Re: Another case color casualty? Archived Message
Posted by Bill Hambidge on November 9, 2006, 6:18 am, in reply to "Re: Another case color casualty?"
Wes, the patina is the result of the colors from the case hardening wearing off. The colors are a by product of the case hardening process and every company had it's secret/proprietary method. L.C. Smith guns had more blues vice Parker that tended to the red/orange end of the color spectrum. Has to do with the amount of bone charcoal to wood charcoal in the "pack". The torch dude is Ed Good, the "Master Restorer" and IMHO ruination of many fine SxS's. Torch colors are what one gets from heating steel with an acetylene torch and as the heat increases the metal changes color as it heats up until the "end" point, dull grey, then it turns cherry red prior to melting. Obviously the heating ruins the temper of the steel. Regarding making the patina go away, well you can have the receiver re-case hardened, but that is a bit much unless you are completely restoring/upgrading/restocking your gun. Finally each time you case harden a receiver you run the risk of catastrophic failure from metal crystallization. Glad you have so many questions, suggest you get some books on SxS's and old doubles. Dr. BILL
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