Prior to WWII Colt used the old Carbona furnace bluing.
After the war, Colt used the modern bluing salt chemical bath.
The "secret" to the Royal Blue, (known inside the factory as the Python Finish) was the extremely high quality polishing job.
Colt had the best polishers in the world working for them. These people started out polishing the cheaper guns like the Official Police, then after years of experience, the best of them were moved to Python work.
Colt always made their own 4 inch wide, leather-covered polishing wheels, and the polisher just worked his way down in grits from 80-grit to a super-fine 400-grit flour-like material.
This is one reason why the Python costs so much. People with these kind of skills and years of experience don't work for minimum wage, and it's takes a lot of time do do this type of work.
[This message has been edited by dfariswheel (edited 03-26-2004).]
I'm not trying to provoke an argument: I love Pythons and have several. But when I put them beside, say, my 2d issue OMT made in 1921, it looks like someone smeared the Python with a blue-gray magic marker (well, not quite). But while I will admit that the Python is the only decently polished and blued revolver of recent times, it just cannot hold a candle to pre-war work.
This is doubly true with S&W. And recently, since about 1980, Smith has really set all records for poor polishing--I can see actual tool marks on many of the guns, and the "blueing" tends to brown at once, or is cloudy gray. In general Colt has done a better job, and certainly the Python is a class by itself.
Still, though I hate to seem like a sour apple, first class blueing has been a thing of the past for some time now.
Best,
Bill A
[This message has been edited by Bill A (edited 03-26-2004).]
Bill A. I agree with the pre WW 2 quality of bluing,but lets go back further,pre WW ONE. This was the era of the true high polish,the fire blue screws. I only have one pre -World War One in 98%+ condition to really appreciate the level of bluing, a New Service. Compared to New Services made in the 1920s-30s, I see what Bob Murphy meant in his book on the new Service; the old finish went to war,never to return in 1917. On another "bluing note",Ive seen several of the SAA,imports,with the premium bluing; beautiful!!,but doesnt wear well in the holster for Cowboy Action Shooting! Bud
Yes sir, Colt can do a Royal Blue refinish for $325. You state satin; is it satin nickel or satin blue or just a standard blue and you are referring it to satin blue? Post a picture of it. Here's Colt's Custom Shop price list. Click on 2011 custom retail price list.
I just got back a 1973 vintage Python that I asked Colt to restore to the original Royal Blue. I've been over the entire revolver with a 10x loupe, and I can't find a swirl or a line anywhere. As you might expect, the finish looks a mile deep.
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