Finish Question
I'm looking at a Colt revolver trade that has a re-finish that the owner does'nt know what it is and I certainly don't. It has the looks of a matt black when indoors but outside in the natural light it has a olive drab color. Is this parkerizing ?? does'nt seem to wash off with any type solvents/removers we tried ?? has no pitting/rust at all, roll marks are very clear/clean so I don't think it is a paint type finish. Pistol is in very good condition, has a super nice trigger pull, just curious as to what the finish might be and if it could be re-blued. Might leave as is, not sure. Thanks for any help.
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Years ago there was a short running fad for putting a aftermarket teflon finish on guns. It kind of fell by the wayside, I'm not sure why? Perhaps the teflon finish wasn't as durable as hoped? 0 -
If it is teflon can it be removed ? Is there a test/way to tell if its teflon ? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Junkballer
If it is teflon can it be removed ? Is there a test/way to tell if its teflon ?
I believe it can be vapor blasted off with plastic beads. Leaving a mat finish.
If the Colt looks descent, I would consider just leaving the finnish alone. Getting it blued is just going to cost you more money, that you will never recover. Your going to have to pay a experienced refinisher to put a high polish finish on the revolver, after the Teflon is blasted off.0 -
Show us a picture. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by nunn
Show us a picture.
Unable to post one, the color change from black to OD really has me/others scatching our heads. Thanks for the suggestion rufe-snow [;)]0 -
Teflon is teflon. . .it will feel slick/slippery and a tiny bit soft to the touch. Teflon is also a highly chemical resistant coating. . .I find it hard to believe that it would change color with time.
On the other hand, Parkerization most definitely CAN turn a sort of olive green.
Some people actually like that look (its kind of reminiscent of WWI or WWII vintage guns), and deliberately try to do it. Supposedly, the cause of the color change was the parkerizing reacting with leftover cosmoline on the guns, and you can mimic this effect by adding some oil when doing the park job.
I can easily see someone wanting to make an old Colt revolver look like this. Here's an example on an M1 Garand:
Edit:
On refinish, I agree with Rufe.
Although heat and chemical resistant, Teflon is relatively soft and should be able to be blasted off (though I kind of doubt that's what you have). Parkerization can also be blasted off, and it can also be removed with certain specialty solvents.
Either way, a proper refinish is going to be expensive. If you want that "beautiful" shiny black blued finish, the gun will have to be polished before rebluing, and that's a pretty labor intensive (ie expensive) job, potentially costing as much as the entire value of the gun.
IMO, there is zero point in blasting off a nice OD Parkerized finish just to put on a new black one.
So, I'd say if you can live with the current finish, do so. If you can't, you may find it cheaper to just find one with the finish you like, buy it, then sell this one to offset the cost.0 -
Thanks, I do think its parked from the green tint showing, think I'll keep it, I can see where less maintainence is a good thing [:)] 0 -
I preferred the green Parkerized finish on Army 1911A1s, Carbines and M1 Garands.
Second to my liking was a light gray Parkerizing.
At that time (53-54) I was unaware most were all refinished post WW2.0 -
Manganese phosphate parkerizing does tend to impart a 'green' finish.
Zinc phosphate parkerizing tends to look various shades of gray.
Charles.0
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