Bluing Hands

[4brokenow]

99.9% anhydrous isopropyl works well and slightly less dangerous . Honestly if you do the final polish with a dry rag with dry residue of metal polish compound only, blow the dust off and keep your fingers off you will get the best finish possible. A microscopic trace of contaminants will screw up the job every time. Also Use a long thin peace of copper flashing over the alcohol flame 1/2" by 6 inch as a buffer to distribute the heat. Sorry if this is redundant info haven't read all the pages to this popular thread.

[Marty101]

I'd rather use alcohol but just didn't get the same squeeky clean hands... Microscopic trace of contaminants is right-just the smell is enough it seems!
Maybe that "dry residue" of metal polish compound is a good idea-are you talking about purposely drying some and using it that way? I'm not familiar with the stuff-so help me here.
Also, that copper flashing sounds interesting-I use powdered marble dust and technique with the bluing pan, but anything that will help stabilize the heat control is welcome. It is one of my biggest challenges, especially with more stubborn hands. I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about-a picture would really help if you can manage it.
You seem to have come at this from a completely different angle than me-I had so little success at first that I went back to old time methods until I got it right.

[Marty101]

The Bunsen burner was invented about 1855, but I have never heard or read anything about it being used for bluing.
It is a real plus;I purchased one recently and will never use anything else. Much better control than alcohol lamps.

[Marty101]

I want to thank my friend Stephan for the idea above-it took me a while but I found the post where he suggested it.

[watchguy]

I'm taking a NAWCC 4 day field workshop right now. Our instructor happened to mention bluing and suggested puting small items in a sand filled pan.

[Marty101]

I have found it's what you use that counts-sand,ashes,bronze filings are all suggested-I use powdered marble. I'm still trying to find a little pan type "cooker" but am getting along fine using a brass spatula-I just add a small pile of the powdered marble on it, and carefully place the hand to be blued on top of that...I'm not sure yet if using a pan or a hollow "sandwich" type contraption with sand in the middle and brass on top would work better.
All I know for sure is every variable in bluing has an important consequence in the end results. The last 5% of skill that results in a perfectly blued hand takes the longest to learn; and any variable can have an affect that seems way out of proportion.

[Marty101]

Here are some fresh ones...I need to touch-up the hub on the first minute hand;I left a tad of blue on the hub in my hurry to show these off.
I started polishing the hubs a while back-if the hand comes to me that way I finish that way.

[richiec]

Very nice job, Marty, If I could only bring my workshop with the major tools into the house it would be great and I could try this, now it is in the garage as I have no basement in this house and the wife gets upset with burning smells and metal filings. It's a little cold out there right now, no heat.

[watchguy]

Very nice! I'm impressed with how consisent the bluing is.

[Marty101]

Thanks,guys. And my wife's pretty picky about those smells,too. As a fellow New Yorker, I know the garage is worse than my little corner in the cellar! I'm doing better with the propane-not much is cleaner when it comes odors. And it certainly adds to consistent results.
Spring's on the way.

[podge]

This reminded me of when I was an apprentice this was in Engineering
and not too far removed from watch hands, we had to make working models
in steel these were Blued, purpled, yellowed, and greened

I remember the old Journeyman doing this operation I could have watched
him for hours, I think all he used was Metal oxides and table salt he used
a mortar and pestal to grind the salt and the metal oxides up very finely

When he was satisfied with the fineness of the mortar mixture he would heat
the piece up, then just throw the salt/metal oxide on to the piece to be
coloured, he would then just blow any access off and let it cool

If I remember rightly the best looking colours he made was I think the greens
and the yellows using copper oxide and gold oxide respectively their was also
a bonus adding the salt when he took these small componant from the heat they
cooled down very quickly but throwing the salt and oxide mixture over it
seemed to accelerate the heat the Bonus I am on about is the salt you throw over
forms a ceramic coat to the items

This was over 50 years ago now but I still remember helping him out, The pieces
he did in this fashion looked like tiffany glass.the ceramic salt glaze would
prevent any new rust coming through the part.

Also polishing these items before heating them up was done by simply using
toohpaste which is a very mild abrasive. If we apprentices did not polish the
items properly we used to get a slap with a 3 foot rule.

I have never seen this process done since but this thread made me recall my
early days in engineering

[Marty101]

John,
I sure wish I could have been there! What was he coloring, small machine parts or the like? I suppose you guys had some sort of oven-sorry,my friend,I always want to know details. Just can't help myself!

[podge]

No oven all he used was an acetylene torch, he was very careful about getting a neutral flame
he used small pliers for the bigger parts and for the really small parts a small shovel type thing
Very similar to the spatula`s mentioned earlier in the thread

[Marty101]

Thanks for that,John-wish I could have been there.

[Marty101]

Showing off again, and I don't care who's tired of it. For anyone out there trying to learn this art, propane will take a little bite out of the challenge.
(DANG! Sorry,Ed-I forgot to polish that minute hand hub! Send 'em back. )

These hands are from Ed Kitners' Abe Lincoln watch.

I have no doubt propane gives me more control-that steady blue flame is perfect.