Can you 'blue' a steel mainbody?

[Konigballer]

Has anyone had 'bluing' done, like they commonly do to firearms, to a stainless steel mainbody? I'm interested in doing something a little different and was curious if it had been done sucessfully.

[Spider-TW]

Stainless doesn't blue like carbon steel. That's why you see it in its natural color usually in firearms. It can be coated of course, but it doesn't take reactive surface treatments well.

[halB]

I thought bluing was a reaction of the surface with a chemical. Stainless steel has already reacted. That is what makes it stainless.

It might be possible to grind off the top layer in a vacuum. Then you could blue it, if it hasn't reacted. I believe the reaction happens almost instantly in the air.

[MAGslinger]

I know I've asked this question before, and the answer I always got was 'no.' Everything on the Automag is stainless steel, so unless you had somebody make you a steel mainbody, the only option would be to paint it.

[Flycatchr]

I know I've asked this question before, and the answer I always got was 'no.' Everything on the Automag is stainless steel, so unless you had somebody make you a steel mainbody, the only option would be to paint it.

i am going to agree with that:

No because like mentioned, the blueing is a reaction with the carbon in the steel, and i have JUST tested my OLD main body - not even made from CHEAP SS (magnets will stick to very cheap SS - they would have a little bit of carbon). my magnets fell off. So dont evene think about getting a grinder out. IF you ahve an aluminium body (are there any other then the warp bodies?) then you could get it re-anodised.

[Spider-TW]

check this out.http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/sto...ING%20COMPOUND

I had forgotten about that stuff. I trust Brownell's. I also trust that when they say it needs some patience, they mean it. You could ask around at your gunsmiths. If they had a stainless "oxpho-blue" you could send it off to LK-13 for polish and do the rest by hand, but hot bath stuff takes some dedication. If you can find a firearm with blued stainless you might be able to back track it to the shop.

Not that it would help, but does Taurus have any blued stainless guns?

[LK-13]

I thought bluing was a reaction of the surface with a chemical. Stainless steel has already reacted. That is what makes it stainless.

It might be possible to grind off the top layer in a vacuum. Then you could blue it, if it hasn't reacted. I believe the reaction happens almost instantly in the air.

uh... no.
the "Stainless Steel" used in the Mag Bodies has Nickel in the alloy,
this prevents the oxygen from binding deeply to the Ferrous elements in the alloy so any corrosion remains on the surface and can usually be removed quite easily.

refer to Machineries Hand Book you can learn all about metallurgy.
BTW, Stainless Steel, and Surgical Steel are very different;
keep that in mind before you post saying body piercing rings and fittings don't contain any
nickel or it could turn the skin green on some people.
This type of Jewelery is Surgical Steel, not Stainless Steel.
If you ever hear someone say "Surgical Stainless Steel" there is no such animal.
it is one or the other not both.

[LK-13]

http://www.caswellcanada.ca

may have some metal finishing options you haven't considered yet.

[Konigballer]

Yeah, I had already decided I was going to have you polish it shiny eventually, but I was just curious at alternative finishes. I think I'll just stick with the polished look.

[matteusz]

Teflon coat for the win. That is what Tom did to make them black back in the day. I doubt you can find a better finish for a classic body than that or duracoat. Plus you know the teflon works. I have seen duracoat and it looks great too. I think both are equal to anodizing in durability.

[Spider-TW]

BTW, Stainless Steel, and Surgical Steel are very different;
keep that in mind before you post saying body piercing rings and fittings don't contain any
nickel or it could turn the skin green on some people.
This type of Jewelery is Surgical Steel, not Stainless Steel.
If you ever hear someone say "Surgical Stainless Steel" there is no such animal.
it is one or the other not both.

I guess the cheap Indian and Pakistani stainless steel "surgical instruments" keep that going. They're decent as small pliers at least.

[50 cal]

Yes, you can "blue" stainless steel. You will need to find someone with stainless bluing salts. Find a custom gunsmith and and ask about it. Lots of custom rifles are done with stainless barrels and the guys with the rifles will want the barrels subdued. Shall we call the end users "trained marksmen"
Stainless barrels are more accurate than traditional carbon steel barrels because of the tighter tolerances that they can be machined to. But the shiney appearance of the stainless is a turn off to the end users, so the stainless bluing salts were a necessity.

All Marine Corps bolt guns are Shilen or Hart stainless barrels that are bead blasted a matte finish then blued.

[halB]

I guess the cheap Indian and Pakistani stainless steel "surgical instruments" keep that going. They're decent as small pliers at least.

I loved my pakistani needlenose pliers. Only thing long and slender enough to take out a venturi from a spyder bolt.

Sadly the fine tips were bent a week ago or so. Sigh. I'll have to spend another 3 dollars.