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Positive proof of re-blue available??

GunHawke
From the sunny south [8D],

Thanks for your help yesterday! Today I have a question that we all must run up against at one time or another....and that is; Is the gun re-blued or not??? I am GunHawk with my auctions on GunBroker and I work at the gun shop of MACHONYA, a prolific seller also on GunBroker. We have both sold guns and been questioned over the years about wether or not a particular gun is a re-blue. Aside from very obvious telltale clues to a re-blue...is there a "pen" like for testing counterfeit money that I can test a gun for a re-blue, be it a great job or not??

I tell my buyers I cannot find re-blue evidence but I have no way to swear this to be true. Any help???

Thanks again,
Jim
GunHawk
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • GuvamintCheese
    When John Kay used to reblue (rust) Winchesters, it could fool anyone. I would guess that there are still reblue jobs that can never be distinguished from factory, especially if they intentionally age it afterwards. You have to look at the wood also.

    If there were some type of instrument that could verify a reblue, I think we would have seen it by now.
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  • glabray
    There are a couple of guys who can do a reblue that is indistinguishable from factory but most leave telltale signs including at least some of the following: (1) Dished screw head holes, (2)Blue over pitting, (3)Wrong color for the make, model, and/or age of the gun, (4)Nonuniform or streaky appearance, (5)Blue on parts the factory did not blue, (6)Markings thin from over polishing. Most reblues are accompanied by a refinish of the wood which is usually easily detected. If the wood has been redone, and the metal looks "too good" chances are it is a reblue.
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  • 11b6r
    The guys have about summed it up. The giveaway is usually not the bluing itself, but the work done on the metal- polishing, screwholes, lettering, edges rounded over but still well blued, etc. Surfaces may be dished from drawfiling to remove pits, etc. World of difference between a professional restoration and a reblue.
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  • nmyers
    So, the bottom line is, "NO".

    This is a problem all of us have. The best anyone can do is post numerous high quality photos of the gun, & let potential buyers decide for themselves. The only times I state "original finish" is when I bought the gun myself new from a distributor, or when it is a model gun with which I am very familiar.

    Neal
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  • GuvamintCheese
    If it is done so well that no one can detect it, who cares? [8D]
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  • givette
    GunHawke: put your auction listing (by seller) into your sig line. It will show all you have for sale under one heading. Just a thought. Best, Joe
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