| There are two basic types of firearms finishes. | | | | one area where they are inferior to bluing. Bluing my |
| Those that cause a change in the color of the | | | | be stripped off and a new finish applied with relative |
| surface metal of a firearm and those that are applied | | | | ease. Plated finishes must be removed by special |
| to the surface but do not change the basic nature of | | | | stripping processes, preferably by the original plater. |
| the surface material. The first group of finishes | | | | Since there are several plating processes available, |
| consists of what is referred to as "bluing or | | | | each a little bit different, they often require a special |
| browning" while the latter category comprises the | | | | stripping process only available from someone using |
| majority of other finishes available. The purpose of | | | | that particular process. While there are some |
| this monograph is to briefly discuss the nature of | | | | processes available that claim to strip almost any |
| bluing, the most common firearm finish, and then to | | | | plated finish, they must be used with the utmost |
| discuss the applied finishes. | | | | care. I have seen several pistols damaged by their |
| Bluing (or browning) is, most commonly, a modified | | | | use. |
| form of rusting created under strictly controlled | | | | There is another form of applied finish. This is applied |
| conditions to produce a cosmetically pleasing finish on | | | | by hand by either dipping or spraying and offers the |
| steel. In industrial applications, it is referred to as black | | | | dark color of bluing along with the greater rust |
| oxide. In the older methods, a solution was wiped on | | | | resistance of the plated finishes. Its wear |
| the clean part and then the part was allowed to | | | | characteristics are better than bluing but not as good |
| develop a fine rust. This rust was carded off and the | | | | as plating. Teflon finishes and our TAF-1 finish are |
| part wiped again with the solution. This process | | | | examples of this type. We feel that the TAF-1 is |
| continued until the desired color was produced. The | | | | superior in wear to Teflon and that is why we offer |
| process is still sometimes used today on higher | | | | it. Both the TAF-1 and Teflon finishes are available in |
| quality firearms and those, such as double barreled | | | | a low luster black which looks very well on a firearm. |
| shotguns, which would be damaged by the more | | | | They can also be stripped by normal abrasive blasting |
| aggressive modern methods. The process is known | | | | which means they do not require the special |
| today as the cold rust method. | | | | preparation that a plated finish does when they must |
| The more modern method of bluing is to use a bath | | | | be refinished. Another benefit of the TAF-1 finish is |
| of caustic chemicals heated to about 285 degrees F. | | | | that it may be applied to both aluminum and stainless |
| The parts to be blued are chemically cleaned and | | | | steel as well as the more common carbon steel. This |
| then immersed in the bluing bath for about 1/2 hour | | | | allows these two metals the protection of an applied |
| until they reach the desired color. In both types of | | | | finish for use under adverse conditions. I once rusted |
| bluing, the surface of the metal is chemically changed | | | | several parts of a stainless steel pistol while carrying |
| and the finish is in the metal. | | | | it concealed over a period of a week in our hot |
| As a side note, there is another form of coloring, not | | | | Arizona summer. Applying a TAF-1 finish not only |
| commonly encountered today, called heat bluing. This | | | | made the pistol less conspicuous, but it also |
| is the controlled heating of the part watching as it | | | | prevented any recurrence of the rusting problem. |
| changes colors. The part is quenched in oil when the | | | | As can be seen from the foregoing synopsis, the |
| proper color is obtained. This was the process used | | | | choice of finish for a pistol is more complex than |
| to color certain parts of the Parabellum or Luger | | | | some would have us believe. Bluing is an excellent |
| pistol. | | | | first finish for a pistol. It is relatively inexpensive, |
| The second major form of firearms finish is the class | | | | holds up relatively well except under harsh operational |
| known as applied finishes. These finishes are applied | | | | use and does not change any of the parts |
| to the surface of the metal and do not change the | | | | tolerances. It is a very good choice to use while you |
| basic nature of the surface metal. By their nature, | | | | are setting up your pistol and getting all of the work |
| they are far more rust resistant than bluing. They | | | | done on it you want. If you decide you want |
