Anyone With Experience In Steel Bluing Process?

[inotrym]

Hey guys,

 

I recently got as a gift a Parker Urban Premium Metallic Pink fountain pen. I really enjoy the greyish trimming that Parker chose for this version of the pen, even though I find quite disturbing the fact that the nib is plain steel and not plated. [same goes for the Premium matte black version that I had been eyeing for quite some time]

 

Anyway, I happened to lay the Urban next to a Lamy Studio Imperial Blue and then I thought about how the Studio would look in the same greyish trim. I searched online and found about a process called "bluing" that is supposed to oxidize steel and turn it into a grey/bluish grey or even black color.

 

Is anyone familiar with such a process? I am afraid I lack the dexterity for such a fine modification in my pen, so I would like to have some (detailed ) explanation of what I have to do, what I should be extra careful about, or [even better] where I can find someone to perform this modification for me.

 

Also, can I do the same thing to the nibs too? Or to gold plated steel? I was considering a Cross Century 2 fountain pen in black but unfortunately it only comes with GT. I would be thrilled if I could turn it into an all black stealthy pen.

 

 

Thanks in advance

[dcwaites]

As you said, bluing is an oxidising process and therefore really only works well on oxidisable plain steel and iron. It will not work well on stainless steel, and all modern 'steel' nibs are really stainless steel. You will have great difficulty bluing stainless steel, using either the traditional heat treatment method or chemical bluing. Don't forget that trying to blue your nib using heat will also destroy its temper and usefulness as a nib.

 

Gun shops usually keep bottles of chemical bluing in stock.

 

Finally, don't forget that almost all stainless steel nibs are chrome-plated, and won't take bluing at all.

[inotrym]

Thanks for your reply dcwaites!

 

Now that you mention it, indeed stainless steel is probably called stainless for a reason...

 

So I guess bluing won't work. I highly doubt that spray paint will do the trick, too.

 

My last hope is some type of plating, if such a thing is possible...

Edited April 29, 2015 by inotrym