While reading through older topics I notice from time to time members mention a certain part for a blue gun not offered for a SS gun. The general suggestions range from leaving a blued part blue for contrast, sending it off for plating, etc.
Blued parts can be made to look like stainless just like anodized aluminum can.
The bluing can be removed with naval jelly or more cheaply, by polishing. If you're going to make it look like SS, you'll be polishing anyway. This can be done by hand but mechanical polishing is much faster.
"Blue-like" anodized alloys can be stripped with oven cleaner. Make sure you don't the "no odor" kind. After the anodize is gone an alloy part can be hand sanded with progressively finer grit paper then mechanically polished.
Ruger 22/45 bolt latch and bolt polished for smooth operation. Note the line on the bolt where I masked it to make a defined line where the bluing started. It was a sort of fade transition by Ruger originally.
Previously (partially) blue Ruger Bisley Blackhawk hammer polished after a lot of grinding and fitting to a plow handle. Also note trigger and hammer pivot pins.
Ruger 10/22 alloy but plate (originally painted, chemically stripped) and trigger housing (originally powder coated and very time consuming to remove chemically)....stripped of their original finishes and polished.
Old Model (3-screw) Ruger Single Six with polished grip frame.
New Model Blackhawk grip frame.
Trigger/sear engagement Marlin 25MN .22WMR. Note the reflection.
If someone needs a stainless saddle ring set up then I'll take a shot a blued to fake SS "conversion".
Stainless and Alloy
- GasGuzzler
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Stainless and Alloy
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Re: Stainless and Alloy
Polished is fine for some metals and some environments.
I'm not at all big on removing anodize from aluminum because it IS a protective coat and if done correctly tends to be a harder wearing surface than the underlying alloy. This is one of the big reasons why I haven't engaged in getting an AR cerakoted since MOST aftermarket coaters strip the ano off the receiver and then coat the bare aluminum. Certain manufacturers are cerakoting over the anodize but it either has to be carefully cleaned or done more or less immediately after the anodize operation before ANY contamination of any sort occurs.
One of my buds recently had a AR upper mirror polished and it is impressive if rather useless from a practical standpoint. He wanted a show piece for the case at the shop and it serves that function quite well.
I'm not at all big on removing anodize from aluminum because it IS a protective coat and if done correctly tends to be a harder wearing surface than the underlying alloy. This is one of the big reasons why I haven't engaged in getting an AR cerakoted since MOST aftermarket coaters strip the ano off the receiver and then coat the bare aluminum. Certain manufacturers are cerakoting over the anodize but it either has to be carefully cleaned or done more or less immediately after the anodize operation before ANY contamination of any sort occurs.
One of my buds recently had a AR upper mirror polished and it is impressive if rather useless from a practical standpoint. He wanted a show piece for the case at the shop and it serves that function quite well.
- GasGuzzler
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Re: Stainless and Alloy
My point was more for blued to look stainless but I got carried away with other examples.
Unless you live in a swamp, bare aluminum will wear fine if polished.
It's not for everyone.
Unless you live in a swamp, bare aluminum will wear fine if polished.
It's not for everyone.
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I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
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Re: Stainless and Alloy
I'm an aerospace engineer and we're always trying to get the airplanes to last longer, make it longer between inspections and prevent corrosion in places nobody bothers to check until something breaks plus try to avoid galvanic effects from dissimilar materials.
I recall one set of parts on a Boeing airplane of recent vintage that were anodized and then painted with a two part epoxy base anti erosion primer. It was installed on the airplane with interference fit Hi-loks with sealant and a fillet seal. Then it was painted with topcoat in the aircraft livery. Probably overkill.
But I've lived in both the desert, the gulfcoast, Georgia pretty much one end to the other, and spent time in Tennessee, Austin Texas and a few other places. I tend to be a bit belt and suspenders on trying to avoid rust and finger prints on firearms.
I recall one set of parts on a Boeing airplane of recent vintage that were anodized and then painted with a two part epoxy base anti erosion primer. It was installed on the airplane with interference fit Hi-loks with sealant and a fillet seal. Then it was painted with topcoat in the aircraft livery. Probably overkill.
But I've lived in both the desert, the gulfcoast, Georgia pretty much one end to the other, and spent time in Tennessee, Austin Texas and a few other places. I tend to be a bit belt and suspenders on trying to avoid rust and finger prints on firearms.
- akuser47
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Re: Stainless and Alloy
So no sodium hydroxide to clean guns right lol sorry had to as you would well know the erosion caused by such chemicals.