Thermal Bluing Steel Watch Hands

Flame bluing, also known as heat bluing or thermal bluing, is a traditional watchmaking technique for treating steel parts, such as hands and screws. Nowadays, these hands and screws can be industrially blued by heating them in an oven en masse or through chemical means. That's no fun. In this video, I'll show you how to blue a set of steel watch hands step by step with a naked flame - the way it's been done traditionally.

(Of course if we have to be historically accurate, we'd be using an alcohol lamp - but a gas torch is more convenient and doesn't affect our appreciation of flame bluing)

Bluing is a delicate process influenced by many factors. We'll go through each factor and detail what to do and what to avoid. By the end of this video, you should be well equipped to heat blue your own set of blue hands.

P.S. The exact temperature for bluing depends on the steel alloy composition. The chart shown in the video is based on the steel hands included in our kit. If you're bluing something else, the temperature needed may be different.

Key content timestamps:
▶ 00:00 - Introduction
▶ 00:31 - What is flame bluing
▶ 02:08 - Setup
▶ 03:14 - Preliminary practice: applying heat evenly
▶ 03:58 - Hand Preparation part 1: surface finish
▶ 04:30 - Hand Preparation part 2: hygiene
▶ 05:13 - Heating
▶ 08:34 - Creative use of flame bluing

Watchmaking tools/equipment required for this video:

Related videos:

Join us to explore the possibilities of at-home watchmaking! We are working on everything from assembling/modding watches, regulating movements, and even bluing your own steel watch hands at home!

Happy watchmaking!

[jwoodyr]

Why not space all three hands closely together and blue them at the same time? If you heat slowly, wouldn't that pretty much guarantee the same color for all? Thanks!

[regflori]

I really appreciate that DIYWC posts all these to the public and doesn't have them on unlisted or something like that to only share it with customers.

[brandongouge]

I absolutely love the level of detail in this content. Very well done and I appreciate all the knowledge!

[waynecoolkid]

Really, really good video, held my attention from start to the end. No obnoxious music, simple cuts/editing, straight to the point without skimping on essential information (and what-not-to-dos). Subbed!

[TheSupertecnology]

I feel like bluing certain hands of my entire collection. Specially those watches with a nice contrasting background that have golden hands. The color combination would look amazing.

[tomasinacovell]

Oh I love this process, it seems so much better then the sand.

[ErvinSalma]

Fantastic, great and helpful video! Thnx!

[gunnerman]

Didn't know i wanted to know that but found i did as i love watches and all that goes with it. It was educational 😮😊

[marcn]

Super video. Thanks very much. And best wishes from Singapore 🇸🇬 ☀️

[asherperlmuter]

Just came across your channel and watched every video. Great stuff!! Looking forward to the next

[dizwilliams]

Wonderful instructions. Couldn't be bettered. Just one question, should the finished hands be oiled to prevent any later corrosion?

[bobklumpp]

Hi, Thanks for the video. It's excellent! Question, what did you use to hold the hand while you cleaned it with the Dremel tool? Thanks.

[toaofdarkness]

Great video. Would like to see more content Leone this. This is a quality product.

[PpaStrmpf]

You make it all look simple. Nice tutorial. Wow.

[TeslaAtoms]

Amazing! Which kind of camera equipment are you using?

[artkingofwholefoods]

You guys are the BEST. Great video! 👏🏼

[steveshaw]

Very interesting video, thank you for sharing :)

[caleb]

Could you show this technique being used for bezels? Would like to color change a bezel to a bronze/brass-like finish

[lophixarts]

Works for stainless steel or steel only?

[neilmartin]

If you can blue hands and screws, can you blue bridges in the same ways? Or even the rotor?