Touch up case harding finish?

[Shooter6br]

I have a Pedersoli Rolling block in 45-70(Traditional model) Is has a case harden finish on the frame. It is wearing off. Is there anyway I can restore it? Thanks Rick

[waksupi]

Sorry, Rick. That is the fate of case hardening. It fades in any sunlight, and is a short lived thing. UV is it's enemy. The old originals you see with the nice casehardening, seldom saw the outside of a rifle case. You can call Doug Turnbull, he can recolor it, but it will be the same story after a period of time.
I would suggest, don't worry about it. Campaign the rifle, and let it prove itself. If someday it is time to retire it to a place of honor, then do the color.

[Shooter6br]

Thanks for the info Rick

[dubber123]

Waksupi has it right, a while back I picked up an old Stevens 25-20SS. I showed it to a collector of old rifles, and he looked at the case hardening, and said "this gun has been in the dark somewhere". The old woman I bought it off said she could remember back 60 years, and never knew the gun was in her fathers house. It spent it's whole life in a closet. The colors looked like a new gun.

[Stevejet]

When the color of the "case hardening" is almost or entirely gone, you could have it "color cased" like most of the Colt clones, Beretta Stampedes or Ruger Vaquero's. The original surface will retain it "case hardened" properties from the original heat treatment anyway. So you can cosmetically "jazz it up later" if you feel so inclined.

[waksupi]

Something to keep in mind, if you have a reciever color case hardened. The metal is generally taken to a high temperature, and then quenched. It is possible for the reciever to crack, or change dimensions, ie, twist, to a certain degree.
Turnbull does have a low temperature process that will help prevent these problems. I'd suggest contacting him with any questions. I believe he charges around $150 for the process.

[AkMike]

The color is a side note to the mail purpose.. It's mainly to harden the steels. Even with the colors gone the steel is hard for those first few thousandn'ths.

[G. Blessing]

Could always have it blued too, after it all fades... As long as it ain't like my winchester and got made from funny steel...

There is a thought; the finishes that are a visual only, like mentioned, the Beretta Stampedes, will that fade the same way? IE in light exposure?

G.

[EDK]

The black powder rifle manufacturers have a finish called "FRENCH GREY:" It is case hardening that has the colors buffed off. They also do "ANTIQUE FINISH" which is what you have...and you saved some yankee dollars by doing it yourself!

I'd re-color the receiver if it was a "SAFE QUEEN;" Otherwise, your gun shows the marks of honest use to the people who know about these things. I have several Ruger VAQUEROS whose fake color case hardening is fading quickly. When it bothers me too much, I'll have them completely blued or parkerized....I don't know of anyone using any of the high tech painted finishes on revolvers.

:Fire::cbpour::redneck:

[PatMarlin]

My Grandmother kept her dads 38 Long Colt in a sock in a drawer for 80 years, and when I got it the case hardening was beautiful, except for the lines the sock weave put across it.. :roll:

[Lloyd Smale]

no way to get the yellows and reds back but a dap of cold blue hear and there will add some of the blue back

[Shotgun Luckey]

I think it looks great like it is, but it is YOUR gun.

[JSnover]

Any thoughts on how to protect it from fingerprint rust? What would you NOT use on case-hardened finishes? Most of mine are either blued or so much of the finish is gone it's not worth worrying about but I just got one back from the shop (will post pics soon) and I'd like to preserve the colors.

[Frank46]

Think the british used a laquer (spelling?) coating as a protective finish designed to prevent the case colors from wearing/fadeing. Might want to do a post on the nitroexpress.com website and see what they say. Frank

[gnoahhh]

Clear lacquer was used by all of the major double gun builders here and abroad, as well as Savage on their color casehardened levers. If yours never had it, now would be a good time to apply a coat. It dries really thin and is barely noticeable if done right.

Degradation from light is only one way for CC's to fade. Handling will do it too, and probably quicker i believe. Clear lacquer will slow down the inevitable.

[JSnover]

Thanks! It is new and I thought about coating it with laquer or wax to keep the paw prints off the metal.