Rust bluing barrels. Who to use?

[Tim Lindstrom]

I have a good shooter that I was going to redo myself. I talked to a guy and he said by the time I acquire all the stuff to do JUST ONE set hardly worth it. He said he had a guy that does them and offered to send my barrels off with a his. Well the guy he used died and he has been looking for someone else. It has been over a year now.

He recently gave my barrels back to me and I am back to either doing them myself of sending them off. I have searched this forum and got diddly for recommendations.

Who do you reccomend sending barrels to get re-rust blued? reasonable as my gun is not a show gun by any means.


**you would think this has been asked and answered a billion times here and should be a "sticky" thread.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Gerry Andrews in W. Va, Gunther Froemmer, Brad Bachelder, Kirk Merrington, to name a few. Where are you located?

[Dean Romig]

Depending on the grade of your Parker, the guy who you use should know that the higher grades had a finer polish before rust bluing and on the lower grades the longitudinal 'striking marks' were not generally polished completely out. In other words, the higher grades had a higher lustre where the lower grades, Trojan, VH, GH were not as polished.

....if it makes any difference to you.





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[Tim Lindstrom]

I am in Lincoln Nebraska

[Jim DiSpagno]

Brad Bachelder is in Grand Rapids Michigan. Gerry Andrews is in West Va.

[Rick Losey]

Brian Dudley - here on the board - does a nice rust blue as well

as the saying goes-

you can have it fast
you can have it right
you can have it cheap


pick two

[Tim Lindstrom]

Brian Dudley - here on the board - does a nice rust blue as well

as the saying goes-

you can have it fast
you can have it right
you can have it cheap


pick two

So what is a fair price considering no dents to remove no extra work just 320 and rust blue? Seems prices are not very even amongst tradesmans that I have found.

[Rick Losey]

So what is a fair price considering no dents to remove no extra work just 320 and rust blue? Seems prices are not very even amongst tradesmans that I have found.

call the ones recommended and ask what the cost is - that really is the best way. there is a name on the list I don't recognize- but, if a name is listed in the company with the others, check them out as well

[charlie cleveland]

the fellows names mentioned here are all top notch barrel men...there work is secound to none...from old forums i have seen prices go from 350 to 450 for barrel blueing...if i just wanted something to make the gun look a little better and keep some of the rust off i would just do it myself....i was reading infur fish and game this evening they even have blueing in a spray can was not to cheap bout 40 bucks a can...i ve rust blued some and its not a bad job but takes a lot of time as you may already know....good luck....charlie

[Tim Lindstrom]

prices go from 350 to 450 for barrel blueing...

That is right what I want to spend. My first guy said 350 to do the barrels (but he died) so I figured it would be close to the norm. 450 would be fine to.

I got a quote from Brad B. that was mentioned here and he said...."if they need NOTHING but sanded and blued 600.00 So I guess I will keep shopping. I will try those other guys if anyone has contacts for them that would be great. tx for all the help guys.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Gerry Andrews. 1-304-843-1740
Brian Dudley 1-585-260-5975

[john pulis]

You may want to call Buck Hamlin in Missouri and/or Dale Edmonds in Kansas City. I have had barrels rust blued by both and they both do nice work. Not fast and not cheap but right.

[Brian Dudley]

I must say that I don't like what is going on here. You ask for references, as if it is hard to find people that rust blue vintage doubles... And that is what some members did is give you plenty of references.

Instead of just contacting them and making your decision, you start posting the results of the pricing that some provide you with.

Sounds to me you are looking for the lowest price, plain and simple.

In my opinion, pricing on services is between the customer and the craftsman on a given job and is not for public airing out or ridicule.

I know that some have mentioned my name and contact info above, but quite frankly, don't call me because I won't quote you. I don't play that game.

[Tim Lindstrom]

I must say that I don't like what is going on here. You ask for references, as if it is hard to find people that rust blue vintage doubles... And that is what some members did is give you plenty of references.

Instead of just contacting them and making your decision, you start posting the results of the pricing that some provide you with.

