Coot Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Any negatives of doing this? Say a person didn't like the bluing on thier gun and wanted a more natural look. Are there any big negatives or things to look out for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major E A Sterner #12916 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Rust 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 (edited) I've bought 3 Colt SAAs at about $1,000 or more under what they would have cost if they had most of their original finish. Clones probably not loosing as much value. After Spring Creek Armory restored it. Edited January 4 by Warden Callaway 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coot Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 7 minutes ago, Major E A Sterner #12916 said: Rust So just extra cleaning needed then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 RUST Rust NEVER Sleeps. "Natural" finish for most hand guns is Blue or Nickel. Bare steel is . . . badly cared for. Except for Stainless. Added: No, not "extra" cleaning, but a constant light coating of Oil or other Rust Preventative. And even at that, RUST will still sneak up onya. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coot Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said: I've bought 3 Colt SAAs at about $1,000 or more under what they would have cost if they had most of their original finish. Clones probably not loosing as much value. Where I'm at is I bought a ruger vaquero I plan to shoot, carry etc. I wanna pass it down one day to my son. So resale I'm not worried about. I really just wanted to make sure I wouldn't mess up my gun by removing it. I like the natural look and if the only catch is making sure its oiled good I have that covered. Ofc maybe I should test this on my cheaper single action first lol. Beautiful gun you have there by the way! Edited January 4 by Coot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 (edited) Wax. Renaissance wax. Edited January 4 by Warden Callaway 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oak Ridge Regulator Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I had a pair of ruger Vaqueros “antiqued” so they look very well worn and old but they are not, afterwards I rubbed in a good coat of renaissance wax on every part that had the bluing removed and then If I shoot them in rain or very damp weather I put a light coat of oil on afterwards. At the end of the season I do a deep cleaning and a rewax. Not any real problems with rust. Antiqued ruger in the middle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 There will be those that look at that as trying to make it into something it's not. Rust is hard enough to prevent when a firearm has all of its' original finish. Bare steel is not an original finish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Friend Bill Fuchs at Spring Creek Armory told of restoring a SAA for a customer. The customer wanted him to "knock it back 10%". That is I take wearing the finish off sharp edges and some holster wear, etc. I got the impression he really didn't want to do it. I figure a little wear is going to show up with use anyway. Got this old first generation SAA that got its wear from years of hard use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Does anybody like to keep what they have not known to social media???? Oy... Phantom 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 2 hours ago, Warden Callaway said: Resistance wax. Ouch, another bite by the auto-correction software. Think it's Renaissance Wax. Used by large museums to protect firearms. Those in LA have to ask what happens to steel with no protection from rust? If you want a beat up look, just leave them outdoors between matches this winter. good luck, GJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I foresee 30 years from now the son will want to have the gun refinished back to how dear old dad bought it originally because that's how dad would have wanted it. 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Removing the bluing on a brand new firearm to give it a "natural" look...in the Louisiana heat and humidity? Shouldn't take long to get a "natural" look in that climate...surface rust is a natural look I guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee River Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Boeshield T-9 is a good protectant for what you want to do. Developed for aerospace applications, it leaves a microscopic layer of paraffin wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend P. Babcock Chase Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Howdy Coot, I won't weigh in on the propriety of removing the bluing on a new (or any) gun. There are commercially available bluing removers; however, plain old vinegar will take bluing off pretty effectively (don't ask me how I know). Rev. Chase 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 i will , id not do it , natural wear from carry woulds look best , but if you must flitz will take it off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend P. Babcock Chase Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Howdy Watab and others, I don't know about flitz removing bluing, but I used it on my matte black finished USFA Rodeos (long before I saw the eye watering prices they are now going for). that smoothed and shined the surfaces to a nice grey patina. They don't look abused like some of the "original' finishes that are being offered, but addressed the offensive (in my opinion) "black gun" matte look. Rev. Chase 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tequila Shooter Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 I’ve got a pair of ROAs that have had years of use and the blueing is gone in all the wear areas. Living in south MS, I can say that rust is always present. I always wipe them down with Kroil and it does a decent job, but I still find little spots. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m thinking of getting them hard chromed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Rev could you post a pic please ? or two ?? and Thank you !