rust bluing

so im bluing a straight razor but im thinking ill get better responses here,

i decided to rust blue my GD 66 razor, researched it, and came down with a game plan. product didnt come out as planned. splotchy and pitted. the splotchiness im sure is because i had some contamination, but im kinda stumped as why it pitted. my instincts tell me it could be a poor metal, or an over aggressive acid solution. my solution was about half a cup of H2O2 and 2-3 spoon fulls of salt, brushed on for a few minutes, then boiled for 5-10 minutes. so what do you all think?

I've succesfully rust blued in the past using commercial solutions and a couple of homemade ones but not that particular formulation of hydrogen peroxide and salt.

Assuming you didn't leave the metal in contact with the oxidizing solution too long before boiling the blade to convert the red rust to "black" rust, the problem lies in the base metal.

While the asian market can make good steel, it's not likely nor consistent at that price point. My experience playing with the cheap razors is that it's pot luck what any particular batch is made of. Seems like yours was not one of the better ones.

I would have preferred to cold blue it using some of the Brownells chemicals, Oxpho Blue is quite durable and can be worked to look nice.

If you don't mind playing with molten caustic soda, there are formulas on line for traditional hot bluing as well.

Both the cold and hot processes are actually much gentler on steel than rust bluing.

I agree that likely an issue with steel quality. Rust bluing does involve rusting the object, so some small (microscopic) pitting is to be expected.

This is a product that gets a lot of love in the firearms bluing community. May be worth a try.

http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/instructions.htm

Wonder if you could color case harden a razor? Probably too thin to handle the heat.

Ozziedoc said:

I've succesfully rust blued in the past using commercial solutions and a couple of homemade ones but not that particular formulation of hydrogen peroxide and salt.

Assuming you didn't leave the metal in contact with the oxidizing solution too long before boiling the blade to convert the red rust to "black" rust, the problem lies in the base metal.

While the asian market can make good steel, it's not likely nor consistent at that price point. My experience playing with the cheap razors is that it's pot luck what any particular batch is made of. Seems like yours was not one of the better ones.

I would have preferred to cold blue it using some of the Brownells chemicals, Oxpho Blue is quite durable and can be worked to look nice.

If you don't mind playing with molten caustic soda, there are formulas on line for traditional hot bluing as well.

Both the cold and hot processes are actually much gentler on steel than rust bluing.

Click to expand...

+1 on gentler on steel, and he can use the Cold Blu but use it, doing the hot process. I've finished some beautiful barrels doing just this.

my gut said it was the steel most likely, ill have to try a control, some cheap steel i can blue to see the affect on a better steel.

+1 on Brownells Oxpho.

Perhaps post a photo of the razor? We've all had to re-do bluing jobs ... Well. Those of us who have DONE bluing jobs.


AA

If you want to slow rust blue your razor I would recommend the method as demonstrated by Larry Potterfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuP4m6L95K4&t=76s it is the way it has been done for a couple hundred years. Of course there are other way like hot salts (nitre) blueing. Oxpho blue et al do not really blue the steel they are more of a paint and does not last vary long or look very good compared to old school rust blueing or modern hot salts blueing.

Love watching Larry's videos.

He makes thing look so easy it is not even funny. A gifted gunsmith to be sure.

Missed this earlier. GDs are very hit or miss in terms of steel quality and content. They aren't at all consistent in terms of alloy composition. One razor might take a rust blue, the next might not. I've personally had several that were darn near stainless steel. Nothing would discolor or etch them more than a tiny amount. Straight ferric chloride manages a barely there straw yellow shade at best. Same with rust blue solution. I've also had other GDs that have taken a nice etch or rust blue. A nice vintage American razor will black up dark as night with the same solutions mentioned earlier every time though.