Blued guard

[Hengelo_77]

If you use cold blueing on a guard, witt it stay blue (black?) or will it wear off in time?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Any surface treatment will wear off with abrasion over time. The deeper the treatment, the longer it lasts. Hot bluing is the most robust. Simple fire bluing hold up well ,too.
Stacy

 

[Wild Rose]

Actually the most robust (and IMO the best looking) is the little utilized method of cold rust bluing - Brownell's sells a set for doing it with instructions, but basiclly it is nothing more than browning the steel (aka surface rusting it) and then boiling it in distilled water for a few minutes. The boiling changes the state of the surface from the red/brwon stage to the blue/black stage - this finish is more "in the metal" than on it and can only be appreciated when seen - top gun makers such as Holland & Holland still use it on their "best" guns........

 

[Dan Zawacki]

I've got to agree with WR about the slow rust method. I use ot for blades sometimes... Both beautiful and very durable