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Blue = Black Oxide
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Patrick says, "don't quote me, I may be wrong (but I'm quoting him anyway) but they're not the same. Bluing is shiny and it's not an oxidation process."
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
Chris
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Actually tratitional bluing IS an oxidation process. We didn't have all the fancy high tech coatings of today, and any paint of other metal protectant was too thick for the finely machined parts. So, the metal itself was treated.
Bluing isn't a great surface protector as it will still permit rust to form with even a fingerprint oil. Whihc is why you need to care for blued guns more carefully.
There are different shades of 'blue' and the more attractive and better processes look almost black.
That could be the source of the terms, but in any case, a true blue gun is a carbon steel that has been treated in such a way as to create an attractive surface of a form of iron oxide as a means to control corrosion.
Sorry, i don't know the process or the methods used to create the finish, just that it is a controlled corrosion to create a barrier to the rusting process.
Bluing isn't a great surface protector as it will still permit rust to form with even a fingerprint oil. Whihc is why you need to care for blued guns more carefully.
There are different shades of 'blue' and the more attractive and better processes look almost black.
That could be the source of the terms, but in any case, a true blue gun is a carbon steel that has been treated in such a way as to create an attractive surface of a form of iron oxide as a means to control corrosion.
Sorry, i don't know the process or the methods used to create the finish, just that it is a controlled corrosion to create a barrier to the rusting process.
Thanks for the info. In my business we send parts out on a daily basis for plating zinc, chrome, anodize, ect.. on a daily basis. Unfortunately not one of my customers has asked for a gun-blued part yet.
Moderator said:
Yeah well, that's because EVERYBODY knows that stainless is so much prettier than bluing...
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
[twisted]
Chris
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My understanding is that you can not machine Stainless as precise as you can carbon steel, so the most accurate gun will be the blued one - all other thngs being equal.
I am not going to say what you heard was wrong, but I deal with machined and sheet metal everyday, and I have never heard that. Stainless is by far a much harder steel and more resistant to corrosion. Your tools that you would machine the Stainless with also take a lot more abuse.
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