Preserving Colt Bluing

[gunmeister]

I have a beautifully blued Detective Special that I rate the finish at 99.9% and I want to keep it that way.
Other from oil, is there a product available that will protect and enhance the finish without damaging it? JW

[FlameRed]

I have a related question to add. I have a 'Royal Blue' revolver that I want to store (for a long time) in a display case. I have heard stories of people that leave blued revolvers sitting in pistol mats and other 'safe' rugs for long periods of time having the blueing ruined.

What can be done to protect blueing when oil would ruin a display case?

[GUNKWAZY]

[ QUOTE ]
I have heard stories of people that leave blued revolvers sitting in pistol mats and other 'safe' rugs for long periods of time having the blueing ruined.


[/ QUOTE ]

Even oils eventually dry. The problems we see are that when the gun is stored say in a felt lined box, as the oil itself dries, the felt starts to dry & adhere to the gun. You then remove the gun to look at it and you have part of your display attached to the gun. This is NOT a good thing. That's why you'll find unfired S&W firearms that were stored in those damn Blue felt boxes for long periods of time with felt stuck to them.
If you look closely at the grips in the picture, you'll see a bit of blue felt stuck in the corner of the checkering.
Thank God the Blueing was OK on this one. It was stored in the Blue presentaion case before I ever owned it.



***DO NOT use WD-40 to spray on your guns to store them.
WD-40 cost my company thousands of dollars of raw materials over a very short period of time.

***Stainless guns need to be stored properly too and are just that, STAIN-LESS, not can't stain or won't stain. I saw a beautiful stainless Colt ruined because it was improperly stored in the molded Blue plastic case that Colt supplied with the gun.
Somehow moisture got in the box prior to the gun being stored and when the owner opened the box, the side that the gun was laying on was etched and corroded terribly.
Please keep this in mind.

***Grips can be another source to watch out for moisture ?
Have you ever taken a set of rubber grips off a beautiful gun only to find rust & corrosion under them ? Rubber will allow the moisture to lock in and not dry, creating a world of hurt. You may not even know it's happening.
Have you ever gone out shooting and your hands get sweaty ?
Where may that moisture end up going ?
You're shooting that beautiful gun with those sweaty hands and the sweat drips down behind those grips everytime that gun recoils and the grips slip a little bit. Allowing just enough moisture down in around that grip frame.
Now you wipe the gun down and toss it back in the safe.
What may happen to that moisture later ? You just never know. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

[dfariswheel]

It's no secret that museums don't slather metal with grease to preserve it, they use hard waxes.

A good wax will protect and keep the bluing good looking.
Many people use Johnson's Paste Wax, and others buy the museum-quality hard carnuba waxes.

Although some people do use car wax, you have to be careful about that since many automotive waxes contain fine abrasives to clean and polish the paint. These can damage and thin the bluing.

If you do want to use a lube, I recommend CLP Breakfree which is one of the best as far as preventing rust.

[GUNKWAZY]

[ QUOTE ]
Although some people do use car wax, you have to be careful about that since many automotive waxes contain fine abrasives to clean and polish the paint. These can damage and thin the bluing.


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Very good point Dr D.
Glad you brought that up. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)

[diamonback68]

A lot of museums use Rennaisance wax. Really makes the bluing stand out. I am sure Brownells has it.
For storage, Break Free has a product called "Collectors" that they guarantee to prevent rust for five years that is what I use on my Diamondbacks.

[emjimb]

[ QUOTE ]
A lot of museums use Rennaisance wax. Really makes the bluing stand out. I am sure Brownells has it.
For storage, Break Free has a product called "Collectors" that they guarantee to prevent rust for five years that is what I use on my Diamondbacks.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have been using the Rennaisance wax with great results and also Blue Armadillo wax is great .

[A1A]

[ QUOTE ]
For storage, Break Free has a product called "Collectors" that they guarantee to prevent rust for five years that is what I use on my Diamondbacks.

[/ QUOTE ]
When you mentioned it before, I went looking. Now you see it, now you don't. Between my first and second look, it seemed to disappear from the offerings. Looks like they don't make it any more. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[FieldShunt]

What happens to waxes when the gun is fired, and gets hot? Does it tend to bake on or discolor?
When I used to make cabinets and so forth, I used a lot of straight carnuba. Since I have some left, is there any reason not to use this?
Thanks
Bill