The old high-gloss polish on the flats is extremely labor-intensive and increases the retail cost of the pistol. The brushed finish still looks nice, and it's actually more practical as it won't scratch just from breathing on it. The Series 70 repros are polished more, but even they are just a satin finish as opposed to the gloss of the original Series 70 models. If you want a glossy finish you'll need to buy a new Colt then send it to their Custom Shop.

 

I like the old finish, too.

(just had to post a pic of my new baby)

 

The big question is how does your 2010 shoot? And of course you can then send it back and make it pretty in your eyes.

 

We have five different levels of polish for blueing. Matte blue, black oxide as in 1918, standard blue, National Match blue and Royal blue.
Brent

 

Brent,

Just for a little more clarification...I assume nothing comes standard with Royal Blue anymore...That is the finish the Python used to come in..correct? Well maybe the ANVII but that is a special edition.

Is the NM Blue used on the current model of the NM?

What guns come standard in the matte blue and standard blue. If I had to guess..I'de say the ANVIII comes in matte blue and the CE slide is standard blue.

Any other examples would be greatly appreciated by many here.

 

Royal blue is beautiful, but like bright stainless, prone to those dulling swirling micro scratches.

 

Ok, I'll play! I would guess that nothing gets Royal Blue anymore except for the occasional special edition. There is no doubt the current Series 70s are of a higher polish than the Series 80s. But the current Series 70s are not up to the high polish of the of the original Series 70s.

So, based on that, I would have to say...

Series 80 - Standard Blue

Series 70 - "National Match" Blue (doesn't seem like it though)

My Gold Cup Trophy I had a few years ago appeared to have a higher polish than my Series 70. So would that mean the National Match pistol now has Royal Blue? No, we know that isn't true. I don't know! I'm confused!

 

My Gold Cup Trophy I had a few years ago appeared to have a higher polish than my Series 70. So would that mean the National Match pistol now has Royal Blue? No, we know that isn't true. I don't know! I'm confused!

Right. I suspect most of us are confused, that's why no one has actually answered my question yet.

We have four different levels of polish for blueing. Matte blue, standard blue, National Match blue and Royal blue.
Brent

Thanks. Was the national match blue the standard finish in the 80's-90's?

 

Ok, lets get it staightened out. We never changed our blueing process since we stopped furnace bluing with charcoal and whale oil a long long time ago. What has changed is polish. Most of our products come polished to standard blue level. Reproduction guns like the 1911, 1918 are polished differently than any other gun to match the original polish level, that is why we call it black oxide. 70 series and Gold Cups are national match blue. Royal blue is only done now on special projects. As far as matte blue the last gun I remember was the 1991A1. Things change over time with polishing equipment. We used to use leather wheels made of walrus hide, not happening these days. Wheel materials have changed and evolved through the years and we are subject to what is availible to us. National match blue was never the standard only on certain models.
Hope this helps.
Brent

 

Brent,

Thanks for the additional info on the different finishes.

 

Could we make this thread a sticky? The two posts from Brent are really good information.

 

Agree. I cut and pasted to Wordpad and saved them on my hardfile.

 

Brent bought up something I forgot to mention. The color of the finish often has to do with the polishing of the metal. A brushed or matte finish that's blued will usually turn out looking black in color. For example, that's why the old "Black Army" pistols from 1918-19 looked black, not because Colt changed the method of bluing but because the pistols were left in the rough polish stage prior to finishing.

 

I also benefited from this thread. It answered a question I had concerning polishing. I'm still wondering though if the time spent polishing also includes the slide release, thumb safety and other parts of the gun? Or are these parts only given this attention when the Royal Blue option is selected on the order?

Thanks,
Buzz

 

Thanks, Brent!

I hope they make the info provided in your post a stickie.

Rick

 

Great information Brent...straight from the horses mouth....no pun intended haha

 

Here is an example of matte blue.

 

If I am not wrong, another blueing process, is also available from the Custom Shop on special order, that is Charcoal Blue (carbonia Blue) at least on SAAs.

Regards,

 

Javi, you are correct! On a special order basis through the custom shop we can charcoal blue. And to the small parts question yes, we match polish the small parts.
Brent

 

Can you also Carbonia blue or would you have to send that out? I've really been wanting to get one of my WW1 Reissues polished out, re-carbonia blued and have the small bits fire blued.

 

I suddenly want a whale oil and walrus hide blued gun.....

 

Well, a dead humpback washed ashore here recently and we could go club some baby seals. You in?:biglaugh:

 

I have no moral compunction with clubbing baby seals for a good bluing job.

I've even got the clubs.

 

:biglaugh:

 

Brent---tell the Boss next Staff Meeting that you are getting a lot of requests for HVOF finishes on the 1911's.. Toughest stuff there is period. Would be hard to use it on the inside of the frame or slide but for the outside of the slide and maybe the frame----would wear better than anything you have ever evaluated by far. I know it has been discussed up there before but we use it in extreme applications like the inside of the main tubes of landing gear.

 

Dave, I already have a vendor for this. It is in the thoughts for the future.
Brent

 

That process is typically used for "thicker" coatings.

IMO, you'd be better off with PECVD.

And really, baby seal oil bluing sounds the best to me.

 

If you use HC you can use HVOF--we do.. It is LOS application only so that makes it a challenge. Hmmmm Baby Seal Oil!!! Like that idea---wonder if it will make the finish impervious to moisture??

 

http://www.engineersedge.com/finishing/hvof-coating.htm

This reminds me of the 'Carbona' process in which the parts were heated in a gas furnace after being coated with some kind of fluid. Not bluing, of course, but sort of a 21st century ultra hi-tech version resulting in a surface-improving coating. Might be the military gun finish of the future.

 

Great that this Topic has been brought back to the top,

Because.......

 

Probably could also use some baby bald eagle feathers in the process to buff 'em up real nice before they go out the door.