Bluing a razor?

**Finnigan** · 10-10-2007, 09:00 AM

I have some rusty razors coming in the mail (I want the scales mainly for a project), and I was thinking if any of them are salvagable, I might try bluing them after cleaning. Has anyone else tried this?

**A.de.Lioncourt** · 10-10-2007, 09:10 AM

That's an interesting solution.

If you really just want to blue them for the aesthetic that's okay, but some polishing will return them to a shiny state.

Also, I believe it has to be a carbon steel razor to be blued. It might have been very frustrating if any of those were stainless.

I'll be very interested to hear what other say about this.

**FloppyShoes** · 10-10-2007, 09:18 AM

There have been attempts to blue, black or otherwise treat straights in the past (see SRP archives). Some fanatics have even tried electroplating with gold or other non-toxic metals. Results have varried, but I believe it's a lot of trouble to go to for something that comes off when you strop/hone. Straights are tools like any other. A gold plated hammer is nice until you use it, and in the end doesn't perform any better than one without plating. I think of straights the same way.

**mparker762** · 10-10-2007, 09:30 AM

Some vintage blades were blued. I had one that was stamped "Blue Wonder" on the blade and the name of some hardware company in Seattle and "Solingen" on the shank, and I've seen several others on ebay. You'll get better results with hot-blueing than with the wipe-on blueing kits, which will tend to give you blotchy results. I'm not sure about the effect on temper, but I don't think hot-blueing involves terribly high temperatures.

**rickw** · 10-10-2007, 09:31 AM

There are some oxide finishes, that are rust resistant, that might be good in the area of the tang. DD had a model that had a blued tang.

**Finnigan** · 10-10-2007, 09:37 AM

Well, as I understand it bluing offers minimal corrosion protection to the metal (plus it does look nice, and I believe it can be done to any ferrus{sp?} metal). I realise honing would remove it from the working edge and the side of the spine.

**GsSixgun** · 10-10-2007, 01:17 PM

I have used the wipe on bluing on the etching to bring out the designs on two razors just as a afterthought, they came out looking pretty good.... As stated above it has to be carbon steel to begin with..... Stainless steel will take wipe on bluing also but it is a hit and miss prospect, and you have to let the solution sit at least overnight before it will take to the finish... Hot bluing is at a much lower temp than what would affect the temper of the blade and as this quote shows is can be used on stainless steel.....
"Bluing may be applied, for example, by immersing the steel parts of the gun to be blued in a solution of potassium nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and water heated to the boiling point. Similarly, stainless steel parts of the gun to be blued are immersed in a mixture of nitrates and chromate's, similarly heated. Either of these two methods is called hot bluing. There are many other methods of hot bluing. Hot bluing is among the most effective forms of bluing, providing the most permanent degree of rust-resistance and cosmetic protection of exposed gun metal."

Another quote I found describes DE blades I believe
"Historically, razor blades were often blued steel. A non-linear resistance property of the blued steel of razor blades, foreshadowing the same property that would later be discovered in semi-conductor diode junctions, along with the ready availability of blued steel razor blades, led to the use of razor blades as a detector in the crystal set AM radios which were often built by soldiers during World War II."

**GsSixgun** · 10-10-2007, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Finnigan

Well, as I understand it bluing offers minimal corrosion protection to the metal (plus it does look nice, and I believe it can be done to any ferrus{sp?} metal). I realise honing would remove it from the working edge and the side of the spine.

This would give the razor the same bright edge worn look of a fine old firearm....
Very appealing in my opinion

**gglockner** · 10-15-2007, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by rickw

There are some oxide finishes, that are rust resistant, that might be good in the area of the tang. DD had a model that had a blued tang.

The Dbl Duck Dwawf had a blued tang. Its near 100 years old and still there...

Glen

**Thebigspendur** · 10-22-2007, 09:41 AM

Actually many of the old DDs from the Bresnick era had tangs that had a blue like finish on them but I don't know if it actually was bluing or something else. Probably for durability a parkerizing or teflon finish would be the best.

**cityjim** · 08-04-2009, 12:24 AM

I blued a Wapi , Boker and a DA that turned out fabulous . Halted the rusting issue nicely . And they all looked hot .

cityjim

**PolsBirthday** · 08-04-2009, 12:40 AM

I just got a pre-dovo Tennis razor in the mail which (unknown to me at the time of purchase,) has bluing on the shank, tang, and the back of the spine.

According to the seller, the blade has been sitting in it's box in a drawer for 60+ years (since his father's barber shop closed) and here is a picture of it's finish unmolested by polish. Needless to say, I'm impressed with how well the bluing has maintained the razor, even after so many years.

P.S. when I got the razor, there was some stubble stuck in the scales, if the dates are right, that guy is probably dead......SURREAL MAN! I hope my amino acids outlive me in a creepy way like that.....

**cityjim** · 08-04-2009, 12:49 AM

Exactly . Gun companies have been doing it for years . No reason a straight can't take advantage of the same positive effects . Plus it gives the razor some character . And what a cool razor you got pal . Nice one .

cityjim

**Thebigspendur** · 08-05-2009, 09:17 AM

If you have blued a razor and got great results you are very lucky. Most that have tried it using cold bluing kits have gotten very inconsistant results and hot bluing runs the risk of heat damage to the razor.

**Houndawg** · 08-05-2009, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Thebigspendur

If you have blued a razor and got great results you are very lucky. Most that have tried it using cold bluing kits have gotten very inconsistant results and hot bluing runs the risk of heat damage to the razor.

How would hot bluing heat damage a razor? It's only 212 degrees.

**Neil Miller** · 08-06-2009, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by Houndawg

How would hot bluing heat damage a razor? It's only 212 degrees.

Exactly! Well observed - the tempering limits quoted by dovo are 200 - 400 degrees C, which equate to 392 - 752 degrees F, almost double the hot bluing temperature of some recipes.

As for bluing or gold-washing being the preserve of fanatics - all I can say is that there must be an awful lot of fanatics out there. Making sweeping generalisations on the basis of personal preferences doesn't really cut it in my opinion.

**cityjim** · 08-06-2009, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by Thebigspendur

If you have blued a razor and got great results you are very lucky. Most that have tried it using cold bluing kits have gotten very inconsistant results and hot bluing runs the risk of heat damage to the razor.

Bluing is very basic . Since most razors are polished or near it , there is minimal prep work . Go to your local gun shop and get all the materials you will need . You can blue your entire collection if you wish .

I can't speak to others bluing skills . No comment on that . All I know is the process is near childproof . Just don't get the solution on you or in your eyes .

Here is a simple video about cold bluing . Many more on the net .

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7BX5G2V2wc[/YOUTUBE]

cityjim

**Houndawg** · 08-06-2009, 07:37 AM

If you are going to cold blue, I've found that Brownell's Oxpho-Blue is probably the best out there. It performs better than any of the Birchwood Casey stuff you find in the gun stores.

www.brownells.com has all of the bluing stuff you'll need, hot or cold.