Hot bluing a chainsaw bar?

[Pioneer]

Anyone ever have this done? I've seen some old chainsaw bars that have a hot blue finish like a gun barrel. It's quite attractive and probably necessary if you want to do a complete restoration of some old chainsaws. Not really rust resistant, same precautions required as any blued steel.

 

[pbilly]

i have only seen it on bars the have got so hkt that they are blue. its not on purpose itz from someone running a dull chain and plugging the oil hole and still cutting forcing the chain through that everything gets so hot that it is now ruined

 

[ammoaddict]

I remember reading a thread on this subject. Several folks have done it.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[psuiewalsh]

I have cold blued a couple ,just because it looked nice.

 

[IthacaMan]

I cold blued my 272 muffler. Will have to try doing a bar now. Thanks

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Got me curious so i cold blued this old Stihl bar just now

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Old2stroke]

So tell us how you do it, just use the standard stuff you could buy at a gunshop? How about on line since gunshops in Canada are becoming as rare as the polar bears.

 

[IthacaMan]

This is what I used on the muffler. I am going to try a bar too

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I used a 3 part kit from Birchwood Casey from when i restored a M1903 Springfield.

I started by heavily scrubbing the bar clean, removed any paint and rust with 80grit, then 120, 400 grits with degreaser as lube. Heated it up to fully dry it. Then part 1 of tge kit is their degreaser, wipe on, wipe off. Part 2 is a rust and blue remover...smells like a weak acid. Wipe on, wipe off. Part 3 is the blue...wipe on and massage in to achieve your level of blue. I did 3 coats..then let it dry and rubbed on some gun oil as sealer.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Philbert]

Does the blueing prevent rust as well as pain or powder coating (or residual bar oil)? Or is it mostly an aesthetic thing?

Thanks.

Philbert

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Cold bluing is more or less aesthetic, the oxide layer is luke .0001" thick...but nothing rally holds up on bars. This looks better than bare rusty steel

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Bret4207]

Bluing is a controlled oxidation of the steel. I've done a lot of cold bluing and can recommend Brownells cold blues. Just remember the finish you start with will determine what the finish you are left with is. The more you polish the bar before bluing, the more shine it will have. You have to do a super, duper degreasing job. Any trace amount of oil or grease, even your fingerprints, will show. Bluing won't stop real rust at all, but it will stop flash rust for a while. Just keep the bar oiled up after you blue it and it will last as long as it lasts, no guarantees.