Marushin Luger Bluing

Post by 8ace

Finally I have got the pictures of my attempt to blue the gold coloured marushin P08 Luger.

I used Birchwood Casey super blue liquid, some lint free cloth, cotton buds (Q tips for our American friends), and some scotch-brite type scouring pads.

1: Strip the gun completely (which I found quite easy) and this website has some useful info and drawings http://www.lugerforum.com/

2: With the wet scouring pads rub the gold coloured coating off all visible surfaces (I didn’t use wet & dry paper as I thought it would be to harsh)

3: Clean all of the parts with water/detergent and if possible use a solvent, which doesn’t leave a residue as the final cleaning stage.

4: Taking each component at a time apply the bluing liquid (with a cotton bud for small areas and a cloth for large areas) and rub it in to the metal until you get an even colour. Some surfaces will darken instantly but some will only darken after continual rubbing.

5: When you have the colour you like over the entire surface of the component leave it to soak in water for 1 minuet and wipe dry.

7: Wipe the blued surfaces with light oil (3 in 1)

8: Reassemble the gun.

9: Sit back with a beer and marvel at you handy work

As you can see from my photos the colour is not perfect and some of the gold colour is showing through which gives it a nice antique look but not a new blue steel look.

If I was to do it again I would take more time over the initial rubbing down which would help the bluing liquid take better.

Post by Spencerman

I am impressed. Blueing is always a very difficult process to get right. I have always used a cheap 95p kiddies paint brush set to apply blueing and have always got adequate results. I normally give the item at least four coats myself. If I am correct, the longer that you leave the gunk on for the darker and colder the blue. The more coats you give it at shorter times (30 seconds or so) will give a warmer blue. The best way to do it I believe is to 'dip' the gun in the solution, therefor no brush marks etc. but that would be far too costly for just one gun. I know that many of my local gunsmiths wouldnt do it in house due to lack of demand (this was several years ago) and used to ship it out to other gun companies to do. I also notice that nobody who has mentioned blueing and blueing tips on here has failed to mention a very important part of the process in order to get a nice result. You first blue the gun/part, then rinse the gun/part, repeat as neccessary and when you are finnished, you must make sure that you oil it well. This is the final stage of blueing to get a nice result; plenty of oil. You can see the matt finish of the blue change completely with a bit of oil rubbed in. You can of course adopt different methods to give different results, and I am referring to the most common type of method as far as I am aware (and has always given me good results). Many people say that 90% of blueing is in the preperation, and that is probably true. I must say that I am very impressed with the results that 8ace has got there. Very nice. If you are not happy with it just give it another coat, a little like paint. You will be surprised the difference it makes. I used to on average use about five coats, but then I never did a whole gun before, only parts. I also hate the smell of blue, a bit like a moldy old fish, so make sure that you do use it in an area with plenty of ventilation, unless you like the smell of moldy old fish.
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Post by 8ace

Thanks guys,

I did try dipping the parts in the solution but all it did was put a thick black coating with rubbed/washed off.

And your right about the smell as the Birchwood stuff smells like rotten eggs. I did check the MSDS sheet for it and it does contain Selenium Dioxide which is very very nasty stuff (not sure how much is in it) but I did it at work in a fume cabinet with gloves.

I did see somebody who got good results by heating the parts prior to applying the liquid (which I did try) BUT I did see some vapour coming off which possibly could be dangerous.

Remember that this liquid is designed for steel, there are aluminium and brass bluing/black liquid available which might work better and I see on Francky’s website he has got bluing liquid for zinc metal.

Post by Claymore

Well done, it has to be a worry when you do something like this that the gun will come out ruined, thats what has stopped me from doing my 712 mauser but yours has come out well. As spencerman says preparation is probaly the biggest thing in this and i for one am an impatient bugger and would want it done in ten mins.

Well done again

Sorry for digging up, but it's an amazing result!!!

Great job with the bluing,it looks the business, I'm in the process of rubbing down my p38, but I've gone for the aluminium black as I've seen posts saying it works better then the bluing ,but yours has come out great

Hi!
Another digging up,
I wonder how did you removed the golden layer on the rear toggle link? It's knurled and fine grooved.
I ask, because i have to do the same thing on my Marushin.


Well, in fact momocampo already anwsered to me some month ago, but i don't remember his answer.. 

