Enfield Oil Blackening Metal re-finishing
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I don't know if it can be done without re-heat treating the metal.
In any case more information about the exact firearm in question and a pic might help some.
In any case more information about the exact firearm in question and a pic might help some.
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36,347 Posts
I haven't been able to find ANYTHING on such a process, and some of my files go back to the 1900s. If the black is just a layer of carbon it'll rub off. Most blackening processes are either phosphating or a black iron oxide, as in cold rust blue.
Birchwood Casey makes a steel blackening product but the people who have tried it commercially say it actually causes rust!
Birchwood Casey makes a steel blackening product but the people who have tried it commercially say it actually causes rust!
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I'm packing for a house move, or I'd dig out the Enflield collector's book I got. IIRC Blackening is about as stone age simple as you can get for passivating steel. Usually they took a hot piece from the forge and threw it in a tank of oil. when it stopped burning, they took it out and it was all black and cripsy. knock the big chunks off, and you have blackened steel.
People have suggested mimicing that finish by coating the stuff in oil, and cooking it with a propane torch. I'm not much of a metalurgist, but I would be careful not to get it too hot and change the heat treat.
Black Oxide is basically Cold Blue. you find that from time to time, it wears off quickly.
IIRC, bluing and blackening were the most common finishes on enfields. There was some parkerizing, but it wasn't nearly as common.
People have suggested mimicing that finish by coating the stuff in oil, and cooking it with a propane torch. I'm not much of a metalurgist, but I would be careful not to get it too hot and change the heat treat.
Black Oxide is basically Cold Blue. you find that from time to time, it wears off quickly.
IIRC, bluing and blackening were the most common finishes on enfields. There was some parkerizing, but it wasn't nearly as common.
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Still can't find anything on original Enfield finishes or oil blackening. It may have been an ancient short term protection, really just oiling and carbon blackening, but I don't see how it could be used on anything except a receiver or maybe small parts, and it sure wouldn't last.
Pictures of WWI Enfields, No 1 MkIII and MkIII*, in museums and presumably in original condition, appear to all be chemical blued by a hot dip process, too shiny for a cold rust blue. The WWII rifles, of course, were mostly painted.
Pictures of WWI Enfields, No 1 MkIII and MkIII*, in museums and presumably in original condition, appear to all be chemical blued by a hot dip process, too shiny for a cold rust blue. The WWII rifles, of course, were mostly painted.
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Stoving is a paint, stove enamel, hence the name.
Oil blackening/bluing is a heat & oil bath process for "bluing" the metal.
Early Enfields were oil blackened/oil blued, but it was replaced with what nowadays would be called "paint over park" but was called stove enameling back then.
Let me go digging I have a description of how to re finish parts from the 1890s or some such, but I have to go find it.
Oil blackening/bluing is a heat & oil bath process for "bluing" the metal.
Early Enfields were oil blackened/oil blued, but it was replaced with what nowadays would be called "paint over park" but was called stove enameling back then.
Let me go digging I have a description of how to re finish parts from the 1890s or some such, but I have to go find it.
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I found the reference I was looking for, It was in a 1926 armorer's manual. Unfortunately it isn't going to help you much.
"Small pieces such as sights may be oil blued by heating red hot & quenching in Linseed oil. The process is restricted to items such as sight blades only & all other parts showing marked finish wear should be browned."
"Small pieces such as sights may be oil blued by heating red hot & quenching in Linseed oil. The process is restricted to items such as sight blades only & all other parts showing marked finish wear should be browned."
R.H. Angier, "Firearm Blueing and Browning", lists a rust blue formula on P.79, B. 6., that is noted as being consistent with armory practice circa 1912. It is a mixture of nitric acid, ferric chloride, ethanol, and water.
I doubt the entire rifle was oil blackened. More likely just the screws and other small parts as a previous poster indicated. I think it was the 1920's before hot caustic bluing took hold.
I doubt the entire rifle was oil blackened. More likely just the screws and other small parts as a previous poster indicated. I think it was the 1920's before hot caustic bluing took hold.
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That shiney bluish tinge in the pictures may have been the museum wax plus photo color problems.
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Lee Enfields were rust blued until about 1940, when they were either parekerised or parkerised AND painted.
99% of SMLE series rifles are rust blued (using the RSAF formula quoted above), with small parts oil quenched or bone-dust case hardened.
Starting in 1940, Australian SMLE production at Lithgow commenced using parkerizing. About the same time, perhaps earlier, English No4's were crudely parkerised then Suncorite black enamelled. (a VERY tough, resilient paint). Canadian No4 production was either Dulite blue, or later parkerising, the same being true for Savage No4 production (except Savage continued to Dulite blue some parts right through to the end of their production)
Hot caustic blueing was not used by the Commonwealth until post-WW2. Hot caustic blueing is a process developed by Mauser Werke Oberndorf in the middle-1930's, and was not used in K98 production until late 1939/early 1940.
99% of SMLE series rifles are rust blued (using the RSAF formula quoted above), with small parts oil quenched or bone-dust case hardened.
Starting in 1940, Australian SMLE production at Lithgow commenced using parkerizing. About the same time, perhaps earlier, English No4's were crudely parkerised then Suncorite black enamelled. (a VERY tough, resilient paint). Canadian No4 production was either Dulite blue, or later parkerising, the same being true for Savage No4 production (except Savage continued to Dulite blue some parts right through to the end of their production)
Hot caustic blueing was not used by the Commonwealth until post-WW2. Hot caustic blueing is a process developed by Mauser Werke Oberndorf in the middle-1930's, and was not used in K98 production until late 1939/early 1940.
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I oil blackened the magazine in my No.4 Enfield by after removing the spring and follower putting it on my gas grill and dunking it into a can of used motor oil until the boiling stopped. Two trips through this process left the magazine with a nice finish that so far has proved to be durable. I have also experimented with some small odd metal parts. The grill worked ok on the sheet metal magazine but I need to find a more efficient way to heat things without over heating them.
I make sure that I am well away from anything flammable when putting the part into the oil. (I was in the middle of my drive way). I was told that the oil can and sometimes will flare up from the heat.
It seems to work well on small parts but I think a whole rifle might prove to be a much more difficult proposition. I would not dare to try that for fear of ruining the rifle.
I make sure that I am well away from anything flammable when putting the part into the oil. (I was in the middle of my drive way). I was told that the oil can and sometimes will flare up from the heat.
It seems to work well on small parts but I think a whole rifle might prove to be a much more difficult proposition. I would not dare to try that for fear of ruining the rifle.
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