[filson]

A member messaged me and suggested that I was not properly caring for my nickel finish 1966 Colt Government Model. He asserted that petroleum products penetrated the metal (nickel) micro-pores and discolored/yellowed the finish. The proper method was to clean the weapon with acetone and then apply Renaissance Wax as a protectant. He also questioned the use of silicone impregnated gun sleeves.
What do the members think? Am I doing it wrong?

 

[kwill]

I don't know about the possible damage from oil but Renaissance Wax is great stuff for blued or nickel guns. It is what museums use and has been proven superior to gun oils/grease for preservation of metal objects. It the gun is used regularly oil/grease may be a better choice.

 

[RonS]

The most important thing to remember is that nickel is applied over copper plating. Copper removing bore cleaners are a bad idea as it will attack the copper under the nickel. I've never owned a nickel firearm but I would think wax would be safer than oil as no plating is completely impervious to penetration and the copper layer under the nickel is vulnerable to solvents. Wax is simple, gun oils have a longer ingredient list and may contain something you don't want.

Since nickel is relatively fragile I would only use cleaning products labeled safe for nickel and do as the member messaged you and treat with wax rather than oil.

I believe that ammonia is one of the culprits in flaking nickel plating caused by dissolving the copper under plating.

 

[mkk41]

The most important thing to remember is that nickel is applied over copper plating. Copper removing bore cleaners are a bad idea as it will attack the copper under the nickel. I've never owned a nickel firearm but I would think wax would be safer than oil as no plating is completely impervious to penetration and the copper layer under the nickel is vulnerable to solvents. Wax is simple, gun oils have a longer ingredient list and may contain something you don't want.

Since nickel is relatively fragile I would only use cleaning products labeled safe for nickel and do as the member messaged you and treat with wax rather than oil.

I believe that ammonia is one of the culprits in flaking nickel plating caused by dissolving the copper under plating.

Correct on many points!

Yes, copper was at one time used as a sort of primer layer between the steel and nickel layers, and gave it that ever so subtle yellow tint. Sometimes tin was also used.

 

[Jim Watson]

Hmm, a nice 1966 shortly after somebody posted that they were the nicest of the postwar guns.

Are you going to wax it and store it away for posterity, flip it for a profit, or shoot it?

I have only had a few nickel plated guns, none in pristine condition, but I did not have any further deterioration from ordinary oils and the solvents I use.

 

[RonS]

Correct on many points!

Yes, copper was at one time used as a sort of primer layer between the steel and nickel layers, and gave it that ever so subtle yellow tint. Sometimes tin was also used.

That gun looks like a real, nickel electro plate. Now we have electroless nickel which, to my eye look a little tiny bit like German silver with a slight off tint to the color. To my eyes at least the original nickel plate looks "brighter" than electroless, which looks kind of like a warm white.

If anyone is interested this is from a company that I had quote some things when I was working in industry (not the firearm industry, general making things that move industry), they are very knowledgeable.
Nickel Plating Services | QQ-N-290, ASTM B689, AMS 2403 (advancedplatingtech.com)

Electroless Nickel Plating | MIL-C-26074, ASTM B733 and AMS 2404 (advancedplatingtech.com)

 

[dsk]

I agree with RonS. Just keep copper-removing solvents away from it and you should be fine.

 

[garymolly1]

I'm just a tool maker but from my experience you just need to stay away from ammonia based solvents . Old Hoppies 9 has it on their label not to use on nickel. Oil and CLP should be fine if your going to use and carry it. For storage as others have said Renaissance wax can't be beat.

 

[1911_Kid]

Put some drops of 100% silicone oil on rag, wipe the metal clean.
Not sure why one would need to clean/oil the metal too often. Oxygen and water in air is probably more a risk.
Store it with the correct desiccant bag(s).

 

[drail]

Please do not use silicone. You do not want silicone on your gun, trust me. Just use a light oil like 3 in 1 or sewing machine oil or any generic gun oil (oil - NOT solvent). I use air tool oil.

 

[Sweet556]

Not a 1911, but still a 1960 dated nickel pony. This one was carried by an NSA agent.

 

[USMM guy]

Please do not use silicone. You do not want silicone on your gun, trust me. Just use a light oil like 3 in 1 or sewing machine oil or any generic gun oil (oil - NOT solvent). I use air tool oil.

For storage three in one works great!

 

[USMM guy]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Whatever you are doing Filson, it appears to be working just fine.

