Making them look untouched

[B. Dudley]

Thanks Daryl, You are right about case coloring. There is really no functional need to have to re-case a frame. The hardness of the surface does not go away, though the colors may fade. Unless it HAD to be annealed for some sort of major repair work or something. But basically Re-casing a frame is simply a cosmetic function of restoring the colors that are a byproduct of the hardening process.
Unless you WANT your gun to look like new, then there is no reason to do it. And Case coloring is the LAST thing that should be considered when it comes to restoration work. Only after wood and barrels. Barrel blue and stock finish comes a simple point of maintenance if they are allowed to get bad enough.