[Custom Shop Inc]

Our gunsmiths are hard at work sanding all the imperfections out of our customers Colt revolvers.

Joe is working on the "Hand Etched" Colt Python that was so severely maimed. It not only takes a lot of finesse and technique to remove this deep scaring, but a whole lot of elbow grease too. Good thing Joe has forearms like Popeye!

More to come on the restoration process of this gun.

 

[mrbmfdez]

For some reason I can't see the pics. Is it just me?


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[guy sajer]

Pics show for me .

 

[raynky]

Looks like the work of "a stoner", creating a masterpiece. Once you really look at it, and think about it, they spent quite a bit of time destroying the gun. I'm actually amazed that it can be saved. Looking forward to the progressive photos of the restoration. Seeing is believing as they say.

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

Continuing the restoration process...

We painstakingly sanded all the separate parts of the heavily hand-etched Colt Python. They were polished, cleaned, and sealed in plastic awaiting bluing.

In the video below, our gunsmith (Louie) is doing the final polishing of the gun body.
[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/6fXcbjIymLQ?rel=0[/video]

Stay Tuned! Tomorrow we will continue more of our restoration process on this gun.

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

After Louie completed the final polishing on the Hand-Etched Python, he cleaned it with solvent. This is one of the last steps before we blue it.

Here is a video of the final cleaning process.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ew8Ox_WtB-o?rel=0[/video]


Stay Tuned! Tomorrow, our gunsmith will perform the final preparations before we blue it.

 

[Collects]

I am signing up for this interesting thread.

Restoring a maimed Python to its former glory is a great work of love and an all-around good deed.

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

This is the last step in our restoration process before the Colt Python gets blued.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/pl1BCu5sw7w?rel=0[/video]

We will be bluing it this 3-day weekend. Stay tuned - next week we will show you the final, restored gun. It will be awesome and the owner of this severely hand-etched Colt Python will have tears of joy when he sees it.

 

[scstrain]

I am extremely interested in this thread. There are so many around here that say once you have refinished a Python, you have killed the value. I have always disagreed. What an incredible job that is being done to this classic revolver. And no, I do not think the value is being diminished.

 

[Cholo]

This is the last step in our restoration process before the Colt Python gets blued.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/embed/pl1BCu5sw7w?rel=0[/video]

"I'm absolutely not going to touch any of the metal--surfaces..." as he puts the buffed Python in the plastic bag with his bare fingers.

I've been enjoying this thread and am I'm looking forward to the finished product! It looks like you do really nice work. Can't wait to see how the Pony survives.

 

[wolfcoln]

Great Job on the 1902 rhmc24.

Thanks for the step by step Custom Shop, this has been fun to follow and as well as educational, a BIG Thanks for the tread.

 

[SBH]

Hey Colt Shop, just send the gun to me when it's done...idiots like that can't be trusted! jmho

 

[ponyup]

"I'm absolutely not going to touch any of the metal--surfaces..." as he puts the buffed Python in the plastic bag with his bare fingers.

***Yeah, I noticed that as well. I believe the step just before the bluing tank hopefully will be in a tank of boiling soapy water, to ensure any oil from hand contact is removed, along with pre-heating the metal.

I noticed something else about ole Louie. When at the buffing wheels, he is obviously in a work-shop, judging from the surroundings.
But,...when he gets to the solvent clean-up, ( a gallon of mineral spirits, post#26 ), he is in either a bar room, judging from the well supplied bar behind him;..or in the best equipped den I have ever seen.

To add to the working atmosphere of ole Louie's den there is an older model Harley-Davidson parked in the background, either in his living room or bedroom. ??
Now THAT is the way a gunsmith's "man-cave" oughta look !!.....


So far it looks as they are doing a first class restoration of the Python.
I do wish Louie would pour a sufficient portion of the Mineral spirits into a different container so as not to contaminate the whole gallon by dipping dirty Q-tip and brush back in the can.

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

While you're waiting for us to Blue this hand-etched Colt Python and show you the awesome results, how about a quick game of chess? This is how we play chess here at Custom Shop, Inc.

 

[Oldmarine]

awesome thread
love to see a pistol restored back it former glory when someone with a "great idea" gets their hands on it...............


waiting for the finished product.....................

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

To clarify some of your comments:

When Louie placed the gun in the plastic bag, he did not touch any of the polished surfaces. He held it by the grip frame, where it had been wire brushed. Incidentally, when we are ready to blue, the parts are removed from the plastic bags and lightly polished AGAIN prior to placing in the Bluing Tanks.

Yes, the buffing process is a bit dirty and thus is done in a separate work area.


The clean-up part is done on one of our 6 separate Gunsmith Benches. Four of these are within the heart of our gun shop, which does look like an immaculate show room. That's right, because it is... complete with Louie's Harley Davidson! Here at Custom Shop, Inc., we take pride in how our shop looks. It's a reflection of the detail and precision that is paramount in all that we do; including the awesome repair work, refinishing, and restoration of your firearms.

 

[Custom Shop Inc]

Here are some more answers to your questions:

Apparently this Colt Python was stolen several years ago. When the owner's son recently recovered it, he found that his father's favorite gun had been severely hand-etched (most likely by the person who stole it). The son didn't think that it could ever be restored to it's original condition, but he contacted us to see if anything could be done. It was extremely important to him, given that his father recently died. He wanted to do it for his dad! Here at Custom Shop, we sincerely wanted to help the son out with his wish. We had him send us the damaged Python. Upon receiving the gun, we were astounded at the level and degree of hand-etching that had been done on most every part of this once beautiful Colt Python owned by his father. We worked very hard on it and applied all our experience and expertise.

Tomorrow, we will show you how it turned out and if you think the son will be happy with the results. Later!

 

[Citation 650]

For some reason I can't see the pics. Is it just me?


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No. I usually can't get the photos on the Colt forum, but works fine on 8 others.


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[oberon]

This thread has me on the edge of my seat.
As a matter of general principles, I ain't much on restoration overhauls, but as with anything, there are obvious exceptions, and
this one is as prime a candidate as they ever get. Usually I favor a drastic restoration only when the thing is essentially a wreck.
I have a refinished Python in my pile. I don't know the story on it, but it was cheap enough, and the job is decent.
I gots ta see the results of that thing. The prep and polish appears to be excellent.

 

[Buickgsman]

How do you deal with shallow or non existent Colt horse stamping? It wouldn't make sense to restore a gun and not have a top notch way of restoring the pony. That would be the deal breaker for me.