How to Remove Bluing

[SilverHairPatriot]

My goal is to obtain a stainless appearance. I’d like to remove the bluing from my Remington 1858 in an attempt to create a stainless appearance. I understand there will be a need to polish/buff unless I’ve being misled by some other conversations I’ve seen. I’ve also seen a stripped revolver that has had Cerakote applied. It didn’t look too shabby, but not sure how it would affect fouling and cleanup. As a cost effective method, some say that you can simply soak the frame in white vinegar for appprximately an hour to remove bluing. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Metalshaper03]

evaporust!!! put any blued parts in and a few hours later, no bue..

 

[GUN NUT]

Bluing and rust remover from Birchwood Casey

 

[MrTom]

I'm sorry but I can't even begin to imagine removing the bluing on any gun unless its going to be immediately re-blued. This sounds like a quick rust job to me since regular gun steel is a word away from stainless of any kind.

 

[SilverHairPatriot]

I'm sorry but I can't even begin to imagine removing the bluing on any gun unless its going to be immediately re-blued. This sounds like a quick rust job to me since regular gun steel is a word away from stainless of any kind.

I was told to coat it with neutral Kiwi shoe polish and buff it out for a better appearance, and to protect it from rust. Might have to coat it often.

 

[bronko220002]

I'm sorry but I can't even begin to imagine removing the bluing on any gun unless its going to be immediately re-blued. This sounds like a quick rust job to me since regular gun steel is a word away from stainless of any kind.

Tom I'm not too sure about that. I know a lot of guys that left their barrels "in the white" and they weren't SS. You just have to be on top of them and check and treat them often.

 

[GUN NUT]

I have a percussion double barrel shotgun that had the bluing remover when I bought it and I coated it with a clear coating that is made for coating chrome wheels and it has no rust any where . Been that way for about 2 years

 

[MrTom]

I guess I am just not that venturesome.

I have three with stainless and bought all three because of their having stainless and it's extra durability in weather, but my blued guns are way prettier. I love a highly polished gun that's blued.

 

[fubar22]

I have had good luck with Lauer Custom Weaponry Rust and Bluing Remover. Works fast, leaves clean finish.

 

[bronko220002]

I guess I am just not that venturesome.

I have three with stainless and bought all three because of their having stainless and it's extra durability in weather, but my blued guns are way prettier. I love a highly polished gun that's blued.

Nothing prettier than a high gloss blued rifle with a nicely grained walnut stock. I've even bought rifles I really didn't need just because of the wood on them!

 

[Bobby44]

I have had good luck with Lauer Custom Weaponry Rust and Bluing Remover. Works fast, leaves clean finish.

I love Lauer products. I have some parts here I cleaned and polished then clear coated. They look nice. My son assembled a rifle probably 20 years ago. He kept polishing the steel because he wanted it perfect before blue. It took so long he was into hunting season and still not blued. He used it, it got rained on, snowed on and treated like a hunting rifle. He keeps it clean and polished but has not had the time to finish it yet. Still looks good. For me it would get Lauer black finish with non glare clear coat.

 

[nodanlboone]

Along these lines, is there anything I can soak an 1858 in that will remove rust from the threads on the barrel and not the bluing?

 

[fubar22]

Along these lines, is there anything I can soak an 1858 in that will remove rust from the threads on the barrel and not the bluing?

The Lauer bluing remover and many other commercial bluing/rust removal products are relatively thin liquids that can easily splash, wick or run onto parts of the barrel you don't want stripped. Removing bluing doesn't require much (if any) scouring, but rust and corrosion will always take a bit of elbow grease. You could try dipping the threads in the fluid, but you should probably mask off any blued surfaces you want to save. Nail polish might work for that. But you're going to need to scour the rusted threads with a wire-brush or steel wool anyway, so I would start with that instead and skip the debluing product.

 

[nodanlboone]

Thanks! I always wonder how difficult it would be to remove the barrel and scrub the threads. But I don't wanna mess up the pistol.

 

[BeardedGunsmith]

White vinegar. Any light acid will work.