 

[filson]

Are you going to wax it and store it away for posterity, flip it for a profit, or shoot it?

I've had the pistol since 2007 and plan on keeping it. Flipping for profit is tempting, but then I wouldn't have a nickel finish 1966 Colt Government Model that I can occasionally fondle.

 

[1911_Kid]

Please do not use silicone. You do not want silicone on your gun, trust me. Just use a light oil like 3 in 1

Renaissance Wax is based on more stable microcrystalline waxes refined from crude oil.

What am I missing. Hydrocarbon based oils & wax are bad, no?
3-1 is petroleum.

Silicone oil is a term generally used to describe a group of hydrophobic polymeric and monomeric compounds constituted of silicon-oxygen bonds and named organosiloxane [3]. Because of their viscosity and their ability to repel water, they are referred to as oils.

Petroleum based fluids are hygroscopic, so putting an oil on my arms that ATTRACTS water is a no.

Discolored nickel plating sounds to me like a very thin plating, and whatever chemical used to "oil" the plating had reacted with the copper underneath.

There's food grade silicone oil.
Poly(Dimethyl)Siloxane

See the Super-Lube page for details.

Stop using petroleum based oils and waxes on your firearms.

 

[ether]

A member messaged me and suggested that I was not properly caring for my nickel finish 1966 Colt Government Model. He asserted that petroleum products penetrated the metal (nickel) micro-pores and discolored/yellowed the finish. The proper method was to clean the weapon with acetone and then apply Renaissance Wax as a protectant. He also questioned the use of silicone impregnated gun sleeves.
What do the members think? Am I doing it wrong?


View attachment 630292

Whovever did that finish did a really good job.

Nickel isn't difficult to take care of, as long as you don't ride it too hard or leave it too wet.

 

[1911_Kid]

Just make sure it the right silica for firearms. Not sure how old that silica is in that pic, but they do need to be replaced or dried every so often.

https://www.clariant.com/en/Solutions/Products/2014/09/10/00/28/DESICCANT-TYPES

 

[ether]

Just make sure it the right silica for firearms. Not sure how old that silica is in that pic, but they do need to be replaced or dried every so often.

https://www.clariant.com/en/Solutions/Products/2014/09/10/00/28/DESICCANT-TYPES

It doesn't need to be there at all...thanks for the education and heads-up

 

[stan2]

A member messaged me and suggested that I was not properly caring for my nickel finish 1966 Colt Government Model. He asserted that petroleum products penetrated the metal (nickel) micro-pores and discolored/yellowed the finish. The proper method was to clean the weapon with acetone and then apply Renaissance Wax as a protectant. He also questioned the use of silicone impregnated gun sleeves.
What do the members think? Am I doing it wrong?


View attachment 630292

filson,

Interesting Thread !

Read through it twice (and some posts again),...it looks like there is a general consensus,...that there is No Consensus. !? (No Nickel O Model Pistols in my neighborhood. Wonder what the collector's use on their Singers, NAA, early High Polish, and.... Pistols? And, do those collector's have any Nickel Pistols?)

Best Regards,

 

[Kamerer]

The problem here, is that since WWI, MOST major makers (like S&W) have never used copper as a substrate because of the problems associated with it. And they've been quite clear about this - Roy Jinks issued a statement on behalf of S&W, for example, and we know. The copper substrating technique is very old-school, and on a larger commercial scale it's not as cost-effective. The problem is that Colt has never made a statement about when (if) they changed, and for a long time they've outsourced the finishing.

If it's a factory finish from '66 it's likely not copper substrated. If it's an independent nickel job, or a factory job from after they started out-sourcing the plating (no longer done in West Hartford), then you have no guarantee one way or the other and you need to keep Hoppe's away from it. I've had a lot of nickel guns (love them), and I treat any S&W factory nickel job just like stainless or Hard Chrome to be honest. Nickel plating was the 19th century of stainless, in a way. That's why it was worth a premium then, not for show.

Renaissance wax is good stuff, but it's also old tech. It's a very good wax, I've used it, but it's not magical. I'd be more inclined to try the new generation of ceramic waxes - they have amazing properties wrt to adhesion, wear, and hydrophobicity. IMO, if you decide to treat this as a potential copper-lined aftermarket/3rd party job, then keep the hoppes away from it and do treat it differently.

Ok ,now if anyone knows anything about old Colt New Army's in .41 Long Colt, go to the revo section. I don't know squat really about them and someone is offering me one at what appears a good price. That's what I logged in to do...