My Pre-B refinishing and modification diary

[Underwhere]

OK so the parts definitely have a cloudy haze to it.

I think I got it off with the steel wool.

So the water is fine?
Just make sure it's really boiling before dropping parts in?

[Earl Keese]

Yes, boiling first before parts go in. Acetone should remove the rest of that haze/residue.

[Underwhere]

Parts are coated and I have a timer set for them to be rusted in the box for 6 hours.

[Underwhere]

8.4 hours in the sweat box

About to boil

[Underwhere]

I had issues again

I noticed something strange about my hot plate. When I drop the frame into the pot the burner shuts off and the water stops boiling.

I made sure this time to make sure it was boiling well for a few minutes but when I dropped my frame in the burner turned off and the water stopped boiling. I had to wait a minute or two for the burner to kick back on and boil again. Once it turned back on it stayed boiling the entire time.

Unfortunately I can't boil in my kitchen. My cooktop is induction. I don't have any nice cookware to do this in.

Anyhow. It wasn't as bad as last time. Still not an easy carding.

I may fiddle with the hot plate tommorow.
I may also try and find some Poland springs distilled. I still think there may be a water difference. (gut feel)

Here is what it came out of the boiling water looking like.

I feel like I still have 6 or 7 more cycles to go and I'm already at 8 or 9.

[Earl Keese]

When I started rust bluing, I bought a hot plate to preserve domestic tranquility. Unfortunately none of the ones I tried would stay on constantly, I assume this is a safety feature. I ended up using the propane burner from my turkey fryer.
 Another thing to consider is how many times to reuse your water. After a few cycles, it gets fouled and can cause the copper build up. The copper doesn't bother me anymore now that I know it doesn't affect the finish. I just wet the steel wool with acetone when I card. Cuts down on dust as well. I keep the steel wool soaking in acetone anyway so now I just don't bother drying it before carding.

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[Underwhere]

I hope this is a good sign. I have very little rust on the frame after 10 hours in the box.

I'm going to boil and hope the burner stays on.

[Underwhere]

This was a good boil. I'm sure of that.

The frame carded a bit easier. I still feel I have some cloudyness from the junk boil earlier but maybe that's just me being uncertain.

I'm going to let it sit in the sweat box for 10 hours and see.

[Underwhere]

I do feel like it's not getting darker

[Earl Keese]

It'll only get so dark before it stops. It depends on the metal itself, each gun is different. If it isn't rusting anymore it's done. If you don't neutralize it, you can put it in non rust inhibiting oil and it will darken some more.

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[Underwhere]

It'll only get so dark before it stops. It depends on the metal itself, each gun is different. If it isn't rusting anymore it's done. If you don't neutralize it, you can put it in non rust inhibiting oil and it will darken some more.

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I don't plan on neutralizing it. Last time I tried baking soda it didn't end well. Never doing that again.

I'm trying to match the slide. Any thoughts on how?

[Earl Keese]

I don't think you can really, since the slide is forged and the frame is cast. It isn't an exact science. Maybe try using a rust inhibiting oil on the slide(CLP, etc), and let the frame continue to develop.

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[Underwhere]

I don't think you can really, since the slide is forged and the frame is cast. It isn't an exact science. Maybe try using a rust inhibiting oil on the slide(CLP, etc), and let the frame continue to develop.

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I'm not sure how I did this before.
I did them both at the same time and the color matched well.

I wonder if I just didn't rust as much as u could have and both stayed matched.

[Earl Keese]

Every piece is a little different. I'm ok with it and kind of like the random nature of the outcome. I think the key thing to remember is that it's an old method for corrosion protection, not necessarily an aesthetic choice even though I prefer the way it looks over other finishes.

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[Underwhere]

This is my final cycle.
I think I've done too many and it's not getting darker.

Some clear mistakes I've made: rusted in the sweat box too long.

Oh well.

Pics are of it carded.

I'm going to wait an hour or two, card again.

Then it's going into non detergent motor oil for 3 days.

I'm hoping it gets darker to match the slide.