Smith and Wesson 1917 - Polished Backstrap?

[browningautorifle]

I have a hot plate for rough work, got it for melting lead back in '85...swing by and pick it up if you like...

[rcathey]

I have a hot plate for rough work, got it for melting lead back in '85...swing by and pick it up if you like...

That'd only be a 35 hour drive. If I could get about 174 miles per gallon of gas that might just work out. Stop at a few pawn shops along the way....

[browningautorifle]

BBQ salmon once you arrive...whatever time...

[rcathey]

Hmm, well, I don't like the looks of this first pass. I'm going to power through at least a couple more cycles and see if things even out.

I've attached here a picture showing it after the first rusting, my super slick boiling rig, and after the first boiling.

Good news, though, my new grips came in from Thailand and they look super cool! I went with these checkered ones. The checkering isn't great which I felt gave it kind of a trench art feel. This seller has more if you look at his other listings. The fit is fantastic and I'm very happy with the price point.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/S-W-M1917-G...72.m2749.l2649

Attachment 102338Attachment 102339Attachment 102340

[browningautorifle]

The bluing will come along...keep at it. There's a couple threads here too showing results if you need to keep morale up. The grips look pretty good too...

[painter777]

RC,
Fun to watch from this end !

[rcathey]

RC,
Fun to watch from this end !

Glad you’re enjoying the journey, Charlie!
Unfortunately, the second coat did pretty much nothing.
Maybe I’m just not waiting long enough for it to rust? I’ve given it about 12 hours each time.
I’m going to let this next one go a full 24.

[bigduke6]

Its a learning curve bluing, I disregard any info regarding times etc, (although leaving it too long can result in pitting...) , the pics show it hasn't rusted enough, make sure the area is spotless clean, if its not showing any signs of rust or very little then give it another pass with the solution, to speed up the process after applying the solution leave in a humid place to rust.
some rust bluing can take a lot of passes and boils......

[rcathey]

Some good tips there, thanks!
I'm probably being quite conservative because I really don't want any pits forming.
I do this work in my basement but I run a dehumidifier constantly. Maybe I'll shut that off for a couple days while working on this.

[bigduke6]

I do this work in my basement but I run a dehumidifier constantly. Maybe I'll shut that off for a couple days while working on this.

May help, also leaving it in the cold then bringing it into the warmth or even leaving it in the bathroom during and after a shower..... in theory you shouldn't be able to see the shiny underneath, the whole area should be a powder of rust.

In all cases its the cleaning that is the major factor, a good detergent then acetone or similar.