Restoration

[Johnny Peppers]

Tom,

Don't know if you use one or not, but a Mini-Maglite will be your best friend at a gunshow. The high intensity bulb will literally shine right through the blue. I have yet to see any pistol at least 50 years old that the blue does not have oxidation and small blemishes in it. Little of the oxidation will show up under gunshow lighting, but the Mini-Mag will show it as well as sunlight. The gunshows are full of chemically stripped and reblued pistols, and these pistols have not had time to gather oxidation. Even if the pistol has had "wear" marks put on it, the metal under the blue will still be too clean. Beware of any collector grade pistol that does not have oxidation under the blue.