Typical Rates ?

[CraigThompson]

What are the typical rates for having a action etc cleaned and recased in a way that would look close to original ?

What is the typical rate to have the damascus cleaned up so one is able to see the entire apttern again ?

[Chuck Heald]

You can call some of these contacts.

This first one is a heat treating outfit speciallizing in color casehardening only. He will not do the prep work.

Color Case CO Inc 14435 Unity Road
New Springfield, OH 44443-9737
(330) 542-2062

Doug Turnbull Restorations is a full service, high end restoration gunsmith house. They will also do color casehardening on your prepared item or they can do it as well. They would be toward the upper end of costs on such services. For the cost of their full restoration service of both wood and metal, you could buy the world's best Trojan.
http://www.turnbullmfg.com/store.asp?pid=19567&catid=19872

Here's some more for your search and information gathering
http://bacheldermastergunmakers.com/Bachelder_Master_Gunmakers/Welcome.html
http://www.classicgunsinc.com/

Gunter Pfrommer
Rocky Mount, VA
(540) 484-5555

Damascus refinising
Dale Edmonds Kansas City, MO 816-444-2040

Keith Kearcher Bend, OR 541-617-9299 Restoration and gunsmithing as well.

Dewey Vicknair
Ephrata, Pennsylvania
717-733-2145

Steve Bertram
Boulder CO
303-938-1996 General gunsmithing and restoration

[Greg Baehman]

Chuck, I have heard that The Color Case Co. in Ohio has been out of business for several years now, is he back in business?

[CraigThompson]

I've got a good stock guy here as well as another fellow that is a pretty decent general gunsmith .

While I've been told Turnbull's work is second to none after talking with him on the phone a few times , he's not someone I care to do buisness with . Maybe I caught him on 2 or 3 bad days . Dunno , but don't care to find out either .

I believe Dale Edmunds was the fellow my stock guy suggested to go over the barrels and fix the small dent .

[Dave Purnell]

Dale does great work, and he's a heck of a nice guy.

Dave

[Eric Eis]

Also Brad Bachelder who is a member of this board could do the barrels (he has done a couple for me) and he also does very nice case coloring. But remember this had better be a gun you want to keep because it will cost you more then what you will be able to sell the gun for unless it is a high grade gun.

[CraigThompson]

But remember this had better be a gun you want to keep because it will cost you more then what you will be able to sell the gun .

Hence my reason for asking about typical cost for such undertakings .

[Eric Eis]

Hence my reason for asking about typical cost for such undertakings .

Craig you are looking at about $300 for the barrels, not sure what the case colors are but a minimum of $550 and up :shock: So if it's a gun that means alot to you or your family well maybe otherwise use as is or maybe just get the barrels done, they will really pop.

[CraigThompson]

Craig you are looking at about $300 for the barrels, not sure what the case colors are but a minimum of $550 and up :shock: So if it's a gun that means alot to you or your family well maybe otherwise use as is or maybe just get the barrels done, they will really pop.

I only have one that I would want anything done to .

This being a little circa 1911 Parker GH 16 gauge that has about an inch to 2 inch flat on the side of the left barrel . This gun has also had the barrels cut to 27" where it's now measuring skeet and IC . The action could get by without recasing just thought it might look nice !

The toe is also gone from the buttplate , so I suppose I should have a new buttplate installed . Although it's been gone for many years as the toe has gotten slightyly radiused in the actual stock itself .

[tom tutwiler]

I believe John Gillette at Classic guns will charge $220 for case coloring the receiver. You will need to do the polishing down to 400 grit. That's a pretty good deal for someone who is very well known for the case coloring IMO.

[Dean Romig]

You will need to do the polishing down to 400 grit.

I sharpen my pocket knife with 400 grit. It takes metal off.... I don't think this is called polishing :shock:

[tom tutwiler]

I sharpen my pocket knife with 400 grit. It takes metal off.... I don't think this is called polishing :shock:

Just relaying what John Gillette told me yesterday when I called him regarding case coloring a Winchester Low Wall. He told me to use a Scotch Brite Red pad and stated that would take to to 400 level of polish.

[Dean Romig]

OK, that's different. I use wet/dry sandpaper... a lot different from the abrasiveness of Scotch Brite... sorry.

[edgarspencer]

Just relaying what John Gillette told me yesterday when I called him regarding case coloring a Winchester Low Wall. He told me to use a Scotch Brite Red pad and stated that would take to to 400 level of polish.
I guess what he meant was not 400 grit abrasive paper, but 400 micro inch finish, which is a very fine finish.

[Justin Julian]

Most case color guys do in fact (hand) polish the annealed steel with sandpaper, and the standard is 320 grit. 400 would be considered a bit on the fine side. I have read that it is better to polish to 320 grit because it provides some "tooth" for the carbon to adhere to. That is also the polishing grit that Dr. Gaddy advised in his DGJ articles. Of course, the amount of polishing will determine how much metal is removed, more so than the grit used. I have tried polishing the work to both 320 and 400 final grit and found no discernible difference in the colors achieved. I can also attest to the fact that the micro scratches left by 320 grit paper in the steel are completely filled in and obscured during the case coloring process.

[Dean Romig]

Most case color guys do in fact (hand) polish the annealed steel with sandpaper, and the standard is 320 grit. 400 would be considered a bit on the fine side. I have read that it is better to polish to 320 grit because it provides some "tooth" for the carbon to adhere to. That is also the polishing grit that Dr. Gaddy advised in his DGJ articles. Of course, the amount of polishing will determine how much metal is removed, more so than the grit used. I have tried polishing the work to both 320 and 400 final grit and found no discernible difference in the colors achieved. I can also attest to the fact that the micro scratches left by 320 grit paper in the steel are completely filled in and obscured during the case coloring process.


But I believe you will have lost some of the sharp detail of the engraving.

[Justin Julian]

Again, the issue is how much polishing you do. Unless there is damage that needs to be repaired by filing and aggressive sanding, all you need to do is brighten the surface with some light sanding, and its not difficult to avoid the areas with fine engraving. That will often cause the case colors to be thinner in the engraved areas, which most people prefer. But it seems to be fairly well accepted that richer and deeper colors result from coarser grit (320) as opposed to a high polish finish (800). Perhaps Brad B will enlighten us with some information on what grit he prefers to polish to when he case colors.

[calvin humburg]

Dean, you must sharpen your knife before its gets to dull. That's good mine gets like a garden hoe will barely cut bale strings. Garden hoe guess i'll tell my hoe story. Once I was at the gunshow in Wichita and there was a winchester hoe on a table. A light went off in my head and I said "everybody needs a good hoe" he didn't even smile so I walked on. I thought it was a good one.... ch

[charlie cleveland]

i laughed calvin...but the joke good probably betook wrong..hope not..... charlie

[Chuck Heald]

I think Turnbull charges $250 to caseharden a frame and parts. Your prep. I like his colors for Paakas.

I use 400 wet or dry paper for prep on barrels and frames. Dings and deep scratches may need filing first.