Finish on Civil War C&B Revolvers

[Dan C]

What kind of finish would a Civil War era C&B revolver have had?

Any help on how to duplicate that finish would be appreciated as well.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Color case on some parts and rust blue on most of it. Depends on make and model.

 

[Stantheman86]

This high condition original looks to have strong remnants of a Charcoal blue?

I'm not sure but I would guess what's there is an original finish

There may have been different finishes such as the blue applied with Whale oil vs a "blacking " or rust blue?

 

[Coolhand]

That is a beautiful gun! I’d love to have that thing. Wish it could tell the story of its life.

 

[SDSmlf]

What kind of finish would a Civil War era C&B revolver have had?

Any help on how to duplicate that finish would be appreciated as well.

Pretty consistent color over the entire gun. You may want to vary the finish a bit to show a more natural wear pattern. One way is to apply cold blue then rub it back to create that worn or used look. Or a bit more involved you could rust blue then rub back. For an example here is a photograph I have posted before of an unmolested original 1858 that I own. Notice the uneven wear.

 

[maillemaker]

Historically-correct firearm finishes are an art and science that few practice anymore. I can't provide much help there other than to say that modern bluing is quite different from period bluing, and the mottled case hardening you see on original pieces is from actual carburization and heat treatment, not just a decorative finish as is the case with most modern arms today.

Now, if you are talking about how to make a gun look worn, that's another topic. I generally do not like "antiquing" guns. Though I did it to my Pietta 1860 Army after the finish got ruined on it after a massively rainy N-SSA Nationals one year. Of course, what you do with your own stuff is your own business, and it's not like these things are horribly expensive or irreplaceable.

You have to remember that 160 years ago the guns did not look 160 years old. They looked brand new.

But, if you want to do it, vinegar will strip modern bluing in minutes. Then you can add it back with cold bluing and wear it down with steel wool as desired.

Here's mine. As I said, I would never have done this if the finish wasn't ruined anyway.

 

[GYJ]

The larger blued parts would be charcoal blue. The smaller blued parts like the screws, trigger, etc., would be nitre blue. Obviously the frame, hammer and loading lever would be color cased. If you want one finished like an original, just send it to Turnbull.

Also worthy of note, what Uberti markets as "charcoal blue" is not. It is actually nitre blue, just over the whole gun. Real charcoal (carbona) bluing is not fragile, it's among the most durable of blued finishes.

The handful of USPFA percussion guns and cartridge conversions were finished like the originals.

 

[Stantheman86]

Historically-correct firearm finishes are an art and science that few practice anymore. I can't provide much help there other than to say that modern bluing is quite different from period bluing, and the mottled case hardening you see on original pieces is from actual carburization and heat treatment, not just a decorative finish as is the case with most modern arms today.

Now, if you are talking about how to make a gun look worn, that's another topic. I generally do not like "antiquing" guns. Though I did it to my Pietta 1860 Army after the finish got ruined on it after a massively rainy N-SSA Nationals one year. Of course, what you do with your own stuff is your own business, and it's not like these things are horribly expensive or irreplaceable.

You have to remember that 160 years ago the guns did not look 160 years old. They looked brand new.

But, if you want to do it, vinegar will strip modern bluing in minutes. Then you can add it back with cold bluing and wear it down with steel wool as desired.

Here's mine. As I said, I would never have done this if the finish wasn't ruined anyway.

View attachment 159887

As we know, Hard used guns will get old looking pretty quick, I'd imagine an 1860 Army issued in 1861 , spent the entire war in a holster, in the humidity, in the rain, being maintained once per Sunday by wiping the rust off ....would look pretty beat by 1865.

I didn't so much "antique" my Pietta brass frame Navies as just use vinegar to make them look like they spent a few years in the holster, and they came out great

 

[Brokenbear]

just saw this last week and have Zero knowledge of if it is real, how it will last or what kind of steel the demo was done on so make your own decisions

FYI the cold blue process is very thin and usually susceptible to rapid wear in constant contact areas

Bear

 

[Dan C]

Thanks for all the replies!

Already stripped 'em with vinegar, now need to get them done as I told the grandkids we'd have a BP day at the range. So I'll probably do a cold blue and rub. They are reproductions, so no problems with authenticity.

Again, 'preciate th' help!

 

[Pete453]

Dan, we like pics! I always enjoy pictures of aged guns, and that 1860 with correct finish is drool worthy!

 

[45D]

I gotta say, the " '51 Navy " in Stantheman86's photo he posted is the first I've seen with an upside down wedge necessitating a wedge screw below the wedge. Interesting . . .

Mike

 

[kh54]

This high condition original looks to have strong remnants of a Charcoal blue?

“High condition” indeed! And it’s serial No. 2. Purdy gun!

 

[Red Owl]

What kind of finish would a Civil War era C&B revolver have had?

Any help on how to duplicate that finish would be appreciated as well.

I think the first technique was a fire blue which wasn't much of a finish but gave a more blue color. This could quickly be worn away to plain metal that either stayed that way or darkened with time- like any old metal tool.

 

[GYJ]

Colt only used fire blue on small parts like screws and triggers.

 

[TDM]

Re posting some photos of a Pietta 1851 I recently finished going over. The revolver came with polymer grips which I replaced with a 1 piece grip I carved from Red Cedar. Stripped it with naval jelly, then refinished with Jax Black on the steel and Jax Brown on the brass. 0000 steel wool to blend.

 

[TDM]

One more.

 

[Pete453]

I gotta say, the " '51 Navy " in Stantheman86's photo he posted is the first I've seen with an upside down wedge necessitating a wedge screw below the wedge. Interesting . . .

Mike

Mike, i believe thars an early gun, i believe the very early guns are like that. I know where no. 27 is, ill have to ask him to look at it. I'll get back to you on that

 

[Red Owl]

Well, on the main parts, what was the finish? Charcoal blue? Is there way to obtain that for home use? I have an old Navy 36 and I may want to redo it if possible.

 

[TDM]

Well, on the main parts, what was the finish? Charcoal blue? Is there way to obtain that for home use? I have an old Navy 36 and I may want to redo it if possible.

Kibler's Jax black will give the closest color match out of the bottle than any I know of. You could call it a charcoal grey blue. And I believe its accurate to the factory finish of the War of Northern Aggression era. You can leave the Jax black finished untouched for a new look or blend it for a more in service look as I prefer.