Unusual Screw Up - don’t laugh too hard - can you charcoal blue stainless?

[LynnC]

I bet yall never heard this one before.

I made a flared tang breech plug by welding a tang to a cut off bolt. Turns out the piece of cold rolled steel for the tang out of my scrap pile was stainless steel. It was faded gray and looked like any other piece of cold rolled. Boy was I surprised when i hit the barrel and breech plug with my browning solution and it didn't even touch the tang. What a contrast. Dark barrel and bright tang.

Soooooo.....I need bluing/browning advise. I’d like to at least gray color it.

Though I know it can be hot blued I’m not equipped for such.

The only thing I can think of is either heat blue with a propane torch which isn't very durable or try to charcoal blue it. 

Has anyone charcoal blued stainless?

I’d rather not make a new one as this tang is already inlet into the finished stock.

I’m open to ideas. Thanks

[hanshi]

Is there any way you could come to terms with it and tolerate it?  I've tried various ways to darken ss and haven't come up with a reasonable solution.  Good luck.

[Fyrstyk]

You might try a vinegar solution on the stainless to get a sorta grey look.

[smylee grouch]

Scrap it and make a new one out of hot rolled. Make the tang just a bit larger, a couple thousands wider and longer.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Stainless should temper blue.  Whether that blue would match the other steel I cannot say.  I suspect it would charcoal blue as well.  If you have ever left an empty stainless steel pot on the stove with heat under it you know it does color.

dave

[LynnC]

Hanshi. That stainless tang might look a bit odd on a NW trade gun 😁

[LynnC]

Fyrstyk. All suggestions considered. Thanks

[LynnC]

Smiley. Its fitted, drilled, and threaded. Id have to learn to live with it 😉

[LynnC]

Smart Dog I know it will color but im afraid it would quickly wear off.

Thanks to all. Steaks on the grill tomorrow. I think I will just chunk it in amonst the coals and see what color It makes.

Happy Fathers Day in advance !!!

[Clark Badgett]

It would bug me to no end just knowing it was stainless. I would have to make a new one and refit it.

[LynnC]

Hey. Maybe i can veneer it with soldered on carbon steel shim stock 😂

[davec2]

Polish it and make it look like it is supposed to be left bright.....and polish the lock as well....

[LynnC]

Thanks Dave but On a NW Trade Gun 😱 did i mention its a NW gun?

Boy did i screw up 😂 but i must admit it is a striking look

[Goo]

Onse stainless comes to contact by carbon steel it will start to rust. If you cover the plug with wet carbon steel filings and keep it moist the rusting filings should cause the stainless to rust.  Maybe try the process out first on the left over bits from the tang construction to perfect the process.

[Shovelbuck]

Make a new one. I'd be more concerned about integrity of the weld, as welding dissimilar metals as you did isn't that great of a bond.

[LynnC]

Goo I have never heard that before and something to try if charcoaling it doesnt work

Shovelbuck. I thought i was losing my welding touch as it just didnt weld easy but i can assure you its not going to fall apart 😉

Its going into the coals right after i cook a couple of steaks this afternoon. Whatever color I get I will try to rub the barrel color back to match

Thanks for all the thoughts and tips. Have a great Fathers Day

[T*O*F]

I got a bunch of stainless screws mixed in with my regular ones.  I usually heat my screws to red hot and then dip them in oil.  Don't work with the stainless ones.  Also tried fire bluing them with a torch.  That didn't work either.

[Bob Roller]

Fyrstyk. All suggestions considered. Thanks

Spray paint in dark blue. . Getting away from farce,my only stainless steel job in my own shop was to make a complete set of acorn head nuts and bolts with bright shine for 2 Duesenberg car engines and this was over 20 years ago for a Canadian.Also shackle bolts and nuts with bronze bushings.

Bob Roller

[P.W.Berkuta]

I would not waste any more time on it -- I would make a new one out of the correct material and be done with it - "Pay me now or pay me a lot more later"

[LynnC]

Plug is out and ready for the charcoal attempt. We ought to know by this evening if it helps any.

[borderdogs]

If it were me I would make a new one
Rob

[kutter]

Soft solder an overlay of carbon steel to the top surface.
Veneering the surface was mentioned above already.

It solders easily with solder meant for use on stainless steel. Any Home Depot type store has it in small quantity rolls w/flux .

The thickness doesn't need to be much at all. Some thin shim stock can work just fine and conforms easily.

...or make an entirely new plug and fit it up.

Stainless won't fire blue or rust blue in any way that I have found acceptible,.
That real nice patchbox lid release I made one time,,all nicely fine checkered with a graver and all...nice and shiny brite stainless. Still is.

[LynnC]

Yes. I mentioned veneering it in jest though it very well could work. 

BTW. i Forgot to mention that I built this one strictly for me as a knock around hunting gun so its not for sale. In fact I've never sold a gun I ever made. Given away, yes. Sold, no. Not fooling anyone but myself here. So I’m about to pull the meat off the grill and chunk the plug into the coals and we will see what happens.

Side note......I did hit the plug with a torch and did get a minor color change. Not dark enough to put me off the charcoal attempt.

Yall enjoy your Fathers Day 😉

[LynnC]

Bob Roller,

You’ve been in the auto restoration business for years and you know a fresh coat of paint can hide a multitude of sins 😁 thanks for the comment and the laugh

[LynnC]

OK. Pulled it out if the fire. It made a decent gray color with a faint hint of blue in places. Looks like a case hardened gray. I can live with it. Now to rub the barrel back an antique gray.

I call it good. Thanks for all the comments.