Does bluing prevent rust?

[Chiro75]

This is to go along with my question on the music wire crap I used for pins materials...will bluing them prevent or inhibit rust or is it cosmetic only?

 

[fenixforge]

From what I have been told, I think bluing is a type of chemically induced, controlled rust (sort of). It will definitely prevent further corrosion from the standard orange rust that we all dread, if done properly. The wipe on, cold blue solutions aren't nearly as effective as hot bluing. But, given your situation, you will probably have to use the cold blue.

I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep the handle and the blade well lubricated. I have seen D2 rust as heavily as low alloy steel under moist conditions. So, you need to keep the blade clean and oiled also. A lot of people freak out about rust potential on non-stainless steel, but it only takes a little care to keep carbon steel looking nice. Just don't store any knife (stainless or not) in a sheath long term and you should be alright. If I'm not wearing it, it is not in its sheath.

 

[Don]

Here at Gist Silversmiths where I work we make Bits & Spurs along with belt buckles and the steel parts are hot blued. This will not keep them from rusting. But, it will slow it down alot. Blued steel has to be cared for as if you were caring for a firearm. Keep them well oiled, waxed, or whatever but they need some care. I wouldn't stress too much over it, because if you are involved here you care enough for your blades to keep them well cared for. I hope

If the knife is for a customer then just give them instructions for care and don't go into details.

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Don Juvet, Somerset CA




[This message has been edited by Don (edited 04 May 1999).]

 

[tom mayo]

hot blue is a rust process...like the man said...but i suspect you want to cold blue them...and that will do Nothing to slow down the rust process......hot blued items need to be oiled....like guns that are blued...but it slows down the rust process considerably.....

 

[Darrel Ralph]

Hot bluing does not stop rust. I have found that if you do the process right it makes for a great finish and look. As said above keep it oiled ..

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[Walt Welch]

There are actually three different processes referred to as 'bluing.'

'Rust' bluing IS a oxidative process, in which the solution is applied, the parts (usually the double bbls. of a db shotgun, as hot bluing melts the solder holding the bbls. together) put in a moist environment overnight, and the reddish rust carefully removed. This process is repeated several times.

The most common form of bluing is the 'hot method.' This is not truly an oxidative process (IIRC; others with contradictory or clarifying information please feel free to correct me). It is the familiar finish found on almost all current firearms.

'Cold bluing' is the familiar stuff you dab on metal to color it. It is not an oxidative process either (IIRC; see above).

The rust prevention of all forms of bluing is virtually nil. Cold bluing is the worst, with the other two just barely better.

So, use your Tuf-Cloth, regular or Marine, to protect your bluing; don't expect the bluing to protect itself.

Hope this helps. Comments, questions, and criticisms gladly accepted. Walt

 

[Cougar Allen]

The black stuff is ferric oxide, partially oxidized iron. (Red rust is ferrous oxide.) It looks blue when it's a very thin layer, and when even thinner it looks gold, but if your concern is protection you want it black. There are various ways to blue steel and the result is not the same; hot blues are usually much more abrasion resistant than cold blue.

Bluing helps rust resistance compared to bare steel if you're conscientious about keeping it oiled, but it really isn't tremendously more resistant to rust than polished bare steel, and it's nothing like the protection you get from paint or plating. It's beautiful, though, when done well. I love blued guns and knives but I think of it as a beautiful finish rather than as a rust-resistant finish ... as far as rust-resistance goes it's better than nothing, but not so much better that I'd tell you to blue the pins even if you like the looks better polished bright. I'd say choose whichever looks better to you on that particular knife. If you blue it and decide you don't like it you can easily polish it off. Bluing is very fragile when first applied -- it hardens in a few days but even then you wouldn't have much trouble polishing off cold blue.

-Cougar Allen :{)