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend P. Babcock Chase Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Howdy Dutch, I'll try to get something up in the next day. Frankly I haven't had much luck putting photos up on this sight. You'll either see the guns or a report of my travails . Rev. Chase 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coot Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 Well ill say this. Whichever i gun remove the bluing from wont be to impress or fool anyone its something its not. Nor do I care. I just enjoy the aged look. After all your opinions though I think I may try this on a stoeger vs doing it to my brand new vaquero. Definitely something I wanna do though. Thanks again fellas, great input as always! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 back to add a "little known fact" as norm might have heard it from across the bar , spider webs , collect them up , they will remove it as a wear pattern/aging process , not sure what it is about them , i just know they will do it , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Good shooting buddy Lonesome Ryder showed me his 1860 Armys with cylinders that had no finish. He accidentally put them in his case wash that had vinegar in the mix. He later stripped the finish off both guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend P. Babcock Chase Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Sorry Dutch, I don't seem to be able to get photos of my six-guns off my phone. I'll keep trying but will probably have to start a new topic by the time I succeed, if ever. Rev. Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Its a pain but I select them on the phone and email to myself Then from the email I move them to my desktop and the I can post them as any normal pic. anybody know an easier way?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend P. Babcock Chase Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Thanx Dutch, That's what I have done in the past, but for some reason now it doesn't work. Maybe if you PM me your phone number I could text them to you. Rev. Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 On 1/4/2024 at 10:59 AM, Coot said: Any negatives of doing this? Say a person didn't like the bluing on thier gun and wanted a more natural look. Are there any big negatives or things to look out for? Do you mean a "worn" or aged look? Or no bluing at all? You can use any of the above mentioned techniques for aging or antiquing a firearm; if you want no bluing at all, I'd talk to a plater about having the gun hard-chromed or other such finishes. This will keep the steel protected from rusting and some of the finishes actually look pretty good on a sixgun. https://hcsplating.com/firearm-plating/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooting Bull Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 My rifles are from Taylor's and are what's called "in the white". It's my understanding that they were blued at the factory and then the outermost layer of bluing was polished off. This gives them the look of stainless but still provides the protection of bluing. I see no reason that wouldn't hold true for your pistols. Taylor's 1873 in the white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mean gun mark Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 you can put it into an ultrasonic cleaner with the brass cleaner formulation. My Uberti evil Roy literally liquified and ran off as soon as i pulled it out, oops! but it actually cleaned up and had a nice, antiqued look to it. Enough so that i went ahead and did it to its twin also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabaquero Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Howdy all! I “antiqued” a Uberti 1860 Army I had. I removed the blued parts (barrel and cylinder) and wrapped them in paper towels soaked with white vinegar. After a few minutes the bluing was removed and left behind a faded mottled pattern. I thoroughly rinsed the parts with water, dried them well and gave them a good coating of Ballistol. I’ve never had any rust issues so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunger Dan Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 I did two Ubertis....Vinegar then pretty sloppy cold reblue..(somewhere online theres an article on how to do this) which leaves slight blue (or plum blue) in crevices'..Even shooting dirty re-enactor black powder-washing them off in water...then just wiping down with ballistol and putting away, Ive not had a single rust problem. NC humidity here-coastal....one lives in a safe with no humidity control and the other lives under a hat in my shop high up on a shelf... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackalope Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I have a PDF describing Longshot Logan's (RIP) method of "antiquing" if anyone wants it. He describes two methods, one which just removes blueing and the other uses Birchwood Casey Perma Blue and Plum Browning to prevent rust. The second method results in what appears very similar to the Cimarron Original Finish. Jackalope 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 I don't have a desire to remove the finish on any of my guns. Many were distressed enough naturally. But I'm seeing a trend with custom car restorers to restore a car then make it look old and rusty. Like seeing 40 something wearing tight blue jeans with ripped up holes in them. Like showing your cellulite is sexy. My granddaughters thinks it's funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rough 'N Ready Rob Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 On 1/4/2024 at 3:09 PM, Cholla said: I foresee 30 years from now the son will want to have the gun refinished back to how dear old dad bought it originally because that's how dad would have wanted it. Been there done that, Mod 11 Rem. and 99 Savage, live and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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