Removing Gold Leaf

[57 Fan]

I recently picked up a 2010 Colt SAA. It is a NRA special issue (like you might see it the first few pages of American Rifleman magazine), not a Colt factory commemorative so the gold embellishment seems pressed or rolled on. The only places it occurs is around the cylinder and along the back strap (not engraved). I'd load photos but photo bucket is no longer user friendly unless you're willing to pay $399 for their services.

The revolver has been shot and since it is not a factory commemorative, it holds no other value other than a lightly fired SAA. I'd like to remove the gold leaf from the blued surfaces and thought some of you might have had some experience in doing this. A gunsmith friend suggested I try acetone stating it would not harm the bluing. Just fishing for ideas here and welcome any and all replies. Thank you.

 

[crsides]

Start with acetone. Not knowing what the "gold" is, acetone could remove it. At any rate, it will not hurt the bluing.

Charlie

 

[57 Fan]

Very good and thank you for re-affirming....

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Weather the "Gold" is true leaf or powder it has a glue under it. That is your target. Besides Acetone, think lacquer thinner, break cleaner or a really strong finger nail polish remover.

There might have been an electrical charge as well as the glue, that would make it more difficult to remove, but not impossible!

Ivan

 

[57 Fan]

Well, acetone nor brake cleaner did the trick. I am thinking it might be done by some electrical process. It isn't engraved. When you drag your thumb nail across the lettering, you can feel the slight elevations of the characters. The work was done by Baron Technology. I guess I'll need to contact them and ask. I am open to any other ideas and thank you for helping out.

 

[Bkreutz]

Well, acetone nor brake cleaner did the trick. I am thinking it might be done by some electrical process. It isn't engraved. When you drag your thumb nail across the lettering, you can feel the slight elevations of the characters. The work was done by Baron Technology. I guess I'll need to contact them and ask. I am open to any other ideas and thank you for helping out.

Probably your best bet, I know how to dissolve gold, but the problem is that it would dissolve your gun as well.

 

[57 Fan]

I think I just might find a factory 3rd gen cylinder to replace the original. From what I can determine, the 3rd gen SA prefix S/n revolvers are interchangeable. There are several on line that can be had from $100 - $200 depending on condition. Probably cost close to that to get the plating removed. Thoughts?

 

[Onomea]

I think your idea to contact Baron Technology is the best place to start. If what they tell you makes the replacement cylinder seem a better bet, then proceed on that front. You'll still have that backstrap to bug ya though.

Thinking it over, though, in my opinion, unless Baron has an easy fix, shoot the gun for a bit, if so inclined, then sell it and buy one you like as is.

 

[deadin]

Just use it for a while and the gold will wear off.......

 

[2152hq]

Not knowing what sort of technology they used to put the 'gold' in place and what the stuff is exactly,,I'd first decide wether I would be OK with going into the project w/perhaps the final option being a polish and re-blue of the cylinder and the backstrap.
If after all attempts at removal of the gold fail or perhaps worse,, are only partially successful you are left with the replace or refinish option.

Also, does it look as if the areas where the gold is imprinted/embossed is even the slightest bit relieved (lower) than the area around it?
Some of the commemorative and gold embossed items I've seen were (laser?) etched a few .000" deep to both accept the gold and protect it from wear by being flush after application instead proud of the metal around it. Again only talking a couple .000".

If it is relieved and you are successful removing the gold, you will still have the shallow imprint of the pattern in the parts. The bottom of those cuts is generally nice and smooth so as not to show through the ultra thin layer of the gold application what ever is used but no guarantee of that.

There was a Browning shotgun (semiauto? maybe a pump) that had a gold inlay machine embossed bird on each side IIRC. Browning advised us to send these to them for rebluing because of the thin overlay. Our boss didn't believe them and didn't want to wait so into the bluing tank it went and out it came with out the gold birdies.
I think it was probably the 300+F temp of the bluing soln rather than the alkali salt soln itself that undid them. Some sort of adhesive under neath bonding the ultra thin foil overlay to the steel,,but that's just my guess

You could play around with a bit of heat application to soften any adhesive and see if you can brush them off. Might make more of a mess than you think, but then go with the polish and reblue!

If the Colt was mine and I was going to keep it,,I'd most likely just go ahead and polish the cylinder and backstrap clean, match the polish of the other blued parts and hot salt dunk blue them.
Getting the gold off first before polishing the steel isn't a bad idea though as the softer gold metal can smear and embed itself into the steel while you're working it over and may show itself in the final reblue.


just my rambling thoughts