Blackening rear and front sight

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gimgim
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:13 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

Blackening rear and front sight

Post by gimgim »

Is there any product that gives a good quality, (semi-)permanent result?
The trick I have learned 40 years ago was to burn the plastic from a box of ammo and smoke the sights.
I see that a carbide burner is being sold for this application (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZcdk1oEVc), but it seems too much work and not permanent.
Thanks
David M
Posts: 1687
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2004 6:43 pm

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by David M »

Try Black Party Hair spray, good matt black, holds well for a match, washs off with metho,
and $8-$12 a can.
Rover
Posts: 7059
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:20 pm
Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by Rover »

Best, easiest, cheapest…………..burn a twist of masking tape.
samg
Posts: 89
Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2017 8:15 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by samg »

Gimgim. I use a non permanent flat black marking pen. I have never used smoke so I can't give you a comparison.
seamaster
Posts: 645
Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:24 pm

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by seamaster »

Permanent black marker, quick light cigarette burnish
Rover
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Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by Rover »

You've all missed the acetylene "lighter" (BIC?) made for the sole purpose of smoking sights. Of course, it is illegal in the U.S. I guess you might burn yourself.
-TT-
Posts: 408
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:57 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by -TT- »

Rover wrote:You've all missed the acetylene "lighter" (BIC?) made for the sole purpose of smoking sights. Of course, it is illegal in the U.S. I guess you might burn yourself.
That's the carbide one - carbide releases acetylene when it comes in contact with water. This was how the early charlatans sold water as fuel for the Model T.

The army training manual describes this technique btw.
prowling
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:19 pm
Location: Greenville, SC, USA

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by prowling »

Yeah, I had one of those "sight lighters" years ago when I shot bullseye ... Are they actually illegal in the 'States? (Not that that would come as a surprise or anything ...)
David Levene
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Location: Ruislip, UK

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by David Levene »

-TT- wrote:
Rover wrote:You've all missed the acetylene "lighter" (BIC?) made for the sole purpose of smoking sights. Of course, it is illegal in the U.S. I guess you might burn yourself.
That's the carbide one - carbide releases acetylene when it comes in contact with water.
That sounds more like the "Gunsmoke" device where you place carbide into a container, add water and then place a top on the container with a nozzle in it.

What I believe Rover was talking about was the "BIC" style of lighter which looks just like a disposable cigarette lighter. You only have to flick it just like you would a normal lighter.

https://www.schiesssport-buinger.de/sho ... LACK-MATCH (other styles are available)
jstaylor62
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 8:49 am

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by jstaylor62 »

Carbide smoker from Ray-Vin is excellent! But it's not the semi-permanent solution you're looking for. But I prefer a fresh sight blackening each range trip or event.

https://www.ray-vin.com/tools/smoker.htm
Rover
Posts: 7059
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:20 pm
Location: Idaho panhandle

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by Rover »

I had a couple of the carbide type smokers. Useless, filthy pieces of crap. The masking tape is far better.
dulcmr-man
Posts: 292
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:07 pm
Location: Prescott, AZ

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by dulcmr-man »

I use Birchwood Casey Sight Black, an aerosol spray product in a small can. It's very non-reflective and deep black. Unfortunately it's also messy. It's non-permanent, smudges off at the slightest touch, and, because it's an aerosol spray, you can never blacken JUST your sights. You will almost always also blacken the front of your piece around the front sight and the area surrounding the rear sight.
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gimgim
Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:13 pm
Location: Bay Area, CA

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by gimgim »

Thank you for all the suggestions. I tried today with a black marker and the results were good enough to cover the shiny edges.

Rover: I tried burning white masking tape (I assume you don't mean duct tape) in my garage, and it works well, thanks. The range is an open sport park though, and I don't know if there is a safe place where I can burn the tape.

The BIC typo acetylene lighter looks very cool. I wonder if I can recharge a regular lighter with acetylene, but from what I read, it's not trivial (acetylene cylinders are filled with porous mass and a solvent, not just pressurized gas).
spektr
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Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by spektr »

-TT-
Posts: 408
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 10:57 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by -TT- »

gimgim wrote:(acetylene cylinders are filled with porous mass and a solvent, not just pressurized gas).
Right. Welding tanks are typically filled with brass wool or similar material. Acetylene is unstable and can explode if its container is jarred. Don't mess with it.
TonyT
Posts: 267
Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2004 6:50 am
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by TonyT »

Rover wrote:You've all missed the acetylene "lighter" (BIC?) made for the sole purpose of smoking sights. Of course, it is illegal in the U.S. I guess you might burn yourself.
In the 1950's we used those carbide devices. I believe they were carbide lamps. I have not seen them for many decades.
David Levene
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:49 pm
Location: Ruislip, UK

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by David Levene »

Another option that I used for a while was a Zippo lighter with some oil added to the lighter fuel.
j danielsson
Posts: 158
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:31 am

Re: Blackening rear and front sight

Post by j danielsson »

I used a zippo lighter with 2-stroke mix.
Regular gasoline works too.
Beeing older and lazier l just use a cigarette lighter, but then l prefer a frenchmade Bic. Recently l have come across spanish made Bics. They are useless.
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