wooden grips

Johnny Peppers · 08-21-2001, 05:03 PM

The blue color you refer to as coming from heating the metal is just a step above the strawing process, but as with the strawing process does not produce a durable finish.

The Colt process first used coal fired ovens in which a grate was covered with ground charcoal and bone to a depth of three feet. The charcoal was brought to a smolder, and after the parts had been thoroughly cleaned they were placed in the smoldering charcoal. After approximately two or three minutes the parts were withdrawn and rubbed down with a handful of oakum and whiting powder. This process was repeated until the desired color was obtained. While this was a beautiful glistening finish, the finish wore off quickly. The military pistols were then given a rougher finish before the blueing process in an attempt to make the blue finish more durable.

In 1918 Colt changed the process to the gas fired oven that produced the blue through the vaporization process I described earlier.

The earlier process is described in the Colt Collection, Connecticut State Library, RG 103.

08-21-2001, 05:03 PM	#6
Johnny Peppers User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Calion, Arkansas Posts: 1,042 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: COLT blue, sorry but I have to disagree!!! The blue color you refer to as coming from heating the metal is just a step above the strawing process, but as with the strawing process does not produce a durable finish. The Colt process first used coal fired ovens in which a grate was covered with ground charcoal and bone to a depth of three feet. The charcoal was brought to a smolder, and after the parts had been thoroughly cleaned they were placed in the smoldering charcoal. After approximately two or three minutes the parts were withdrawn and rubbed down with a handful of oakum and whiting powder. This process was repeated until the desired color was obtained. While this was a beautiful glistening finish, the finish wore off quickly. The military pistols were then given a rougher finish before the blueing process in an attempt to make the blue finish more durable. In 1918 Colt changed the process to the gas fired oven that produced the blue through the vaporization process I described earlier. The earlier process is described in the Colt Collection, Connecticut State Library, RG 103.