 grease, or white lithium grease, so I can better see how much I’ve used.  Basically, if I can barely see color, it’s the right amount.

JGW

[RSR]

When I was deep into M1 Garand rifles, I was taught:  “If it slides, grease it.  If it pivots, oil it”. ( And oil metal surfaces generally of course).  The tendency when using grease is to use too much.  I like to use the red colored Mobile 1 grease, or white lithium grease, so I can better see how much I’ve used.  Basically, if I can barely see color, it’s the right amount.

JGW

I suspect that “If it slides, grease it.  If it pivots, oil it.” has more to do with accessibility of parts needing lubricant than necessarily the best lubricant for the job.  The needle oiler bottles for instances can reach places you really can't get grease.  Granted, I use the Slip2000 plunger grease tube and refill it from the small screw top tub that's also available when needed which helps reach narrow places... 

But generally, I prefer to use grease whenever possible on bearing/pivoting surfaces-- primarily due to it being better at staying where I want it to be...  And then oil where you don't mind or intentionally want migration... 

Slip sells Slip EWL and EWL 30 thicker lubricants as well instead of standard light oil gun lubes -- and some like remoil include teflon to assist with lubrication even if lubricant migrates or the fluid itself is too thin to properly protect/lubricate...

There are times where lighter oils do provide benefit, but I'm not an expert on gun lubes...  And I'm definitely more comfortable with lighter oils on often-checked/serviced/wiped/oiled parts than say internals that require more than field stripping to access...

[M1A4ME]

During 4 years in the US Army we used LSA only, never any grease, on our M14's.

I bought my M1A in 1978 or 79 and used 3N1 oil on it till about 2004 or 2005 when I got my first M1 Garand. 

I did a lot of reading on the M1's after I got mine.  Seems like I remember reading the grease use was due to combat in the South Pacific showing the hard tropical rainstorms would wash the oil off/out of the rifle action resulting in function issues when the rifle heated up during combat.

I switched the M1A over to grease in all the same spots (and the roller) the M1 was supposed to be greased.

Just never have seen the need for grease on a handgun.  I just got three out the other day and cleaned/inspected and lubed them with Mobile 1.  I know many people don't clean a gun that hasn't been fired but mine get dirty carrying them (M&P PC 5" 9MM outside/open carry, P07 9MM concealed carry sometimes and outside/open carry in the winter/colder months and the FNS-C .40 that's been sitting on a shelf for a couple years).  They get dirty, whether you shoot them or not.  Unless they're stored in a case in a gun safe in a location where the dust/lint is kept down by air filtering.

Use what works for you in the environment you use the gun and store the gun and for the maintenance/cleaning schedule you use.

[RSR]

I did a lot of reading on the M1's after I got mine.  Seems like I remember reading the grease use was due to combat in the South Pacific showing the hard tropical rainstorms would wash the oil off/out of the rifle action resulting in function issues when the rifle heated up during combat.

Effectively the same reason I see for oil vs grease -- oil can migrate (helpful if you're trying to lubricate somewhere you can't directly grease w/o further disassembly), and grease generally stays put.

During 4 years in the US Army we used LSA only, never any grease, on our M14's.

Yes, but that's due more to military cleaning regimes than best lubricant/protectant.  And the more wear and tear on weapons from improper lubrication, the more $ back to manufacturer for arsenal refurbishment services.

Just never have seen the need for grease on a handgun.  I just got three out the other day and cleaned/inspected and lubed them with Mobile 1.  I know many people don't clean a gun that hasn't been fired but mine get dirty carrying them (M&P PC 5" 9MM outside/open carry, P07 9MM concealed carry sometimes and outside/open carry in the winter/colder months and the FNS-C .40 that's been sitting on a shelf for a couple years).  They get dirty, whether you shoot them or not.  Unless they're stored in a case in a gun safe in a location where the dust/lint is kept down by air filtering.

Do handguns NEED grease, maybe not.  But I grease the barrel exterior, and slide rails always as well as the hammer and any slide interface points w/ any component of the lower frame.  Grease is VERY EASY to wipe down after a shooting session.

And I'd argue any carry gun needs its ammo cycled at least quarterly for mechanical and end user proficiency reasons, so should be shot on a schedule roughly necessitating cleaning.  And any gun/component rapidly changing temps needs at least wiped down with an oily rag.