Original finishes

[Tom Snyder]

A customer brought a VH grade Parker into my shop that had been "restored", complete with the sand paper marks under the finish and a buffed receiver that was cyanide colored. That's not to mention the fact that the "restorer" did something to it such that the action wouldn't open and he had warned the owner that the stock was a bit fragile. When I got the stock off there were multiple pieces of loose wood in the receiver, one sear doesn't work, the triggers don't pivot freely, etc. You've got the picture.

While I can't do anything about the fact that the receiver was buffed, I can do something about the cyanide coloring by having it pack hardened. My question regards what parts of the action were original case hardened vs. charcoal blued. As the gun has come in everything has been case colored, triggers, break lever, triggerguard, safety, all forearm parts, etc. Would someone enlighten me on what the original finishes were on these pieces?

The "restorer" had also recut the checkering, fortunately he didn't mess it up too badly but he didn't carefully point up the diamonds. Were the diamonds originally carefully pointed up or were some of the tops a fit flat?

Some answers would be greatly appreciated!

Tom

[Dean Romig]

The trigger guard and screws were nitre blued; the forend iron, forend tip and all forend screws were color case hardened as was the frame, top lever, safety slide and I think, cosmetically, that's it with the exception of the triggers, which I'm not sure of on a VH.

[Chuck Heald]

I would have the frame annealed and sent to to a known man that has a proven record of good filing skill. Have him file up the receiver and have a good engraver touch up the factory border and logo.

[Doug Precourt]

Mr. Dean Romig,
You outlined in this thread what parts are niter blued and what parts are color case hardened on a VH Parker.

“The trigger guard and screws were nitre blued; the forend iron, forend tip and all forend screws were color case hardened as was the frame, top lever, safety slide and I think, cosmetically, that's it with the exception of the triggers, which I'm not sure of on a VH.”

I am restoring my VH grade from 1914 and was wondering if these specifics are the same for my gun too. The reason I ask is that I have restored several other SxS guns (LC Smith, AH Fox, Remington and Ithaca) and each of them had significant changes in these finishes at different times of their history. Just wanted to confirm if this is correct for this period.
Thanks

- Doug

PS. By the way I am assuming that the triggers were niter blued.

[Dean Romig]

Doug, I can’t really speak to any particular nuances in metal finish as they might pertain to a 1914 produced VH but as far as I know, on a VH there was a standard that was adhered to regarding the finishing methods.

Others may join in with any evidence they may have to the contrary.






.

[Brian Dudley]

On a VH, The trigger guard (and its screw or screws), the triggers and the safety button are nitre blued.

Every other part and screw are case hardened. That includes buttplate and grip cap screws.

You have a real doozy there. It sounds like another one that I am making right now. It was butchered up real bad by a shop that considers themselves “Masters”. Hardly.

[Doug Precourt]

Thank you Brian,
Actually, the first couple of posts in this thread are from 2010 for another person. I was trying to determine which finishes are done on each part and did a search on the website and found it. That said, you appear to say something interesting above about the buttplate and grip cap screws being case color hardened. I wouldn’t have expected that.

As an aside, Brian, this is the same VH grade 12 bore gun where you repaired a tang crack, hiding the pin in the checkering and then refinished the the stock and the for-end wood. When you had the gun apart you found that there was a lot of internal rust due to an ancient duck hunting pond dip by the original owner - you cleaned and lubricated it for me. Barrels are now nicely blued, so next steps are to do the niter bluing of parts and possible case color hardening of other parts. Thanks
- Doug

[Brian Dudley]

I did not notice the date on the original post.

Yes, the buttplate and grip cap screws are case hardened. This usually does not show on used guns as they wear easily. But they are hardened. Skeleton buttplates and their screws are nitre blued.