Bluing - easier then expected
Oct 19, 2008 1:37:17 GMT
Post by code on Oct 19, 2008 1:37:17 GMT
I've read quite a bit about bluing on the forums, but have never taken the plunge because it seemed so complicated having to use all kinds of different chemicals etc. And with a lot of you not using the metric system, heat bluing seemed to need a high amount of heat. 570 fahrenheit sounds like a lot, but I found out it's "only" 300 celsius once I bothered to convert it.
So I pulled the pommel and guard off my warspike and decided to give heat bluing a try in the oven. I set it to 300c (572 f, in other words max), though I really have no idea how hot it really was, its not like the stove has a precision thermostat.
I put both the pommel and guard in the oven at the same time assuming they would reach the target temperature at the same time so I'd get the same color. That didn't happen of course and the guard was done pretty quickly, and I took it out once it reached the deep purple color I was aiming for. Around 280c / 536f I'm guessing.
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The pommel on the other hand seemed to take forever, so much so I almost though it might me made of a different kind of metal. It stayed at a dirty yellow color for quite a while, but my patience payed off and it eventually turned purple. I did something wrong though, pulled it out a bit early or cooled it too quickly, as the purple color wasn't as prominent as the guard, and it ended up with a golden purple-ish hue which I couldn't quite capture on camera.
After I pulled them out of the oven I cooled them a bit using a WD40 type spray and let them air cool the rest. I don't recommend doing this indoors hehe
All in all I'm pretty happy with the result, and how easy it was to do. The color on the guard was just right, but I will be redoing the pommel at some point. I expected much worse for my first try.
So I pulled the pommel and guard off my warspike and decided to give heat bluing a try in the oven. I set it to 300c (572 f, in other words max), though I really have no idea how hot it really was, its not like the stove has a precision thermostat.
I put both the pommel and guard in the oven at the same time assuming they would reach the target temperature at the same time so I'd get the same color. That didn't happen of course and the guard was done pretty quickly, and I took it out once it reached the deep purple color I was aiming for. Around 280c / 536f I'm guessing.
-
The pommel on the other hand seemed to take forever, so much so I almost though it might me made of a different kind of metal. It stayed at a dirty yellow color for quite a while, but my patience payed off and it eventually turned purple. I did something wrong though, pulled it out a bit early or cooled it too quickly, as the purple color wasn't as prominent as the guard, and it ended up with a golden purple-ish hue which I couldn't quite capture on camera.
After I pulled them out of the oven I cooled them a bit using a WD40 type spray and let them air cool the rest. I don't recommend doing this indoors hehe
All in all I'm pretty happy with the result, and how easy it was to do. The color on the guard was just right, but I will be redoing the pommel at some point. I expected much worse for my first try.