Case Colors

[jeffery c]

I sure love vibrant case colors, these guns are original in good condition showing how the different companies did them. The Smith is a post-war and sure looks like bone charcoal case colors. The Remington is similar and they all seem close to me to SAA Colt colors. The Parker is in general more muted with less tan and contrast favoring blue. The Savage/Stevens if for sure cyanide and actually looks better than these pictures show, a 220 grit matte finish with swirling complex pattern. Of course I prefer bone charcoal colors but I think cyanide colors look great when done on a matte finish surface. Any comments or thoughts one how to ID original colors would be welcome. It seems to me Parker colors might be a bit different than most, favoring blue with less contrast. Can the members post pictures of their guns with good condition colors of the various makes?

[Dean Romig]

Edgar and I had a discussion last evening about color case-hardening. I learned some more things about the various processes used by the different manufacturers used and the various packing materials they each used, some of which in order to obtain colors true to the originals, have yet to be perfected by contemporary practitioners.
Perhaps we’ll hear from him.




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[jeffery c]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Edgar and I had a discussion last evening about color case-hardening. I learned some more things about the various processes used by the different manufacturers used and the various packing materials they each used, some of which in order to obtain colors true to the originals, have yet to be perfected by contemporary practitioners.
Perhaps we’ll hear from him.




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Thanks Dean! I’ve noticed a lot of guns show a tan border with reddish/bluish in the middle of the field like the Smith in my picture. SAA’s are like that too. My one Parker with good original colors seems more muted with with more bluish/purplish colors that are more spread out with less of the tan/straw border.

I’d appreciate any comments regarding regarding this, plus any pictures you could share of Parkers and other makers.

[Researcher]

Our man Josh has some great benchmark guns for sale. A good study for case colors. Love that AE-Grade Remington. H & D Folsom era Batavia Leaders have some great case colors that seem to have survived quite well.

[Dean Romig]

I have an enormous file on my PC titled "Other People's Parkers" with hundreds and hundreds of pictures of original Parker case colors... what would you like to see first, hammer guns? got 'em. Hammerless? got 'em. Low grade guns? got 'em. I'll dig them out and post some as time allows.

Right now I'm enjoying myself at the lake.


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[charlie cleveland]

don't fall in dean.....charlie

[jeffery c]

Dean, I’d be interested to see a Trojan or VH early and late versions, plus a later hammer grade 0 or 1. The plainer guns seem to show the CC more clearly.

[Dean Romig]

Okay, here you are...

The first three are Edgar Spencer's VH 12 gauge.

The next three are David Trevallion's 20 gauge Remington Trojan re-case colored by Doug Turnbull close to thirty years ago.

Next is an original VH from the late Charlie Price collection.

Then a 20 gauge VH.

The last three are an 'as new' Grade-1 16 gauge.


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[jeffery c]

Thanks Dean! That’s interesting how Parkers favor the blue-purple in the field to the edges, have less contrast between the colors, have tan occuring in the middle of the field, and are more swirled looking, compared to, the Smith I pictured. The Smith shows tan-gray at the edge of the field, more red and more contrast. That type of colors seems to have more in common with SAA Colt’s and the 1894 Remingtons. Parker colors seem unique to me compared to other makers. I have a lesser condition Lefever side plate gun that might be on the Parker end of the spectrum. A late Fox I have is sure looks like cyanide colors to me.

Do any of the members have examples of original color guns they could post from the various makers? I’d especially like to see Lefever and Baker. I’d welcome any comments as to the accuracy of my previous thoughts.

[Dean Romig]

Each manufacturer had their own formula and method. As Edgar and I were discussing a couple of days ago, the result had everything to do with the organic materials used, their ratio in the pack and how coarse it was cut or ground and especially how the crucible was packed and how the gun parts were packed, even how tightly it was packed. Every step of each procedure was crucial in the desired result. Not to mention the temperature the crucible was brought to, the duration of the 'bake' and the method of the quench.

A lot of this I learned from Edgar the other day - he's very knowledgeable... some of it I knew.






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