Heat blackening

Charles Alexander · Post by **Charles Alexander** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:39 pm

I'm fond of the heat blackened look on armor. Nice bluish/black that won't chip or come off like paint.

I have a few mild steel pieces I might want to heat blacken. I may run an inquiry to see if any armorers would be willing to do this.

How difficult is it? Is the steel just put over an open flame?

I imagine a piece that's strapped would need to have the leather removed first.

NotDukeOlaf2 · Post by **NotDukeOlaf2** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:19 pm

I can do the heat bluing for you shoot me a PM and lets talk.

Olaf

Charles Alexander · Post by **Charles Alexander** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:49 pm

PM sent.

NotDukeOlaf2 · Post by **NotDukeOlaf2** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:23 pm

replied

Garreth · Post by **Garreth** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:09 am

It's dead easy to do yourself. Put whatever finish level you prefer on the piece. Wire brush it, polish it, whatever. Clean it compleatly. Do not get fingerprints on it when you put it in the oven. Set oven to 550 degrees. It will usually take 15 or 20 minutes after the oven has come up to temp. The piece will turn a nice, deep dark blue. Let it air cool and oil or wax it to protect the finish.

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Tue May 27, 2008 11:26 am

this was actualy covered last night on

Good Eats.

NotDukeOlaf2 · Post by **NotDukeOlaf2** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:34 pm

Garreth wrote:It's dead easy to do yourself. Put whatever finish level you prefer on the piece. Wire brush it, polish it, whatever. Clean it compleatly. Do not get fingerprints on it when you put it in the oven. Set oven to 550 degrees. It will usually take 15 or 20 minutes after the oven has come up to temp. The piece will turn a nice, deep dark blue. Let it air cool and oil or wax it to protect the finish.

When you want your pieces heat blued let me know this will just do a slight surface blue the finish I can do is almost black

Charles Alexander · Post by **Charles Alexander** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:26 pm

Garreth wrote:It's dead easy to do yourself. Put whatever finish level you prefer on the piece. Wire brush it, polish it, whatever. Clean it compleatly. Do not get fingerprints on it when you put it in the oven. Set oven to 550 degrees. It will usually take 15 or 20 minutes after the oven has come up to temp. The piece will turn a nice, deep dark blue. Let it air cool and oil or wax it to protect the finish.

Very nice, thank you. Precisely the info I was looking for....

Sigtyr · Post by **Sigtyr** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:44 pm

My helm was blued well... years ago when it was made. If I wanted to reblue it but it has brass pieces on it - what might I need to do? Does the heat affect the brass color?

Uneg · Post by **Uneg** » Tue May 27, 2008 5:37 pm

Sigtyr wrote:My helm was blued well... years ago when it was made. If I wanted to reblue it but it has brass pieces on it - what might I need to do? Does the heat affect the brass color?

Probably have to either take the brass off, or mask it and use some form of cold chemical (gun) bluing.

hjalmr · Post by **hjalmr** » Tue May 27, 2008 5:49 pm

Garreth wrote:It's dead easy to do yourself. Put whatever finish level you prefer on the piece. Wire brush it, polish it, whatever. Clean it compleatly. Do not get fingerprints on it when you put it in the oven. Set oven to 550 degrees. It will usually take 15 or 20 minutes after the oven has come up to temp. The piece will turn a nice, deep dark blue. Let it air cool and oil or wax it to protect the finish.

That figures -my new house doesn't have a stove..............

(^_^)

Garreth · Post by **Garreth** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:18 pm

I don't think the heat will affect the brass, but if it does, just polish it back up with 0000 steel wool. This also works to get surface rust off of the steel, without affecting the blueing. I just scrub with the steel wool and a bit of wd 40.

Hjalmr, I have blued a helm over a turkey fryer propane burner, it worked fine. As soon as it hits the dark blue color, turn off the flame and set the piece aside to cool. I don't think the steel will get any darker than the dark blue anyway. It turns a bunch of colors on it's way to the dark blue, but I don't care for any of them. The dark blue looks awesome, though