How to "blue" or darken metal parts

I want to darken the metal parts of a reel seat to match dark guide. Anyone know how to darken the metal parts on a reel seat -- basically bluing the metal. Can you use the over the counter gun bluing liquids available?

You could always take the parts along with the part you want to match them up with to a plating shop or an anodizing shop Orthoman. I don't know why the over the counter metal bluing stuff wouldn't work though...my only problem when I tried it was that it rubbed off pretty fast on a trigger group. Them that know tell me a hot blue doesn't rub off as fast. Remember that whatever you put on the parts is only going to be as shiney as the surface it's put on so prep is everything if you want the parts to shine. If you want a dull or flat finish, you could rub it with something like steel wool, start with 4 ought first. If the parts are aluminum it won't take muchrubbing but you'll have to make it uniform because if you leave shiney areas in grooves or what have you, they'll contrast to the dull areas. If it's nickel I'd go with plating. Hopefully I haven't confused you Orthoman !

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

Give Bob Nunley (caneman) a call or pm, he sells the acid used for blueing nickel silver. He can also help you to get the correct chemicals for blueing other metals.

Orthoman:

Is the reel seat a screwlock? Because if it is and you blue it; the bluing WILL wear off due to skin acids; sweat etc unless you lacquer it. And if you lacquer the threads on a screwlock....

...you're screwed, so to speak.

Most BLUED nickel silver hardware on fly rod reel seats is on the sliding band variety.

Anodizing a different procedure of which I know nothing except I THINK it is a process for aluminum. So if your reel seat is aluminum you could get it anodized I would think.

I have been quite successful bluing nickel silver with Kodak fixer, go to your photoshop that sells chemical, but some Kodak fixer, mix a couple of tablespoons in water, drop in the reelseat - wait about 5 minutes pull out, rinse and there you have it. - Mike

try using gun bluing stuff.

hot bluing metal works the best.. better than cold blueing....heres how to do it..........




buy some blueing or browning off the shelf. heat up only the metal parts in an oven slowly till it reaches 200 deg. imerse it in blueing and let it cool. take the metal out & wipe it clean. repeat the heating, diping & cooling a second time and clean it again. if its still not coloured enough to suit you you can do it a third time. when you are finnished buueing give the metal a thin coat of 3in1 oil to set the blueing.

heating the metal open up the pores in the metal allowing the blueing to get deep into the metal and gives it a permanent blueing. just puting the blueing on metal without heating the metal (called cold blueing) allows the blueing to get only on the surface which will rub off or scratch off fairly easy.

Thanks guys -- all good suggestions and comments.