Sounds to me you are looking for the lowest price, plain and simple.

In my opinion, pricing on services is between the customer and the craftsman on a given job and is not for public airing out or ridicule.

I know that some have mentioned my name and contact info above, but quite frankly, don't call me because I won't quote you. I don't play that game.



I appreciate you not wanting to share your prices Brian and respect your opinion. I will not contact you per your wishes.

However, this is a forum to share information to find vendors and share ideas. As such competitive pricing plays a part of this. If I were to keep pricing in a PM would that information help others? No it would not...

As you noticed another user did not price your services they simply posted what the market is bearing according to what others are charging in your field. In no way does that mean you need to charge this. You are free to charge what ever you feel you can. BUT, that does not mean that us the consumers need to keep it under wraps as to not let other consumers know they may or may not of paid to much.

If the fellows price is to high for his services the market will self correct that. IF it is NOT to high than there would be NO REASON to not be transparent about the cost of the service. That would just re-enforce that he must be high if he needs to keep his price unpublished.

**I myself am a tradesman and sell my services. I have been doing this for 29 years and you are welcome to get an estimate from me anytime and share it with as many people as you can.**

[Brian Dudley]

My pricing is not unpublished. I state right on my website that rust bluing of double barrels STARTS at $350. Price goes up from there dependant on the amount of additional polishing is needed on a given basis.

And a lot of other reputable names in the business have published prices as to these types of services.

You staying that you contacted Bachelder and that his price of $600 was too high for you and that you will keep looking was out of line. He runs a reputable shop that gets a lot of vintage restoration business and if his rate is too high for you, then move on, no need to air it out here.

I am done discussing this topic.

[Scot Cardillo]

I must say that I don't like what is going on here. You ask for references, as if it is hard to find people that rust blue vintage doubles... And that is what some members did is give you plenty of references.

Instead of just contacting them and making your decision, you start posting the results of the pricing that some provide you with.

Sounds to me you are looking for the lowest price, plain and simple.

In my opinion, pricing on services is between the customer and the craftsman on a given job and is not for public airing out or ridicule.

I know that some have mentioned my name and contact info above, but quite frankly, don't call me because I won't quote you. I don't play that game.

Agreed 100%

Word of mouth is one thing, published on the interweb subject to banter gone wild - uncouth plain and simple.

These men (or women) are in business and it is not a business to make big bucks - it's a business driven by passion which takes much skill...this should be respected.

[Mills Morrison]

You get what you pay for. Not true with everything, but true with gunsmiths on old guns

[Brad Bachelder]

Bachelders would not Quote 600 unless additional work was requested. We attempt to quote a range, but can not give a firm quote without the barrels in hand.

Brad

[Steve Huffman]

I know one thing ,If any of the names mentioned here were not Honest Fair and Darn good at what they do their names would not of been mentioned . Thanks guys for what you do !

[Scot Cardillo]

There's a gentleman down in Tennessee by the name of Charles Danner (Danner Gunsmithing)

He reworked a set of 16ga Merkel bbls for me - he does beautiful work and turned it around just as quickly as he said he would. Merkel bbls aren't too shabby to begin with but he made them look even better - they truly are gorgeous w/out a single sharp edge rolled over following his work.

[Linn Matthews]

I support your approach Brian

[Allen Peterson]

I have also used Brileys ,

[Paul Ehlers]

I've had a lot of gunsmithing done on vintage doubles over the years. The good smith's are far & few between. One lesson I've learned over the years is to not ask a quote over the phone but rather a range of costs based on my description of the work I want done. All this fully knowing that I won't have an absolute quote until the smith has the gun in hand for personal inspection.

I have Brad Bachelder do quite a bit of Parker work for me & have always found him to be a gentleman that is true to his word. I also know to send him the item I want him to work on and then ask him what the costs will be. Brad will continue getting business from me in the future simply for the fact that he runs a first class operation which produces excellent work. That's a rare commodity in America these days.

[Bill Holcombe]

Freer Gun shop in Houston did me a beautiful set of barrels.