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Anybody using Nitre Blueing Salts
- Thread starter Hankins
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2006
- Messages
- 2,264
I have used it.
It's pretty easy with the right set up and steel prep. You need to heat the salt to about 600F. It is best to shine a bright light into the tank so you can judge the color as it changes.
Material going in must be clean and finished. If you leave it in too long and the steel parts go above 550F-575F, they pretty much turn grey and you need to refinish and try again.
If you haven't done it before, I'd suggest the Brownell's kit, which comes with simple instructions. In fact, they used to have the instructions published in their catalogue and website. That would be a good place to start.
IMO, it's not suitable for blades in most cases because the salt temp is higher than the temper temp. You'll end up with a softer blade than it should be. This may be fine for art daggers, etc. It's perfectly fine for fittings. The finish is reasonably durable, but will patina to a grey if handled a lot.
It's pretty easy with the right set up and steel prep. You need to heat the salt to about 600F. It is best to shine a bright light into the tank so you can judge the color as it changes.
Material going in must be clean and finished. If you leave it in too long and the steel parts go above 550F-575F, they pretty much turn grey and you need to refinish and try again.
If you haven't done it before, I'd suggest the Brownell's kit, which comes with simple instructions. In fact, they used to have the instructions published in their catalogue and website. That would be a good place to start.
IMO, it's not suitable for blades in most cases because the salt temp is higher than the temper temp. You'll end up with a softer blade than it should be. This may be fine for art daggers, etc. It's perfectly fine for fittings. The finish is reasonably durable, but will patina to a grey if handled a lot.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2005
- Messages
- 2,531
I use NitreBlue Salts every once in a while. Like Joe mentioned they're pretty straight forward to use. Just make sure you follow the safety warning to the letter, especially in regards to water coming in contact with the hot salts. And just for the record, once they do get hot, I don't know of to many things that retain heat as long as heat treating salts like NitreBlue 
.
The kit from Brownells come with extremely detailed instructions, right down to colors that can be expected with a given temperature. About the only hardware you'll need will be a stainless steel pot, a thermometer that reads to ~ 600*F - 700*F, and a heat source. I picked a thermometer up from Brownells when I purchased the salts.
As far as a heat source, I can easily reach temps of +600*F with an old Coleman single burner white gas camp stove. Rather than setting my stainless pot directly on top of the camp stove I used an old snowmobile trailer rim and added a steel grate to the top. I place the camp stove inside the rim and the stainless pot on top of the grate for a much larger, more stable surface. It works great :thumbup: The attached picture shows the set-up and the temp I used to get a great looking bright blue/purple color on some wrought iron fixtures.
. The kit from Brownells come with extremely detailed instructions, right down to colors that can be expected with a given temperature. About the only hardware you'll need will be a stainless steel pot, a thermometer that reads to ~ 600*F - 700*F, and a heat source. I picked a thermometer up from Brownells when I purchased the salts.
As far as a heat source, I can easily reach temps of +600*F with an old Coleman single burner white gas camp stove. Rather than setting my stainless pot directly on top of the camp stove I used an old snowmobile trailer rim and added a steel grate to the top. I place the camp stove inside the rim and the stainless pot on top of the grate for a much larger, more stable surface. It works great :thumbup: The attached picture shows the set-up and the temp I used to get a great looking bright blue/purple color on some wrought iron fixtures.
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2012
- Messages
- 2
Hello there, good day to do metal bluing using Niter Salts should i use only salt?? or mixed with other solution???
how to use black oxide to blue my gun barrel, ????
your quick respond is highly appreciated..
best regards
Ibrahim
how to use black oxide to blue my gun barrel, ????
your quick respond is highly appreciated..
best regards
Ibrahim
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 37,348
From the Moderator:
Posting the identical question on a new thread and an old one is poor conduct. You are new, so it may be just unfamiliarity. Filling out your profile would help get a better answer. Please do that as soon as you can.
The subject and process is far more complicated than a simple post will answer. Much of the processes can be dangerous if you aren't sure what you are doing.
Most of what you need is found here:
http://www.brownells.com/
I'm going to lock the other thread and leave this one up for the time being.
Posting the identical question on a new thread and an old one is poor conduct. You are new, so it may be just unfamiliarity. Filling out your profile would help get a better answer. Please do that as soon as you can.
The subject and process is far more complicated than a simple post will answer. Much of the processes can be dangerous if you aren't sure what you are doing.
Most of what you need is found here:
http://www.brownells.com/
I'm going to lock the other thread and leave this one up for the time being.