Color steel screws

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Nocturnal13

Joined
Apr 18, 2017
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I was wondering if someone could tell me if there is an easy method to blueing or torching (excuse my terminology, I don't know anything about this kind of stuff) shiny steel screws. A DIY method that doesn't require special equipment.
Thanks
 
Well, there are some easy ones that I have done:

- Blowtorch
- Electric stovetop
- Butane “jet” lighter

Any of the above + some method of holding the item that insulates you from the heat. I have also used those methods to heat-anodize (technically, just oxidize) titanium.

Also, for any heat-based oxidation technique, remember that the entire process is based on surface reactions - try to ensure that the surface is as clean, polished, and oil-free as possible for best results.
 
Comeuppance said:
Well, there are some easy ones that I have done:

- Blowtorch
- Electric stovetop
- Butane “jet” lighter

Any of the above + some method of holding the item that insulates you from the heat. I have also used those methods to heat-anodize (technically, just oxidize) titanium.

Also, for any heat-based oxidation technique, remember that the entire process is based on surface reactions - try to ensure that the surface is as clean, polished, and oil-free as possible for best results.
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How far do I keep the blowtorch from the screw top?
 
Steel will not pick up colors as easy as Ti you will probably only get a straw to brown color on them. Just so you know. Also before heating them make sure to whip them all down with acetone and use gloves the oils on your skin will change the colors and not make them uniform.
 
Owen K. said:
Steel will not pick up colors as easy as Ti you will probably only get a straw to brown color on them. Just so you know. Also before heating them make sure to whip them all down with acetone and use gloves the oils on your skin will change the colors and not make them uniform.
Click to expand...
Okay thanks! I will do that.
 
Steel most definitely will pick up other colors than brown. Gunsmiths have been "blueing" screws for hundreds of years now. But you need to know what those colors mean before you go trying this. The colors show the temperature the steel was heated to (not the temperature of the flame or heat source). The trick is knowing what steel you have and how it reacts at certain temperatures. The problem is that steels can, especially in small pieces, change temperature very rapidly once they start heating. What you want is to heat the metal just enough to turn it blue without going over that temperature. Once the color starts to change it does so very quickly.

Realize that you may have to anneal a hardened screw before it will work. This can be a problem if there's a reason a hardened screw was used in the first place, because you are basically changing the metal (heat makes the carbon in steels align). Also, if you go over you can (sometimes) anneal the piece and try again. High carbon steels take color better than alloys with less in their makeup.

Polished surfaces then to hold the color better than rough ones.

The easy way to do this is with a propane torch like you can get at any hardware store. Back when I did a bit of this type of thing I had a couple jigs made up that helped by acting as heat sinks. You can do this too; just get a flat piece of steel stock and drill holes thru it (3/8") is what I used. Tap the holes to match the screws and use the die to hold them in your vise. Heat them up until they "straw" and then very carefully add a little more heat and watch them blue.
 
eisman said:
The easy way to do this is with a propane torch like you can get at any hardware store. Back when I did a bit of this type of thing I had a couple jigs made up that helped by acting as heat sinks. You can do this too; just get a flat piece of steel stock and drill holes thru it (3/8") is what I used. Tap the holes to match the screws and use the die to hold them in your vise. Heat them up until they "straw" and then very carefully add a little more heat and watch them blue.
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That's the "easy" way? For the cost of the tap you will need to buy, you could just purchase some black screws.
An even easier way would be to heat up the steel plate with a torch and then, using some pliers, hold the head of the screw against the plate until it turns the colour that you want.
 
It all depends on what color he wants. The liquid cold bluing stuff isn't very durable either. Don't care for it myself. I'd rather rust blue than use that.

Heat coloring steel can achieve a large number of colors, but it's easy to shoot right through the range if you heat too fast. Controlled heating like in an electric furnace is the best way to nail the color you want every single time, but careful work with a torch will work too. It's absolutely imperative to polish and clean the steel first if you want vivid strong colors.
 
Based on what I've read, is using an oven with an external thermostat to verify temperature the best way to get the color you want without overshooting?

I was looking at a steel color chart and it said 575 degrees f for blue. If you were able to get an oven that hot, would it matter how long the screw stays in the oven? Or does time at temp affect the properties of the metal.

I'm assuming that the actual temp/color relationship would depend on the alloys? I. E. Stainless vs high carbon would blue at different Temps...

I was watching a video of a watchmaker blue hands for a clock and he used a brass tray with brass shavings in it to act as a heat sink..
 
Yes a furnace or oven is the most foolproof method. The steel doesn't need to stay in the oven any longer after it reaches the color you want, it can come out immediately. Leaving it in for longer can affect the color as the oxide layer continues to grow. And yes stainless will be different than regular steel. It would probably be best to try a sample piece at different temperatures and use that as your guide. Start low and work your way up and you should be able to go through the full range.
 
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