Blued vs black oxide?

bevills1

Senior Member
Which is better or more durable finish, blued or black oxide? What are advantages and disadvantages of each? Some of the Ruger Mark IV pistols can be had either blued or black oxide finish, and there might be other guns available with either finish too.
 

killerv

Senior Member
A black oxide finish is considered blued....its the same thing. Pretty much all manufacturer bluing these days is black oxide.


you arent talking about a black anodized finish are you?
 

Rich M

Senior Member
No they are saying black oxide as a selling point.

Just got a buckmark w ss barrel and black oxide finish I think.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
Black oxide is more durable than blue. Blueing is a type of oxidation of the metal surface. Black Oxide tends to add some hardness to the surface whereas blueing does not.

However, bluing is usually more attractive than black oxide and usually shinier. Black Oxide is usually flat black.

Nitride coating (melonite/tenifer/armonite) is the best IHMO.

Rosewood
 

killerv

Senior Member
Black oxide is more durable than blue. Blueing is a type of oxidation of the metal surface. Black Oxide tends to add some hardness to the surface whereas blueing does not.

However, bluing is usually more attractive than black oxide and usually shinier. Black Oxide is usually flat black.

Nitride coating (melonite/tenifer/armonite) is the best IHMO.

Rosewood

black oxide is blueing.

surface underneath the black oxide determine the sheen of it, if polished, you will get a deep shiny blue, if bead blasted, you will get a matter appearance.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
black oxide is blueing.

surface underneath the black oxide determine the sheen of it, if polished, you will get a deep shiny blue, if bead blasted, you will get a matter appearance.
I thought they were two different processes. There are different kits to do the work available on Brownells. Some called blueing, some called Black Oxide.

Edit: I may have been confusing parkerizing with blueing.
Rosewood
 
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