The Semi-chrome test

[Navy]

All,

There is an almost infallible test to determine if a finish is new or old.
Note: I did NOT say original.

Very simply stated, the test relies on the fact that oxidation occurs to blued steel no matter what is done in the area of preserving it, short of total immersion in an anerobic environment (No O2).

Based on this, one can assume that there will be residue from oxidation that will happen in the course of time. In the case of well preserved, well maintained guns, the oxidation will be less, almost sub-microscopic, but it will be present none the less.

In the case of boosted and improved guns, the oxidation will have largely disappeared as the old finish (the vehicle containing the oxidation) has been removed. In the case of original guns or guns with very old refinishes, the oxidation will be present but probably not visible to the naked eye and difficult to pick up via loupe.

So, the solution is to swab the surface with a dab of Semi-chrome metal polish on a Q-tip.

This simple test will pick up reddish-brown traces of oxidation immediately and is a pretty good indicator of an original or at least period finish.

Yes, there are degrees of oxidation and depths of color that reveal far more than this, but as a quick and dirty acid test, this works pretty good.

If a seller won't let you pop the grips and do a small swab test, shine him on.

My zwei pfennigs,

Tom A.
to cs..soon

Soooo, the task of the collector in determining originality of the finish is to determine if surface oxidation