Bankers Special Question

[unit70]

I have read of good results from Colt reblueing pistols at a reasonable price. I know it's up to the individual but would you consider this a candidate for Colt's reblueing. It has little blue left on it, mostly patina. Mechanically excellent.

[Collects]

Welcome to Coltforum, Unit, and thanks for posting photos of your very nice Bankers Special.

Pre-WWII Bankers Specials hold a special place in the heart of Colt lovers. Yours looks great, just honest wear to it.

If you refinish it, you will lose all collector value. Many of our members are completely opposed to rebluing these fine old, no-longer-in-production revolvers. Original condition only happens once, and once originality is gone, it is gone forever.

However, it sure will look good reblued!

I had Colt reblue a Detective Special, nowhere near as rare as your Bankers Special, and I am very pleased with the results. There are some highly respected experts here who think I did the wrong thing to my grand old Pre-War Detective Special.

Colt Did An Excellent Job Refinishing This Detective Special. Colt's charge: $200

Bottom line? Your gun; Your decision.

I read a great comment on this issue lately, and agree with the reasoning.

Use the worn gun as long as you like, then sell it to somebody who can afford it, and buy yourself another one in the condition you desire.

If you post it here in Want To Sell, I am pretty sure one of our members will buy it for a fair price.

[swamprat]

Bankers Special's are not common, and desirable collector items. I agree with Collects that a gun in that condition should be left alone to retain its collectability. It will be beautiful restored by Colt, but will no longer be "original" as far as purists collectors are concerned. I'm sure that Judge Colt will chime in here and we all know what his opinion will be! However, the bottom line is that it is your gun to do with as you please.

[BigRix]

Tough call. In my opinion this gun has been, at the very least, slathered with cold blue. The hammer should be bare on the sides and the color of the rest of the gun doesn't look quite right. I have a couple of guns that were cold blued and the smell is obvious once you have experienced it the first time.

If it hasn't been buffed already. I would not get it re blued. Clean it real well and see if some of cold blue comes off.

I think there might be a nice looking original patina hiding under there. I like patina.

[unit70]

Thanks for the advice Collects and Swamprat.

Tough call. In my opinion this gun has been, at the very least, slathered with cold blue. The hammer should be bare on the sides and the color of the rest of the gun doesn't look quite right. I have a couple of guns that were cold blued and the smell is obvious once you have experienced it the first time.

If it hasn't been buffed already. I would not get it re blued. Clean it real well and see if some of cold blue comes off.

I think there might be a nice looking original patina hiding under there. I like patina.

I had never considered cold blue nor had I noticed the sides of the hammer not being in the white. I am a little familiar with the somewhat sulfuric smell of cold blueing and to be honest have never noticed the smell with this pistol. Cold Blueing would explain the odd coloration. Barrel markings are excellent and sharp. Colt marking still appears to have sharp edges under magnification but does not have the depth the barrel markings have.
Two more quick questions: 1 Are the grips normally numbered to pistol? 2 It has been in the safe for two years pretty much saturated in CLP (grips off), what would you suggest cleaning the pistol with?

[JudgeColt]

I disagree with Collects. If you have Colt refinish it, it will NOT look good. It will look like a refinished Pre-War gun wearing a current type of bluing, and its value will be reduced by hundreds of dollars.

The gun has honest wear and its value will only only appreciate if the gun is left as is.

[Collects]

Clean it with Eezox, and keep it like it is.

Maybe wax it with Renaisannce wax after use of Eezox.

[what would you say]

Out of my big mouth.. Old people would look better 50 or 70 years younger, but we don't re-blue them even though they are getting old and rusty. We love them more for the lifetime it took to get that smell (molasses and muscle rub or somethin') and look they currently have. attempt at humor. if its rare I'd leave her alone. You can sell it for max value when the economy has us taking off our car doors and hoods to make shelter.

[therevjay]

My thoughts on this are.

1. Everyone who has told you it will lose value if refinished, is right.
2. It's yours, what others think don't really matter.
3. If it was mine I'd just leave it alone.
4. It's not mine.
5. It's kinda cool I can blather on about this and someone might actualy pay some attention. (My wife won't)

[unit70]

Thanks for the candid responses. I had not considered that modern blueing from Colt would be different than 1930's blueing. Eezox will be purchased and applied.