Quote:
Originally Posted by allen newell
Would you re-case color this frame?
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Absolutely not.
It's important that you give consideration to many other factors, besides the amount of remaining color. In most circumstances, the metal gets some degree of polishing, and this may impact the quality and crispness of the original engraving. A proper reheat treatment (after all, case hardening is a heat treatment)will involve a stress relieve cycle after the quench cycle. This will only marginally soften the case (very shallowest surface) the more highly engraved a gun is, the greater that plays into the treatment(s). Each and every heating and cooling cycle is an opportunity for distortion.
The above is fact ,from which I draw 35 years of experience in metalurgy.
The following is opinion;
Brad Bachelder has shown, in dozens of guns we have seen in Parker Pages, and elsewhere, to have the best heat treatment practice when it comes to reproducing Meriden colors. Turnbull can closely approximate early Winchester colors on forged receivers, and barely comes close to the all time famous Colt SAA receiver colors. He does not,
in my mindcome close to Meriden Bone, Leather, Charcoal case hardening colors.
When to do it? It's your gun, you decide. I doubt seriously I would consider doing it to a gun exhibiting 35-40% colors or more.
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