which steel may blue the best?

rhrocker

rhrocker

Joined
Jan 18, 2004
Messages
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I'm still working on two sets of bolsters, trying to get each set with a nice blue job, yet each set matching fairly close. The heat bluing I tried today worked, but was lacking, still some blotches, etc.

Here's todays question: Have any of you have good results with a particular steel when bluing? I have plenty of 1095, 1060, d2, but I don't feel I want to keep playing with the 01 any longer, I'll just polish those two sets and use on other folders.
Heck, after looking at Steves beautiful knife on this forum yesterday, I'm even thinking about titanium, but I'm not sure I can get a dark blue like he did.

Thanks guys, I honestly appreciate your input.
Robert
 
Hey Robert.

I like to make a lot of test samples to see how different techniques work, i.e, anodizing bluing, aging, etc. The steel that heat-blues best for me was 303 stainless, with the richest deepest blue. Take it to a mirror polish and nitre it. Nice! :)
 
Higgy! Really 303!? That'd be great. Stainless and blued. Gotta try it.

Robert, annodizing titanium is just a variac. Just turn the dial and pick your color.

That blue was around 25 volts. You can do it with 2 car batteries in tandem. You can't vary the color with that set up, but you might like it.

That blue doesn't look anything like gun blue. It's a translucent techy kinda blue. I tried a pink-purple kinda color too. My 8 year old daughter liked it, but didn't fit the whole antler thing.

Steve
 
Jeff! 303!! I may give that a try if I can find any. Steve, thanks. That blue may be way to light probably, but I sure like it. I have a complete anodizing set-up, and will run a test tomorrow (all I do is test, welcome to knife making!).
 
Robert,

Dark blue (for me) is around 18 volts. Still, it doesn't have the look of blued steel.

BTW I've ordered Brownells Dicropan IM. It's not a cold blue, but it's not a hot caustic blue. It's a hot water blue. Looks simplier than the other processes. Will post back if you care.

Steve
 
Sando said:
Robert,

Dark blue (for me) is around 18 volts. Still, it doesn't have the look of blued steel.

BTW I've ordered Brownells Dicropan IM. It's not a cold blue, but it's not a hot caustic blue. It's a hot water blue. Looks simplier than the other processes. Will post back if you care.

Steve
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Sure, I'd like to know how it works for you Steve.
Robert
 
I have a lot of 12L14 rod ends in many sizes available to me. I think it files easier than brass and is very easy to sand to a very smooth finish. I use niter blue and at about 620f on my thermometer I get a beautiful blue. My book sayes with the temps of niter blue I don't have to degrease the parts but I always rince them in laquer thinner.
 
Pete, what's 12L14? Steel? Bronze? Alum?

Robert I've only cold blued (actually Plum Browned) O1 and I had to coat a couple of times to get an even color. Then it got pretty dark but turned out well. I then coated with gun oil and baked that at low temp, like about 200f, for a while. It looked nice in the end. But I don't know if this would give the blue blue you seem to be looking for.

I tried heating the blade in boiling water like the instructions said but that didn't work worth a dang for me, so I layed it on a warm stove element to heat it, which did work. I think next time I'm going to heat it in the oven because I think the temp will be more even. Just 2c more...
 
Robert
The best for bluing is o-1 dont use a torch, clean them well and put them in the oven at 350f for 30 min. it works. try it
delbert :)
 
delbert ealy said:
Robert
The best for bluing is o-1 dont use a torch, clean them well and put them in the oven at 350f for 30 min. it works. try it
delbert :)
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks guys for all of this help and ideas!
Delbert, you will have a PM in a few minutes.
 
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