What is Hot Dip or Hot Salts Bluing & Why Would I Want It Done?

First of all, what is bluing?

Precision Bluing offers a hot-dip bluing which is the most common bluing method offered by gun manufacturers. It is a very consistent durable finish used on a variety of steels. It is one that closely matches the original finish on many firearms produced commercially within the last 50 years. This provides our customer a finish they are familiar with and desire. Hot salts bluing is not normally done by an amateur. It is the benchmark of the professional gunsmith and refinisher.

 

This translates to an assurance of quality and durability to our customer. The simplified process also assures a quick turnaround time of two weeks. If cared for properly, the bluing method utilized on a customer’s weapon should last indefinitely.

 

Precision Bluing offers a line of services designed to enhance the longevity of gun barrels and other such metal products. Bluing is a protective and decorative chemical process applied to a metal surface. It restores a metal surface of a weapon to its original condition. Other services offered will include polishing, wax sealing and bead blasting. A customer may chose the level of finish they wish to attain.

 

The benefit to the user is protection of their weapon from corrosion. It extends the life of a weapon and restores it, making Precision Bluing’s services highly desirable to those requiring these benefits.

 

Precision Bluing has a great depth of services within the market. In addition, Precision Bluing’s one-on-one customer relationships cannot be beat.

Now, why would you want it done?

Precision Bluing offers a service that will take the metal surface of a weapon, primarily gun barrels to a higher level of beauty and durability. This is a much desired finished. Gun enthusiasts, owners of family heirlooms, and war re-enactment participants utilize this process to:

 

• restore a weapon to its original condition
• customize the weapon
• optimize a weapon for a specific function such as flat gloss for low reflectivity or high gloss for a presentational show piece
• polishing specific trigger parts enhancing the weapon’s function, such as smooth trigger pull, smoother cocking, burr-free, bolt placement
• provide the weapon with a long-term corrosion-resistant protective coating

 

With proper care and handling, this process need not ever be repeated, making this a valuable investment to a weapons owner.

 

Precision Bluing offers hot-dip bluing only. The purpose of this process is protective, decorative and restorative. This consists of a multi-stage process wherein the piece is first derusted in either a solution of hot alkaline or an acid. Determination is made by the severity and depth of the oxidation. This is followed by the mechanical removal of the etched surface by means of multiple-grit felt and cotton wheels. Extreme care at this stage has to be given to any lettering or proofmarks originally found on the piece. A veteran polisher can work between the letters giving a quality overall effect. Depending on the final grit used, this depicts the final finish, or luster.

 

Ex. A 400 grit final polish is the approximate grit of a factory finish. To proceed above a 400 grit, for example to a mirror polish would result in a very reflective, high-luster blue. This is known as the custom and is only achievable after many hours of hand polishing.

 

The bluing process consists of a five-stage system: a hot degreaser followed by a rinse, a mechanical scrubbing, then back to the degreaser, back to the rinse, then into molten salts. These are classified as molten because the boiling point is 290 degrees. After the appropriate amount of time, followed by a hot water rinse, the part is placed in a spray rinse and sprayed with vast amounts of water. It is then immediately quenched in a water-displacing oil. At this point, the oxide film is very soft and has to be left untouched for approximately 24 hours. Then the oxide surface is mildly polished. It is then possible to offer another service of a wax seal which gives an even higher luster. The piece is then packaged and returned to the customer. This finish also meets military specifications C13924BAM1 Class 1, Grade A.

 

 

The amount of prep work put into each piece is what makes Precision Bluing’s services more desirable to the market. The attention to precision and quality is Precision Bluing’s differential advantage.

 

Other services offered are general polishing for “white” guns such as antique muskets, and bead blasting, which offers a flat matte finish.

 

All services can be offered complimentary to one another.

How do we know how to do all of this stuff?  Well, a wee bit of history for you!

Precision Bluing was borne out of a love for guns and target shooting, coupled with twenty plus years of experience in the field of metal finishing. Often, in the course of current employment at Greene Technologies, Mark would be asked to blue and/or polish a weapon, and the results always yielded a very satisfied customer. After being encouraged many times over the years, Mark made the decision to comply with the requests and open his own business. Due to the fact that there are no local bluing labs, and patrons are forced to send their work out of state, many fellow gun enthusiasts and gun professionals have ambitiously lobbied for Mark to open his own shop.

 

Mark Smith is Precision Bluing’s sole personnel, bringing with him a vast amount of experience in the field of metal finishing. While he continues to work full time, he is able to devote forty hours a week to Precision Bluing. As Precision Bluing grows, Mark will ease away from his full time position, eventually devoting all of his time and efforts to Precision Bluing.

Mark Smith is married with four children. His education consists of some college. His work experience began with custom painting Corvettes. He received several awards including “Best of Show”, “Best Use of Candy”, and “People’s Choice”. He then accepted a position with Magnetic Laboratories. This allowed him to expand his knowledge into that of industrial painting and chemistry. He held the position of supervisor.

 

After four years, he went on to form Acraft Enterprises, an industrial paint company. Here he built, inventoried and maintained a three-shift paint shop. The company maintained a staff of thirty. Five years after starting this company, he was hired by Triple Cities Metal Finishing as their supervising chemist. He built on his experience in the field of metal plating and chemistry. He eventually was promoted to manager.

 

A move forced him to have to leave the company. He then accepted a position with Greene Technologies as their supervisor in the Metal Plating department, as well as the Powder Coat department. He was with this company for eight years. He added to and modified many of their traditional processes. He also modified the entire waste treatment system and participated in a Tier 1 Acute Toxicity Test for the DEC/EPA.

 

Through all of his experience, he has become extremely knowledgeable and adept at handling all chemical processes with regard to metal finishing. It is clear that Mark has the ability to make Precision Bluing a very quality-run business.

Mark does have his Federal Firearms License as well as his New York State Tax ID.  He is able to do transfers for $20.00 if you need one done.  If you reside in NYS and are having a weapon blued, you will need to pay tax on the service.  However, if you reside outside of NY, you’re off the hook!