Bluing a Cannon

[obelix]

Does anyone here have a setup to blue a cannon that is (overall max dimension) 18x7.5x3.5. I thought about getting the salts myself but if anyone here already has a way to do this would gladly help and contribute.

 

[bighonkinjeep]

Not sure how it would work for your application, or how much of it it would take, but I've done a couple of rifles with multiple applications of Hoppes cold blue and hot water. They came out pretty well and have stayed that way for a couple of decades now. Thorough prep,patience, and lots of coats seems to be the key when using it.

 

[obelix]

I live in the Buford area. Would like to find someone who can hot blue it. I've done cold bluing before (have two guns in my safe that have it). For this one I want the real deal. Anyone around that is close to me, please let me know.

 

[Clemson]

Most commercial bluing tanks are 6" wide. That 7.5 inch dimension is going to be hard to accommodate. On top of that, the heavy mass of steel will take a while to get up to temperature. You might consider a rust blue like Herter's Belgian Blue. The part is boiled (or steamed) to convert rust to black oxide. You can boil the cannon in a Turkey fryer.

 

[killerv]

hot rust blue, probably have most everything needed at your house other than the bluing solution. I used brownells. I've had great success with it and plan on doing a rifle over xmas break. Carding wheel makes it go quicker but 0000 will suffice.

 

[TL60]

Most importantly.... when you are finished, how do we get an invite to your next range session with it?

 

[obelix]

I just bought a bottle of Vans. I'll see how it works. The cannon is 1018 mild steel which I found one blurb on the internet that should take a blue. Going to try the warm steel method, using a blow torch to heat up the cannon barrel then adding the bluing nitrate.