ScaryWoody
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- Joined
- Jul 23, 2012
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"This is my pistol. There are many like it, but this one is mine." Except I don't like that mine looks like all the others.
I have coach gun that I was working with the other day. It's just a plain old gun like every other. I was doing research on coach guns and the ones I was drawn to were color case hardened. It gave it that extra touch and made it look more appealing, at least to me.
Further research took me to the process of color case hardening which is rather expensive and well, hard. In looking further I came across a cold color hardening process that uses chemical instead of charcoal and heat. Also, it works on stainless steels.
I thought I would give it a shot with my Shield 45 and make it look different. I figured I'd try it on a small area just in case I hated it.
First step is baring the stainless and polishing it up. The process itself is much like cold bluing. But of course, the Shield has a stainless steel slide.
I taped off the parts I didn't want sanded and went to work. It took about an hour or so of sanding. I used 280 grit, 500 and down to 1200. I then used the wife's nail polisher block. That makes metal and woods sparkly shiny. Shhhh, don't tell her.
Once the areas were clear I used some de-greaser and some acetone to remove any oils left.
The Stainless F/X (2, 4 ounces bottles , $58 shipped) has a bottle of metal prep. This is a very mild solution, very low acid content that etches the metal. The separate bottle of Patina solution actually colors the metal.
I carefully applied the metal prep with a sponge. Then applied the patina. The whole process takes about a minute. Once satisfied with the result you spray with water that neutralizes the process. I did a few different applications on each side until I achieved a desirable look.
The coloring is microns thick and will scratch and wear with time. Pretty much the same as any metal coating.
It's hard to see in the pictures but the result is a multi layered mix of blues, browns, goldish and purple. It blends well with the balance of the slide that I left in the original coating.
I'll try to get a better brighter picture next sunny day. The solutions also work on Carbon Steels. I make knives so I look forward to that. Next project with this stuff is my coach gun.
Pictures:
I have coach gun that I was working with the other day. It's just a plain old gun like every other. I was doing research on coach guns and the ones I was drawn to were color case hardened. It gave it that extra touch and made it look more appealing, at least to me.
Further research took me to the process of color case hardening which is rather expensive and well, hard. In looking further I came across a cold color hardening process that uses chemical instead of charcoal and heat. Also, it works on stainless steels.
I thought I would give it a shot with my Shield 45 and make it look different. I figured I'd try it on a small area just in case I hated it.
First step is baring the stainless and polishing it up. The process itself is much like cold bluing. But of course, the Shield has a stainless steel slide.
I taped off the parts I didn't want sanded and went to work. It took about an hour or so of sanding. I used 280 grit, 500 and down to 1200. I then used the wife's nail polisher block. That makes metal and woods sparkly shiny. Shhhh, don't tell her.
Once the areas were clear I used some de-greaser and some acetone to remove any oils left.
The Stainless F/X (2, 4 ounces bottles , $58 shipped) has a bottle of metal prep. This is a very mild solution, very low acid content that etches the metal. The separate bottle of Patina solution actually colors the metal.
I carefully applied the metal prep with a sponge. Then applied the patina. The whole process takes about a minute. Once satisfied with the result you spray with water that neutralizes the process. I did a few different applications on each side until I achieved a desirable look.
The coloring is microns thick and will scratch and wear with time. Pretty much the same as any metal coating.
It's hard to see in the pictures but the result is a multi layered mix of blues, browns, goldish and purple. It blends well with the balance of the slide that I left in the original coating.
I'll try to get a better brighter picture next sunny day. The solutions also work on Carbon Steels. I make knives so I look forward to that. Next project with this stuff is my coach gun.
Pictures:
