Re-Darkening Steel Parts

[CamplinP]

I was cleaning out one of my gun safes the other day and found my blueing touch-up pen for steel barrels. I had an idea to try it on some turnbuckles and screws I had stripped the rust off of. I went over the parts with my dremel with a soft wire brush. Then I degreased the parts with motor cleaner. After a couple of passes with the pen, viola. It takes a few seconds for the reaction and multiple passes deepens the color. After a few minutes, I lightly hand buffed the excess off and coated them in Break Free. The more you buff the more shine you will get. I went over one with the dremel again and it was almost a gloss black. I had a jar of "cold" blueing liquid at one time. I am going to get some more and see if it does the same thing so I can bulk dip some parts.

Any good gun store has these.

Before and after screws.

[Jay Dub]

I also use the Birchwood Casey products, and they work great. The only difference is I heat the parts lightly after I blacken them, and drop them in oil. I don't heat them enough to anneal them, only enough to drive the water out of the metal. Allowing them to cool in the oil allows them to draw the oil into the pores (instead of atmospheric moisture) and they become much more resistant to rusting over time. -Jeff

[CamplinP]

Good point, I forgot about that. I ironically warm up barrel parts when I use the liquid "cold" blue. With the pen I have not seen any benefit from it. Maybe the parts are smaller so it is harder to tell.

[kaiser]

i also use a bottle of birchwood casey cold blue. stuff works great.

[scr8p]

i use fastener express.

[Coelacanth]

If nobody's looking, I use Sharpie.

[kaiser]

If nobody's looking, I use Sharpie.

i find that the sharpie dries a dark purple. gotta love when people sharpie the scratches in graphite chassis. purple streaks.

[GoMachV]

If nobody's looking, I use Sharpie.

So your the one....
Lol

[CamplinP]

i use fastener express.

Yes, that too. Just a tip for the hard to find hardware, ball studs and turnbuckles. I do not take the time for standard screws.

[Coelacanth]

If nobody's looking, I use Sharpie.

i find that the sharpie dries a dark purple. gotta love when people sharpie the scratches in graphite chassis. purple streaks.

You know where it works great? After you cut your own carbon fiber parts, color all the cut edges with black Sharpie, then seal the edges with Krazy Glue. Looks great and stops them from delaminating. I know people already know about the Krazy Glue edge treatment, but I can't remember where I saw the tip about coloring the cut edges with Sharpie first...it's a good tip, and looks much better than bare cut edges.