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Posted By: dav1 Colour Case Hardening - 08/24/10 04:55 PM
Can anybody point me in the right direction to get info. about this subject please??
Temps , times and so on??
Posted By: ed good Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/24/10 08:33 PM
yeah! dont do it!
Posted By: bill schodlatz Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 01:36 AM
Research the old Double Gun issues for articles by Oscar Gaddy. He has put many people in the color case business. I just wish I had a copy of the DVD that Kreighoff made in his shop.
bill
Posted By: Kensal Rise Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 02:02 AM
Dav:
Unless you are considering the re-case of a boat anchor, please don't consider subjecting even the most prosaic English gun to any experimental case work. Much wiser to send it off to the professionals. Or betteer yet... not do it at all. which, for the most part, is generally preferable.

Best, Kensal
Posted By: Rocketman Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 03:09 AM
Contact Brownell's Gunsmithing Supply. Read the mentioned articles by Dr. Gaddy. Not to be pedantic, but CCH is a lot more complex and difficult than bluing/blacking or browning. It can be learned, but you are very unlikely to be able to simply replicate some textbook process. You will need to develop your own process due to variations in temperatures, times, and materials. Unfortunately, there is a big up-front investment to even start experimenting.
Posted By: Oldmodel70 Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 04:45 AM
Don't let 'em scare you off Dav....... Everything from the cheapest Colt clone cowboy sixshooter, up through the Italian replica rolling blocks, and 1885s, umm, S&W classics, Turnbull 86s....... Almost every brand of doublegun from the lowliest Baikal and Brazils and CZs, up through Tony's A 10........ They're all doing case color. It can't be that hard.
Grant.
Posted By: keith Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 04:55 AM
Originally Posted By: Oldmodel70
Don't let 'em scare you off Dav....... It can't be that hard.
Grant.


Yeah, Master gunsmith Ed Lander does it with a Bic Lighter.
Posted By: Harry Eales Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 09:07 AM
Originally Posted By: dav1
Can anybody point me in the right direction to get info. about this subject please??
Temps , times and so on??


Dav1,

If you go here :- http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3732

you will find out all the information you need, There's 21 pages in this thread and many pictures. Also details of how it's done and the temperatures involved. The latter are lower than those the late Oscar Gaddy used and the results are better, than Gaddy got.

Take your time and absorb the info. You may have to sign up to the Forum, but it's free and only takes a couple of minutes. There's no better info on the www.

Harry
Posted By: PeteM Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 11:10 AM
There have been many discussions here on the topic.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=111966&page=1

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=196499&page=1


Pete
Posted By: sxsman1 Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 11:40 AM
I saved this article on case coloring a while back, you may find it interesting. Pete

To collectors and others who appreciate fine firearms, especially double shotguns and rifles, it is always exciting to see high-quality guns with pristine, or near pristine, case-hardening colors remaining intact. We are fortunate to see numerous photographs of these in every issue of this publication. Indeed, the percentage of remaining case colors is a major yardstick used in the determination of degree of original condition for firearms that were originally finished in this manner. I am, of course, referring only to bone charcoal color case-hardening as utilized by the craftsmen of the 19th and early 20th century and a small handful of purists today, and not the fairly recent cyanide pr
Posted By: keith Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/25/10 05:35 PM
There was a Nichols and Lefever hammer gun on one of the internet sites very recently. The pics weren't the best but you could tell the gun had patina barrels, worn checkering, dents and little stock finish... and a brilliant vibrant new case color job on the receiver. The colors looked great, but very much out of place. I'd have preferred to see this nearly 140 year old piece with a patina or very faded case receiver. In this case (no pun intended) the new case colors probably reduced the value of the gun.
Posted By: Ballistix999 Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/26/10 09:04 AM
If you want to invest the time and money it can be done. You can browse my blog posts for free where I've posted my processes and results. I love the challenge and if you are keen I thoroughly recommend it to you. There is no better feeling dipping your hands in the quench bath an pulling out a nicely coloured part but be ready for problems if you don't get it right. For me it's that risk that makes it exciting for me! Try my blog at http://www.vintageshotgun.com

Best
TT
Posted By: 2-piper Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/26/10 11:56 AM
Quote:
If you want to invest the time and money it can be done.

That line is Very Important. One needs to insure they either do it (or have it done) Right, or Don't do it at all. Be certain the process used not only re-colors, but also re-hardens, the parts. If not live with what colors you have, or don't have, the original hard case was not lost, only the colors.
There are several outfits who have done much research into this & can do a good job.

I am a great one for Doing it Myself, but this is not a job for a DIY'er unless you are willing to do a lot of investigating & a considerable outlay of cash for the start-up. From a previous thread on this subject a few weeks back it appears that B'999 has done his study well & had some good help. You would likely do well to listen to what he has to say on the subject.
Posted By: Ballistix999 Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/27/10 06:17 PM
I've just put bag loads of research in and pant filling trials. Happy to help anyone with my understanding of how to do things or not..there are plenty of cleverer people than me out there and on these forums. PA24 being one very clever bod who has done more than me...but just shout or email/private message me if you want any views/feedback.

Cheers
T
Posted By: Franc Otte Re: Colour Case Hardening - 08/28/10 02:41 AM
I just love it when people like Mr Ken Rise answer a Q with such
authority...what the hell does he know what this guy Dav from Oz wants to do with the info he gets from people who actually know how to do it?
I'm sure he's going to stick his H&H in the oven wrapped in piss soaked newspaper, right?
How did the guys who do it well learn?
It wasn't from a non answer like yours Ken, that's for sure.
It's his hunk of metal, leave him alone.
I find it a fascinating subject too, & would love to mess around with it.
Good luck Dav
Franc
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