- Joined
- Dec 30, 2004
- Messages
- 65
I recently purchased a HI chiruwa AK and seeing as it was a villager, I thought I'd give it some work to try different finishes.
I'm no expert, but I like the look of dark blades, so I figured I'd give blueing a try.
It's not easy buying blueing solution here in the Netherlands.
Not that it's illegal or anything, just hard to find; not many gunshops and the choice of products is limited.
I ended up ordering some over the internet; bluewonder.
I initially tried it on the karda, which went pretty well.
I then did the Khuk with mixed results.
Maybe due to the product or the tempering of the blade, but I wasn't completely satisfied...so I scrubbed it off
This is what it looked like;
On a spur of the moment thing, I wondered what a nice patina would look like.
I reckon, you can't really mess-up a villager, if I don't like the finish, I can always pollish it back to normal.
I'd read all sorts about different methods and solutions; mustard, vinigar bleach etc etc.
I checked my storage for bleach...nothing. I did find some accidic blue stuff though: "wc-eend" (translated; toilet duck) used for cleaning toilets (what the heck, it's acidic, it should etch, right?)
Now to find something to submerse the blade in, I cut the bottom off a 1,5L coke bottle and the khuk was an exact fit; totally submerged (this should do the job).
I also found some soda to neutralize the etching when I'm done, good to go.
I mixed a small amount of "toilet-duck" with some hot water into the cut open bottle and submerged the blade.
Stood and watched for 5 mins.........nothing.
Let's leave it in a bit longer, say 30 mins?
Well I left it be and when I came back, the blade was dark grey, the temper line was black and there was a blue hue to the blade, probably due to the blue colouring in the "toilet-duck"...mmmm.
I gave the blade a scrubbing with a scotch pad, submersed it in a solution of soda and water, cleaned it, oiled it and here are the results.
I thinks it's pretty decent looking.
It's got some character now and I love the fact you can see the temper line.
-Trevor
I'm no expert, but I like the look of dark blades, so I figured I'd give blueing a try.
It's not easy buying blueing solution here in the Netherlands.
Not that it's illegal or anything, just hard to find; not many gunshops and the choice of products is limited.
I ended up ordering some over the internet; bluewonder.
I initially tried it on the karda, which went pretty well.
I then did the Khuk with mixed results.
Maybe due to the product or the tempering of the blade, but I wasn't completely satisfied...so I scrubbed it off
This is what it looked like;
On a spur of the moment thing, I wondered what a nice patina would look like.
I reckon, you can't really mess-up a villager, if I don't like the finish, I can always pollish it back to normal.
I'd read all sorts about different methods and solutions; mustard, vinigar bleach etc etc.
I checked my storage for bleach...nothing. I did find some accidic blue stuff though: "wc-eend" (translated; toilet duck) used for cleaning toilets (what the heck, it's acidic, it should etch, right?)
Now to find something to submerse the blade in, I cut the bottom off a 1,5L coke bottle and the khuk was an exact fit; totally submerged (this should do the job).
I also found some soda to neutralize the etching when I'm done, good to go.
I mixed a small amount of "toilet-duck" with some hot water into the cut open bottle and submerged the blade.
Stood and watched for 5 mins.........nothing.
Let's leave it in a bit longer, say 30 mins?
Well I left it be and when I came back, the blade was dark grey, the temper line was black and there was a blue hue to the blade, probably due to the blue colouring in the "toilet-duck"...mmmm.
I gave the blade a scrubbing with a scotch pad, submersed it in a solution of soda and water, cleaned it, oiled it and here are the results.
I thinks it's pretty decent looking.
It's got some character now and I love the fact you can see the temper line.
-Trevor
