What is black Iron?

T

Tjrahl

Aluminum

Joined

Jun 27, 2010

Location

Atoka Oklahoma USA

• Mar 24, 2017

• #1

In the context of hot salts bluing tanks?

I bought my large rifle sized blueing set up from brownells and am debating an electrically heated small pot style set of tanks for pistols and small parts when I dont want to run the big propane tanks to blue just a few small items.

But I dont "Know" what the tanks are made of, sure it looks and acts like mild sheet metal but is that what it is?

 

GGaskill

Titanium

Joined

Feb 14, 2001

Location

Central AZ

• Mar 25, 2017

• #2

Plain uncoated mild steel. NO galvanized; NO stainless steel as it will react with the salts and deposit silver spots on the work.

 

T

Tjrahl

Aluminum

Joined

Jun 27, 2010

Location

Atoka Oklahoma USA

• Mar 25, 2017

• #3

GGaskill said:

Plain uncoated mild steel. NO galvanized; NO stainless steel as it will react with the salts and deposit silver spots on the work.

Click to expand...

I've seen first hand what happens when someone puts aluminum in bluing tanks and destroys an entire batch of blued parts with the residue of their dissolved parts, some idjit while i was AT CST attempted to blue an aluminum scope no i am NOT making that up. Is that what happens with stainless tanks? The salts chemically eating the stainless and depositing it on the parts to be blued or is it an unintentional electroplating process?

 

I

Illinoyance

Stainless

Joined

Aug 24, 2015

• Mar 25, 2017

• #4

Black iron is probably hot rolled steel sheet that has not been pickled to remove mill scale.

 

U

ulav8r

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 21, 2003

Location

Russellville

• Mar 25, 2017

• #5

Illinoyance said:

Black iron is probably hot rolled steel sheet that has not been pickled to remove mill scale.

Click to expand...

That us the common usage/meaning. Made 5 or 6, 4 tank sets, while I was at CST.

 

dkmc

Diamond

Joined

Jan 13, 2002

Location

Upstate NY -In the Flats next to the corn fields

• Mar 25, 2017

• #6

Usually hot rolled sheet steel

And probably the opposite of White Metal.

 

9100

Diamond

Joined

Nov 1, 2004

Location

Webster Groves, MO

• Mar 25, 2017

• #7

GGaskill said:

Plain uncoated mild steel. NO galvanized; NO stainless steel as it will react with the salts and deposit silver spots on the work.

Click to expand...

Now I know. Back in the mid 50s I bought a can of Stoeger's bluing and made a stainless steel tank. The one pistol I blued in it came out with white spots. I did some other parts in a different tank with good results, but always wondered why the one came out that way.

Bill

 

S

SilveradoHauler

Cast Iron

Joined

Jan 6, 2008

Location

Mountains of Washington State, USA

• Mar 25, 2017

• #8

Back tank is my salts tank and is made from 1/8" thick hot rolled steel sheet. Welded with steel weld rod.

Front tank is a cleaning tank and is 316 Stainless. Remainder of my tanks are also 316 stainless (cold water rinse, hot water rinse, neutralizing tank, oil dipping tank).

 

T

toolmaker54

Plastic

Joined

Mar 25, 2017

• Mar 26, 2017

• #9

Black Iron

Illinoyance said:

Black iron is probably hot rolled steel sheet that has not been pickled to remove mill scale.

Click to expand...

Yes I think you are right it is Hot Rolled Steel

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 29, 2017

C

Claude Wright

Cast Iron

Joined

Oct 18, 2003

Location

Fern Creek, Kentucky, USA

• Mar 29, 2017

• #10

All my tanks are stainless steel as current as I use Dulite.