Blueing a carbon blade

T

Thrustus

Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
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Is gun-blueing a carbon steel blade a feasible option? I've done a forced patina in the past and am happy with it but was wondering why I havn't seen any blued blades. Is the blueing process toxic to food? Does it wear off easily? Any advice appreciated.
 
Yes it is a feasible option. I would recommend the "super blue" by birchwood casey. You can find it at many gunstores, or big sporting goods places. It stinks for a while, and toxic to food. It is ok on resistance, it is not like a baked-on finish-resistant, but I know it will wear off in time, but if you have a q-tip and 5 seconds, you can reapply the finish. Perhaps try it out, if you don't like it, then use fine grit sandpaper to remove it.
 
Just make doubly sure that you completely degrease the blade, even where you a touching it. Tie a string in the laynard hole if it has one and you can remove the grips. Of course if the grips are not removable, then you can hold it by the handle if all you are doing is the blade.

If not thouroghly cleaned and degreased, you will end up with lighter patches of steel instead of a consistent blued finish.
 
I used gun blue on this 1095 steel knife. I just applied repeatedly until I got a more or less even coloring.

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Birchwood-Casey cold blue that's been in use for a while. I just rubbed it on with a dauber and let it sit for about 30 mins. I prefer it to vinegar , but as stated it's not food safe.

De-grease blade first with acetone or laquer thinner .

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I used some Hoppe's Cold Blue on a couple of Mora's. The first came out real nice, but I was not as even with the application on the second. It still looks ok, just not as pretty.
 
I use blueing on my customs in 1080 to prevent rust. It does a phenominal job, and its cheap. As for it being toxic to food I have no idea. It doesnt say anything on the package about being toxic to food and I woud think that would be stated. either way it looks great.
 
Most cold blues actually promote rust. They stink and wear quickly.
Real hot bluing would hold up better and look nicer.
Plain steel looks fine, but everybody wants black blades.
 
So, after you apply the Super Blue to the blade, and you've thoroughly cleaned and oiled it, it is still toxic? This is a concern to me because I've just had a custom knife maker blue a knife to very dark for me with Super Blue (his idea; he thought it would look good). For all of my knives, I assume that I will/might use them to eat at some point.... how toxic does this make the knife?

(I know this is an old thread, but I'd prefer not to start a new one on the exact same topic.)
 
Mag: Go lick a gun barrel and report back in a week if you are still around! :eek: (said with tongue in cheek) Just kidding of course, but I think there should be no problem. I have never heard of a child getting sick over licking a gun barrel, and feel sure that it has happened fairly often. (Especially in the deep "red neck" south) If you were to drink, get some in your eyes or mouth while applying and working with it, then maybe it may adversely effect you. But after it has cured and dried, methinks it will be somewhat harmless to cut some food with it. YMMV (and don't sue me cause I aint got nuttin)

Blessings,

Omar
 
Hi Omar,

I assumed the same thing, and I'm sure--just based on common sense--that it's not too harmful... certainly not like drinking it straight from the bottle. But I just wrote an e-mail to the folks at Birchwood-Casey, and this is the response I got:

"The Super Blue is toxic, therefore the knife would not be safe for food preparation.
Thank you"

Now, I'm sure it's a bit of CYA on their part, but it's got me wondering...

- Mag
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Most cold blues actually promote rust. They stink and wear quickly.
Real hot bluing would hold up better and look nicer.
Plain steel looks fine, but everybody wants black blades.
Click to expand...

To reinforce this, yes you can use a wipe on gun blue but it is considered the least effective type of rust prevention when compared to other methods.
 
I'm not sure this would give you the desired results but hot beef always turns my carbon slicer blue and maybe some other colors.

I get beautiful patinas from beef.
 
So far as I know the bluing solution is toxic if taken internaly but once it has been applied to the steel and then the blade is washed reasonably well the blueing on the blade should not be toxic. Blueing is basically a type of rusting that forms a magnetite coating and iron oxide is not considered toxic. In fact it is a necessary trace element used to make hemaglobin IIRC. Below is a link to the Wikipedia article on bluing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)
 
I stripped and blued a Becker BK-11. At first it did not come out very even. During the process it leaves a lot of residue on the blade so I cleaned all of that off with acetone and put the blue solution on again. After 3 times it was a little more even.

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I've had great luck with the BC stuff.
As for toxicity... I used it on some steak knives that I made and no one has gotten ill. At least not discernably ill. I'm in the camp that says it's safe after it's dried and washed.

We have an Ecolab liason here at my work which is a food manufacturing factory. I'm sure he could answer the question if anyone can tell me what's in it. The guy is (obviously) an expert on chemicals and toxicity.
 
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