I have been restoreing a bolt action Mossberg 46 M(a) this winter and tried Blue wonder bluing and have had amazing results. I stripped the barrel with there blue wonder blue remover and then came back with the blue. here are the results
Very nice results you have there. OOPS! Didn't notice old -old post. I wonder if just using the Wonder Blue cleaner would that clean a blued finish that maybe it wouldn't need to be re-blued? It says use the cleaner with steel wool and it will not remove the old bluing finish or destroy emblems. So would it remove any oxidation or impurities in the original bluing causing the original bluing to resort back to its original dark bluing? I am looking at what I can do to restore a Colt revolver finish without stripping it and totally re-blue which supposedly drops the value of the gun. LOL it would be hard to kill a value on a $300 gun. I would like to know how has the Blue Wonder finish held up? I have read some good reviews and then read some not so good. A few said the finish rusted within a short time. They said they followed directions so I really don't know. Perhaps you could shed some light on it with your results after a year time.
I forgot about this post Buster. I can tell you my rifle looks as good as I posted when it was finished. I am convinced of you follow their methods it will stay as advertised. I don't use oil when I clean the barrel. On all of my firearms I use Johnson Paste Wax and I never have a problem with rust.
Glenn. I have never heard of using Johnson's paste wax on a weapon before but as I think about it, it does leave a sheen on the wood and I suppose the metal too. I just use Marvel's Mystery Oil. It is real thin red oil but it penetrates everything. I know some think it's a mess but all my guns are wet with oil. Don't want the rust especially on the slide actions of any of my pistols. You learn something everyday!! Tommy Only 2 things are infinite: the universe and the stupidity of man! Albert Einstein.
I have heard of using Johnson's paste wax and have not heard of any complaints either. I use BLO {boiled linseed oil} on my long guns. Farmers have used it for ages to keep equipment from rusting. As humid as it is here I have had no rust appearing on barrels. BLO is good for the wood also. My handguns I wipe down with my Ultra Lube II oil from WC. It penetrates the metal giving good rust protection or corrosion on stainless. I have read many use a good motor oil. I would want to use a full synthetic like I use in my car. I am sold on synthetic oil. Mystery oil is good stuff also. It is known for being excellent for keeping motorcycle carbs from gumming up and corroding. I think if I ever try cold blue again I will try the Blue Wonder. I used Van's instant gun blue on a revolver and I wasn't thrilled with it. Finish is more like a patina brown than a blued look. I was ok with it since the gun is old the finish now looks like an old gun. The bluing on the gun was all but gone when I got it.
Been using Johnsons Paste wax for many, many years, it dont evaporate, or dry off, its there. Easy apply, wipe off, ....done...no mess. Never seen any rust , Jim
Buster40. Got to the blue wonder site and watch the video. It works just like he says. I used all their products as they did. Worked great
Tommycourt try the wax on one of your guns and you will see what we have been enjoying for years, no mess and no rust
When I was checking into cold bluing I looked at a bunch of videos and ended up choosing Van's by the reports. LOL Can't believe everything you read on the internet.
I tried it too . Looked like French Gray . Not what I wanted or expected . Reported to Vans they refunded my money . No hassle Not bad in today's world .
Ya'll got me thinking about stripping my Colt again and trying Blue Wonder on it. I wonder how easy is it to strip Van's off the gun? Vinegar stripped the gun real easy the first time I did it.
I have seen a gun done with Blue Wonder , and it looked as good as any factory bluing/black. If I have another gun that needs re-bluing, thats what Ill use. Jim
actually it's not real bluing, it is a stain real bluing is black oxide, which is red oxide (rust) that has been heated to change its composition.
I don't care if it is a stain, which I don't think it is, it works. If you heat this to the metal and it bonds to ferrous metal only. So in my opinion reading some of the way this was developed it sounds to me like a polymer that is activated when heated on the metal. What ever happens it is on there just like factory and I have not had the first rust appear since I did the process. Good looking blue color and no rust , how can you beat that? Here is the rifle as it looks today, over look some of the pollen as I took these pictures this spring.