+1 wanna know every details, cause I'm planning a similar work.

It's a long time ago so I can't remember exactly what I did but I seem to remember just rubbing the bluing liquid into the knurled surface with a cotton bud (Qtip) until it took.

8ace

Hi 8ace,
Thank you.
I gonna try like that.  

Thanks both cause both help.

I'm back to answer

To remove the golden surface, you have several solutions:

1. the easier is to use sand sponge like 3M :


Easier but these sponge leave some very little scratch...

2. The harder but the better is to use something like "autosol"(metal polish) or "Belgom". You can find autosol in ebay. It's for me the better result possible, but beware, it's quite long and don't be too hurry
Of course needed to disassemble all the parts of your gun

I hope I answer well

Thank you again momocampo!
Yes, i used those sanding songes for hollow parts, 1000 sanding paper, and an electrical sander for flat and easy to access parts.
Of course for the moment, i show you the rough stage of the work.


Here is the beast completly stripped



I began with the grip




The trigger cover (the easyest part to polish)




It looks nice, but it's not yet over




Here, you can see the differents metal layers










When the copper is completly removed, you can stop.


Here, the barrel, almost finished




Almost, because here is the trick :




And the most difficult :



I found a rather odd visual effect : With electric ligth, it's sometimes difficult to make the difference between the golden coating and the real metal basis of the model, so, in my case, i prefer work in day light.

Sanding sponges are really efficients, and quickly. I used sponges and advices sent by momocampo, last year (my god, it was las year!!!), it work fine.

This week, i'll gonna make a mirror polish.
I'm also waiting for a cruet of BC super blue liquid.

P.S.
Like 8ace, in polished, only the visibles parts, because, it's easyer, and also, because on some moving parts, the golden, and nickel coatings is harder than the basis metal, so i guess (maybe i'm wrong)that it will keep the sturdiness
For example, i'll polish the exctractor only on the upper face.

Dronne wrote:

Here is the beast completly stripped

Very nice job Dronne. Very inspiring too. and that pic is very sexy. Somehow.

Not bad but you can see the scratch on metal. It's more beautiful with autosol.
About the photo names"most difficult", you can use a tooth brush with autosol, let's do it several times and it will be good

Yes, a lot of scratches, but it's not yet finished, i still have the "MicroFine" pad, that you sent me.
Là, c'est du dégrossissage.
I wonder if the Miror Argentil will work as fine as autosol?

Hi,

Ok I prefer that
Don't know about miror argentil, try on a little surface and see what the result is.

Hi again,
Well,  the Miror is too fine to erase the golden coating, i gonna buy some autosol, or Impega polish cream

Hey Cerwin,

I can't say better.  

But need a lot of "huile de coude" in French (Oil's elbow)  

Ok, allright for autosol!
Elbow's oil!

This one? :
http://www.raceandstyle.fr/pate-a-polir-autosol-metal-polish.html
It's ordered!

Perfect!!
And really not expansive....

Yes, 5,38 euros, but.... 7,50 euro for shipping!
Never mind, it'll be useful.

WOW Dronne
You have done something I have never seen done before, and something I often thought about!!
I will explain....

Normally, and I think it is what others here have done, the autosol for instance is used just to rub off the gold plating to expose the nickel silver plating below.

Now I still have NO IDEA how 8ace achieved what he did as most attempts to blue nickel will fail,
(any chemists here who can explain why??)
The only reason I can suspect is that the Luger that 8ace worked on had a "different to nickel plating"
for some strange reason... truth is I do not know....

Now Dronne, back to your great work! you have gone further than anyone else....
and gone through the gold plating
and through the Nickel plating
and through the copper plating
and down to the base casting!!!!!!

The reason I wanted to do this is it will be now possible for you to "blue" the zinc based material:cheers:   

You work will pay off!!!!!!!!!

I had the pleasure to hold and look at the 8ace blued luger, the VERY BEST LUGER I EVER SAW!!!!
as BONO would say:
EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING !!!!

I dare not do what you have done.... but please please do finish and show us! it may make me do it!

Also if anyone does know how to blue nickel....please tell:twisted:  

And finally HOW COMES YOU MANAGED IT 8ace!!!!!!!!!!

HA! I'll try to achieve the bluing on the gun I just bought from you JohnnyV!
(you can send it btw. I've found what I was looking for)