blued steel

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Author Message Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 373 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Thursday, December 03, 2009 - 11:07 pm:    I've been asked to specify blued steel handrails. I've been Googling for a while, but haven't come up with anything. Any suggestions? David E Lorenzini Senior Member Username: deloren Post Number: 92 Registered: 04-2000 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 12:25 am:    Check out the Wiki at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel) Took a chance and Binged it. David Lorenzini, FCSI, CCS Architectural Resources Co. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 374 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 12:32 am:    I saw that one. Interesting, but not much help. After reading what I did find, I'm not sure why anyone would want a blued finish. I sent inquiries to a dozen metal fabrication and finishing companies; who knows, maybe I'll get something like a specification! Doug Frank FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: doug_frank_ccs Post Number: 257 Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 08:18 am:    isn't "Blueing" a metal treatment used by firearms manufacturers on pistol and rifle barrels? I'm pretty sure that the Red Rider 200 shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time was "Blue Steel". Doug Frank FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate FKP Architects, Inc. Houston, TX Tim Werbstein, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: tim_werbstein Post Number: 17 Registered: 09-2006 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 08:27 am:    Here's some info on gun bluing, which may be the look wanted. Bluing is desirable because blued steel looks much better and uniform than bare steel (we're not talking stainless here). Stainless steel can also be colored, similar to titanium, but that's another story. Bluing should be done by a professional or an uneven finish may result. Also, the blued finish will gradually wear through. It can scratch, and bluing will not prevent rust if the steel is often wet.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel) http://www.vansgunblue.com/ http://browningmgs.com/Colt1928/Bluing.htm Richard A. Rosen, CSI, CCS, AIA Senior Member Username: rarosen Post Number: 58 Registered: 08-2006 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:07 am:    From my firearms experience cold blueing of steel is a hand done process that includes rubbing the blueing agent on to the steel. Would this process be the same or for the larger pieces of steel that you are talking about here? If hot blueing is required is the process available for the size pieces you are talking about? Both methods sound messy. Colin Gilboy Senior Member Username: colin Post Number: 211 Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:20 am:    This was a topic 5 years ago: http://discus.4specs.com/discus/messages/2196/1027.html Colin Gilboy Publisher, 4specs.com 435.654.5775 - Utah 800.369.8008 Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 375 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 09:38 am:    I should have mentioned that I was aware of bluing used for guns. Thanks for the lead, Colin; I'll contact Marc and Lynn to see what they have. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1141 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 10:24 am:    Blued drywall nails. Anyone remember those? Marc C Chavez Senior Member Username: mchavez Post Number: 355 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Friday, December 04, 2009 - 10:38 am:    People. People. Answer the question. How do you blue steel. the answer is the following "Blackened steel: clean to SSPC SP 6, (or less if you like the mill scale etc) patina with Birchwood Casey PC-9 Presto Black (Gun Bluing) spray, brush, or immersion, Finish with non-acidic wax product:Sculpt Nouveau black finishing wax http://www.sculptnouveau.com/index.cfm If you want blue bluing or brown bluing those are different products and use a different finishing wax (or oil) There is some technique invloved here. The bluing has to be put on evenly and quickly. in manufacturing they dip the steel if you do it slowly you'll get mottling - ask for a mockup or sample. remember you are creating black or blue rust and you need to neutralize the steel after bluing (use a lot of water) and then use a non-acidic wax (carnuba wax is acidic for example)to fill all the little gaps and pockets created by the rust. bluing and steel is like english muffins and butter. it's a method of creating lots of pockets for oil (butter) to sit in. This keeps water and other things from getting at the steel. Of course the english muffin has a different fate. Joel McKellar, LEED AP Senior Member Username: joelmckellar Post Number: 46 Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Friday, December 11, 2009 - 09:26 am:    You sure the architect isn't just a zoolander fan? http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/blue%20steel.jpg T.J. Simons, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: tsimons Post Number: 14 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 04:08 pm:    Not sure why anyone would want this finish on a handrail, when there are so many metal finishes more appropriate for this application. Does the designer understand the implications and limitations of this finish? What about the Owner? Specifying this finish will obligate them to frequent maintenance if they end up using a blued finish. In practical terms, I don't know how large a section of railing you could feasibly blue-most bluing tanks are made to accommodate rifle and shotgun barrels. Welds would have to be touched up with cold blue in the field, which may or may not match the blued railing sections. (In gunsmithing, you typically do all of your welding, machining, etc. before finishing the piece). I don't mean to sound overly cynical, but this sounds like something a designer saw in a magazine article, and is determined to use it in the project whether it's the best choice or not. Perhaps you could ask them if they are willing to visit the site weekly, and apply a coat of rifle wax to the railing. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 376 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 04:15 pm:    You're close! Apparently, someone had a small table with blued steel legs and thought it looked cool. Performance isn't everything; gotta relieve the tension between the earth and sky elements, y'know. Tony Mertens (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Sunday, January 03, 2010 - 11:26 pm:    Just happened to find this site looking for something else, actually. I do some blacksmithing and metal sculpture. I would check with the folks at Sculpt-Nouveau as suggested above. They also handle a good lacquer. They are pretty helpful and would tell you if it's impractical. Remember life would be boring if we painted all railings black.