charcoal blueing

[colt]

I just charcoal blued my first barrel today. I have never seen anything that was charcoal blued and i was wondering if the finish is supposed to be even colored throughout?. I have some splotchey like areas. Can you re- blue(charcoal) a barrel without damaging it?
Thanks,
Ken

[Michael]

Ken,

I had the opportunity to watch Richard Sullivan charcoal blue a barrel from start to finish at the gunshop in Williamsburg a couple of years ago.  I took a bunch of pictures and I did notice that when the barrel was finished there were some variations in the color. Once the barrel had cooled down and he wiped it with oil the color kind of evened out. I asked him if this was normal and he said yes, it is not as controlled as bluing on a modern firarm. The color was very pleasing and nothing like I have seen on any modern gun.


Michael

[Ron Scott]

Iv'e Charcoal Blued a couple dozed barrels over the last decade. I think I have only had one that was nearly perfect in uniformity. All the others had at least a minor irregularity.  However the color is extremely pleasing and I always urge customers to consider it.

[Acer Saccharum]

All the original jaegers I have seen have color variation. The oiling does indeed even things out.

And, yes, you can re-blue it. Just polish the barrel up white again. Repeat until you either get a perfect barrel, or you have polished it down to a pencil!

Tom

[colt]

I think the heat must have been un even because the last 10 inches of the muzzle end is splotchy and the rest is like you all described it would be. It is a very beautiful finish. i have sanded it white again and will try to reblue it some evening this week. Hopefully this time will work otherwise i will need to restock it as ti keeps getting smaller. ;