I have had color work done on a few guns by Malcom Clark (who used to work for CMSC) and I am sure that he also colors fully assembled. I am sure it has been done both ways. That is why I originally posed that question.

Original Trojans. So do the experts believe that these demonstrate that the action frames and floorplates were case color hardened as a combined unit?


Bruce Day, Parker learner's permit applicant

I'm not one of those experts to whom reference is made by any stretch, but photos 1 and 2 above seem to show color patterns flowing evenly over the seams between the frame and floor plate. Photo 3 gives one some pause, with that big splotch of blue on the frame but not extending onto the floor plate. But I suspect that to be the result of the comparative thickness of the steel of the frame as compared to the floor plate, as cooling rates in the quench impact color formation (according to Dr. Gaddy), and the thinner areas like the plate are going to cool faster than the thickest portion of the frame. The couple of guns that I've seen that were clearly case colored while disassembled were very obvious. Picture one of the guns shown above with a gray screw head surrounded by a splotch of solid blue on the frame. Or a vivid patch of blue on the trigger plate coming to an abrupt end at the seam and meeting a solid gray patch with no hint of blue on the frame. They looked as obvious as a blue car with a red replacement door that hadn't yet been repainted to match. Most folks would have just looked at those guns and declared that the case colors looked bad, not knowing what process led to the displeasing result. But anyone who had ever done any case coloring work would know instantly that the poor results were due to disassembled case coloring.

If I can be forgiven for enjoying LC Smiths too, below are two photos that are illustrative of the point. The first shows an old LC grade 2E that I rescued from the parts heap and fully restored. You can see how the color pattern clearly flows across the lock plate seam like a photo on a jig saw puzzle. That could never be accomplished if the gun were not case colored while fully assembled. The second photo shows the bottom of a gun I also colored (not sure which one it was), which has a gray splotch on the frame but not across the seam on the trigger plate. Of course, this gun too was colored while fully assembled, so that anomaly is attributable to some other factor than assembly vs disassembly. Dr Gaddy concluded in his articles that the way the water washes over the parts of the gun when the hot steel hits the quench and causes a small steam explosion is the single biggest factor in determining color pattern formation, and that aspect of the process is never going to be fully controllable. That is why every case coloring result is as unique as a snow flake or finger print, and in my view, what also makes case colors so fascinating to behold; preferably original, but also quality restorations as well. It should also be remembered that Remington changed its coloring process on Parkers in the late years. Whatever process one would use to get those cynide wash patterns is likely very different from the true bone charcoal case coloring process that I am talking about, and may account for some of the information floating around about parts being colored separately from the rest of the frame. I don't know anything about that process, to be sure.

I would agree with the belief that recievers were cased in an assembled state.
I have repeatably tried Dr. Gadys process and decided not to incorporate it in our process. I am convinced that much of the shielding he used was to limit warpage. Exposure to free oxygen turns cased metal silver or grey. Controlling this exposure results in more uniform coverage and less grey.
Pre 1913 Smiths and pre Remington Parkers have the same overall dark look, indicating that the same quench process was used.
Many people do not realize that the colors and patterns evolved the years. To properly restore, one must study the exact process used at the time of manufacture. We have indentified three different process variations within Parkers history, not counting Remingtons change to the Cyanide process. Pre and post Smiths are distinctly different in colors and patterns. This is atributable to introducing charred leather to the process, containing a high level of cyanide.
I would agree that every piece of metal,cased, has a unique pattern, however uniformity, color range and contrast are totally controlable.
Annealing and tempering play a big role in the process.
Metal prep is critical to the end result. Parkers were not coated.To achieve the correct patina the metal prep is totally different than those parts that are to be coated.

Brad

Bruce, I see no evidence, in the original Trojan examples you show, that the color case-hardening process was done with the parts assembled.

assembled or not
 

A quick way to determine how parts were run is to drop the triggerplate from a highly colored reciever. The forward portion of the plate is mostly protected from charcoal when cased assembled. The rear of the plate is exposed and open.You will notice a difference In the protected area. If the reciever and triggerplate were run seperately the inside would totally match the outside.

Brad

brad: your depth of knowledge on this subject is amazing!

however, i do wish you would answer my question directly re tempering after quench. do you ever do it and if so when? and if you never do it, then why not?

Ed
Sorry I did not answer your question. Tempering and annealing are very important parts of our process. Every reciever is handled differently, the determining factor is the specific hardness before and after processing.

Brad

EDG is well known as one of the most prolific advocates and users of the torch and oil process for applying colors to Parker frames.

bruce: not sure what your post has to do with this topic...
however, you are mistaken. i do no gun work of any kind.
dont have the skill nor the patience.

speaking of patience. you started a wonderful thread here. do not trash it by going off on some tangent which leads to no where.