As always, it's lookin' good brother!
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1860 Army Blackhawk
- Thread starter Sharps40
- Start date
The colors don't come out well under florescent light. But outside its not only red but iridescent and the reds and golds shift left and right across the wood like a kids holographic toy. You can see the colors shift under the indoor lights too but more of a red tinted brown and gold. Very cool effect.
Here, on the inside....the toe block I described above. Not only to serve as a back up foot for the trigger return spring legs but as a stiffener for the grip panels. A dollop of glass bedding to secure it in place and a simple snug fitting nail (into drilled holes so there are no splits) to hold position until the glass kicked over. Once the glass kicks, the nail is pretty much superfluous.
I'll check fit once more at final assembly but as you see from the spring travel lines, the mainspring will be unencumbered and the trigger spring legs will ride up into the brass backstrap just at or above the retention block.
Gonna start getting some sealer on the inside and the 4th coat of finish on the outside. Probably 2 to 4 more coats will finish the grip panels....likely tomorrow night or Friday AM.
But before that, I labeled the right inner panel 1860 Style Army Colt Grip + 1974 Ruger and my initials and the build date on both inner sides.
Here, on the inside....the toe block I described above. Not only to serve as a back up foot for the trigger return spring legs but as a stiffener for the grip panels. A dollop of glass bedding to secure it in place and a simple snug fitting nail (into drilled holes so there are no splits) to hold position until the glass kicked over. Once the glass kicks, the nail is pretty much superfluous.
I'll check fit once more at final assembly but as you see from the spring travel lines, the mainspring will be unencumbered and the trigger spring legs will ride up into the brass backstrap just at or above the retention block.
Gonna start getting some sealer on the inside and the 4th coat of finish on the outside. Probably 2 to 4 more coats will finish the grip panels....likely tomorrow night or Friday AM.
But before that, I labeled the right inner panel 1860 Style Army Colt Grip + 1974 Ruger and my initials and the build date on both inner sides.
Excellent choice of wood, it sure throws some nice color. Love the darker-lighter-darker look on that left panel....seems to flow perfectly. (Of course, I'm not telling you nothing you don't know. Haha!)
I'll get outdoor photos when the bluing is done...that'll show the true color but for now. Finished polishing my wood. Each dry coat (6 total) is lightly knocked level with 0000 steel wool. The final coat is wooled than rubbed to a satin glow with Brownells fff compound. If you want a high gloss, follow up with Brownells fffff or even motorcycle windshield and visor polish.
Rubbing compound on.....
Hard to describe the feel and look of hand rubbed finishes. Totally smooth, soft to the touch and a warm look. The wood is not like the polished spray on types which to me look like wood under glass.
Finished out the screw length so its below the level of the wood.
The other side and back....it seems Brownells fff does a passing quick job removing sanding scratches from brass and bringing up a bit of initial shine there too. Discovered a new use for this great polishing compound....betcha it'd be dandy on a Stainless Mod 60 that's been just absolutely torn up finish wise by daily carry in a rock hard and abusive Blackhawk Serpa holster. I gotta get me a leather El Paso, hand carved no doubt for that Lil Best Buddy of a Smith.
At this angle, the wood tone has shifted holo style....the front and rear are light when normally they are dark red. Change the angle of the gun to the light and the dark light bands ripple back and forth across the grain....kinda neat to sit here sippin Woodford an getting mesmerized by the effect.
Here at this angle, the front starting to darken up again....keep turning it against the light source, back and forth like the old timey bands of color that shifted across movie screens.
Rubbing compound on.....
Hard to describe the feel and look of hand rubbed finishes. Totally smooth, soft to the touch and a warm look. The wood is not like the polished spray on types which to me look like wood under glass.
Finished out the screw length so its below the level of the wood.
The other side and back....it seems Brownells fff does a passing quick job removing sanding scratches from brass and bringing up a bit of initial shine there too. Discovered a new use for this great polishing compound....betcha it'd be dandy on a Stainless Mod 60 that's been just absolutely torn up finish wise by daily carry in a rock hard and abusive Blackhawk Serpa holster. I gotta get me a leather El Paso, hand carved no doubt for that Lil Best Buddy of a Smith.
At this angle, the wood tone has shifted holo style....the front and rear are light when normally they are dark red. Change the angle of the gun to the light and the dark light bands ripple back and forth across the grain....kinda neat to sit here sippin Woodford an getting mesmerized by the effect.
Here at this angle, the front starting to darken up again....keep turning it against the light source, back and forth like the old timey bands of color that shifted across movie screens.
The whole thing gets worked over with the jitterbug and 120g first. Frame to grip is now mated, most pits gone, lettering sharp and clear, etc. This makes a fine mat finish as is. But, it'll be a bit nicer with just a bit more work.....evening out the 120 finish on the reflective areas and going over all the sides in a wire brush finish. The color and tone will be about the same, its just easier to wire brush the crazy side contours on a revolver and bootstrap or sand/polish other large areas.
Sides are wire brushed to remove and blend the 120g leveling work on the sides. The top strap is hand sanded with 100g lengthwise to make a nonreflective surface and get all the polishing marks (since its a coarse grit) all in the same direction. The barrel is bootstrapped with good old 120g around its circumference. Ready for a wipe down and some rust.
Sides are wire brushed to remove and blend the 120g leveling work on the sides. The top strap is hand sanded with 100g lengthwise to make a nonreflective surface and get all the polishing marks (since its a coarse grit) all in the same direction. The barrel is bootstrapped with good old 120g around its circumference. Ready for a wipe down and some rust.
First coat of rusting agent is put on wet. All subsequent coats will be nearly dry. First coat sits 1 hour then gets a dry coat and a 2 to 3 hour sit and then the first boil and carding.
After that, dry coats and 3 to 24 hour sits with dry coats every few hours to deepen the color. The steel should move from silver to grey to deep grey black and no spotting.
All the steel was cleaned with alkyhol prep wipes and dried on clean paper towels in preparation for the first spot free treatments. Keep your hands clean and a barrier like paper towels between them and the steel from here on out. No oils at all or spots and you then strip back to bare steel and start over.
Good temps and humidity. If all goes well, this gun should be completely blued and soaking in oil/grease in 3 to 5 days with at about 5 trips thru the boiling pot.
After that, dry coats and 3 to 24 hour sits with dry coats every few hours to deepen the color. The steel should move from silver to grey to deep grey black and no spotting.
All the steel was cleaned with alkyhol prep wipes and dried on clean paper towels in preparation for the first spot free treatments. Keep your hands clean and a barrier like paper towels between them and the steel from here on out. No oils at all or spots and you then strip back to bare steel and start over.
Good temps and humidity. If all goes well, this gun should be completely blued and soaking in oil/grease in 3 to 5 days with at about 5 trips thru the boiling pot.
Won the auction....Looks like the grip style decision on the 45 Colt is made....Colt, Stainless and $150 less than new cost for a new item. Unless I decide the 45 colt's not for a project but rather for a swap or sale... in which case I'll find another Blackhawk for this one.
Powers Old Model 2 piece Colt Grip for New Model Ruger/Vaq/SSix, etc...
Powers Old Model 2 piece Colt Grip for New Model Ruger/Vaq/SSix, etc...
