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08-05-2007, 11:51 AM
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I have a N frame pistol made in the late 1930's with considerable loss of the original bluing. I've been thinking of having it refinished. Someone on the forum mentions Ford's in Florida. I've looked at the examples on their website. My question: is their high polish finish a good approximation in color and polish to what S&W was doing in the late 1930's?
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Joseph L. Lyon
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08-05-2007, 11:51 AM
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I have a N frame pistol made in the late 1930's with considerable loss of the original bluing. I've been thinking of having it refinished. Someone on the forum mentions Ford's in Florida. I've looked at the examples on their website. My question: is their high polish finish a good approximation in color and polish to what S&W was doing in the late 1930's?
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Joseph L. Lyon
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08-05-2007, 12:43 PM
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In my opinion, DON'T DO IT! Some original finish is always better than a refinish. Sell that one (I might even be interested) and buy one with more original finish if that's what you like. Yes, Ford's guns 'look' good at first glance, but in refinishing, it almost always requires lots of polishing, thus losing the crispness of original stampings, and corners. Refinishing is great for modern guns or for older 'project' guns that are pieced together from mixed parts. (I've done the latter a few times to make great shooters) As is always stated on here, it's your gun, and you're free to do with it as you see fit. Personally I much prefere a gun with little original finish and lots of charactor to one that's artificially shiny. Old guns are more like antique furniture than antique cars. Refinishing almost always hurts the value and resale. A Ford's refinish will cost at least a couple hundred dollars and is very likely to reduce the value of the gun by that much or more, not add to it.
Tell us a little more about the specifics of this revolver and post some pictures. If it has absolutely no collector value now, the opinions will be different. This is not very likely as all pre-war N frames have become very collectable.
Chris
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Chris
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08-05-2007, 01:10 PM
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I have to agree with Chris, on all the points he raised.
The blue's of all the refinishers are different from what was being done
in the 1930's, primarily because the modern process's are different. The
gun would look similar, but not the same. And, the high-polish's from
todays refinishers are not at all like the factory finishes of the 1930's.
Generally, those were not high polish.
Its very hard to recover the cost of refinishing a nothing-special gun,
meaning that the gun is a standard barrel length sent to a distributor.
If you are in to something collectable, sell this one and find a better
one.
Later, Mike Priwer
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08-06-2007, 06:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by epidoc:
Someone on the forum mentions Ford's in Florida. I've looked at the examples on their website. My question: is their high polish finish a good approximation in color and polish to what S&W was doing in the late 1930's?
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Although Ford's does a very good quality refinish, nothing will compare with the original polishing and bluing of the factory, for reasons previously stated. I'd leave it alone and sell it if I couldn't live with it's appearance and pony up for a better condition specimen. My only caveat to that opinion, is that I believe that a piece that has been previously refinished suffers no harm from a competent refinish, providing it is returned to it's original configuration as lettered. The damage, so to speak, has already been done. I would add that in the case of older refinishes, we should remember that at the time many of these guns were contemporary and not thought to be anything more than a tool. Considering the number of non factory nickeled 1926 HE's we see attributed to southwestern lawmen for example, that seems evident. Apparently, some fellows just wanted them that way for one reason or another. Some of these reasons were for practical purposes and some were merely personal statements of taste or style, neither of which should be overlooked or criticized retrospectively. Amongst many collectors, even a factory documented refinish may be undesireable. So, you have to consider a broad set of perspectives. Personally, if the revolver had none of the original finish left and hadn't been previously refinished, I'd still leave it alone.
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08-09-2007, 04:10 AM
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I just was fortunate enough to find a 1939 Brazilian Contract .45 Smith in great working condition when I had the money to buy it. It has holster wear, a little pitting/rusting under the grips and on the grip strap, and someond really defaced the old grips with a tool of some sort, but I will not refinish this od horse because it looks just fine to me. I put a pair of old, yellowing pearl grips on it, and I'm cleaning and gradually hand polishing the blue with a silicon cloth, but that's it. I have de greased and re oiled the piece and scrubbed the (excellent) bore, and if it shoots even acceptably, I will carry it from time to time.
The gun is a very early one, an old commercial model with no military markings except the Brazilian crest, and it really makes me feel like an old time pistolero.
Since I bought it as part of my retirement/60th birthday extravaganza, I guess I am an old time pistolero.
My opinion only.
Mark
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08-09-2007, 12:28 PM
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I would respectfully offer a very different opinion.
Some of us prefer "attractive" guns that look like they left the factory yesterday. I often have old guns refinished (carefully)and will continue to do so.
While refinishing may not maximize the resale value, it makes the gun much more pleasant for me to own and shoot.
JERRY
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08-09-2007, 10:41 PM
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Re nobody can match a 1930s S&W finish, how about David Chicoine?
People say of Turnbull and prewar Colts that even experts can't tell the difference. Of course, ya pay for what ya get, but, re prewar Smiths, is the same said of Chicoine... ?
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08-10-2007, 05:11 PM
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My experience with refinishing was with S&W, when they 'restored' a Pre-Model 27 I picked up. I have to say I was impressed with the workmanship. The gun shot better, looked better and certainly turned a sow's ear into a silk purse. Is it as nice as it was brand-new? Nope. Do I like it better? Yup! Ford's, I understand, is one of the best. Never saw any Chicoine redo's, but I've heard good. You do pay for what you get.
MikeyL
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