| also tend to be more expensive which is why they | | | | something changed (different sights, trigger or |
| are not more common. These applied finishes range | | | | mainspring housing for example) it is not a major |
| from common paint to plated finishes. | | | | problem. With a plated slide, for example, the plating |
| The British used a painted finish on a number of their | | | | must be stripped before most sights could be |
| service arms. The paint was easier to apply than | | | | mounted and then the slide re-plated. After you have |
| bluing, provided greater rust resistance and was less | | | | your pistol set up exactly as you want it, it is time to |
| expensive. It also had the property, in the proper | | | | consider a better finish. |
| color, of being less likely to reflect light- a prime | | | | The plated finishes will change dimensional tolerances. |
| consideration on both the battle field and hunting field. | | | | Parts that functioned perfectly before may cause |
| The painted finishes were relatively easily damaged, | | | | problems after the plating. This is particularly true |
| but could be easily touched up with a small bottle of | | | | with tightly fitted parts such as match barrel |
| paint. American ski troops often used white painted | | | | bushings, beavertail grip safeties and tightened slides. |
| weapons. With the proper paint, this is still an | | | | Trigger pull characteristics (weight of pull and |
| acceptable finish for inexpensive firearms. | | | | crispness of pull) may be affected. This is the main |
| Plating is another form of applied finish. It comes in | | | | reason we do not offer plated finishes. Additionally, |
| two forms-electro plating and electroless plating. | | | | after a number of years of experience with these |
| Electro plating is applied by passing an electrical | | | | finishes, we have found no one who can consistently |
| current through a part suspended in a plating solution. | | | | turn out a top quality finish. This requires some pistols |
| Hard chrome is applied this way and produces a very | | | | to be returned to the plater to be finished again, |
| hard finish as its name implies. It produces a | | | | delaying the return of the pistol to the client. |
| white-silver finish and may be either shiny or matte. | | | | After much experimentation, we have adopted the |
| Nickel may be applied by the electrical method. In this | | | | TAF-1 finish as our most rust resistant finish. It will |
| case, the part is plated with copper first and then | | | | wear, but still provides greater wear resistance than |
| the nickel is plated to the copper. Both processes | | | | bluing. If you holster is cleaned periodically with a |
| produce a very rust resistant finish with good wear | | | | clean tooth brush and then blown out with |
| characteristics. Both will, however, eventually wear | | | | compressed air, the finish will suffer less abrasion. |
| through and can let rust get under the surface. | | | | This holds true with all types of finish. The ability of |
| Electroless nickel plating can be applied to both | | | | TAF-1 to be applied to all types of metal allows us to |
| carbon steel and aluminum. It is available in either a | | | | offer a dark finish for stainless steel and aluminum. In |
| shiny or a matte finish. Like the hard chrome it is | | | | the areas where wear occurs, it can be touched up |
| very rust resistant and long wearing. Also like hard | | | | with cold blue (for carbon steel) or with flat black |
| chrome it can allow rust to get into the part and pit | | | | model paint (any surface) to reduce glare. Since |
| it. I have a Colt Commander slide that was | | | | these areas are worn away through abrasive action, |
| electroless nickeled which shows a great deal of | | | | all finishes will eventually show this wear, but only |
| minor pitting where it rests against the body in a | | | | TAF-1 and bluing may be touched up in this manner. |
| Summer Special holster. After a number of years of | | | | Most importantly, we do not find the build up of the |
| concealed wear, the area above the thumb safety | | | | TAF-1 finish to cause the dimensional problems that |
| had turned black. When the finish was stripped, | | | | we have found with the plated finishes, making it |
| numerous small pits were discovered. All of your | | | | easier to set the pistol up properly and then apply |
| plated finishes offer much greater rust resistance and | | | | the finish without having to worry about how plating |
| much better wear characteristics than bluing, but | | | | will affect the final fit of the parts. If there is a |
| even with the best of care, they will wear off and | | | | problem, it is easily solved and the pistol refinished |
| let rust get started. Just as with bluing, they must be | | | | without having to ship it back to the plater. |
| periodically refinished for maximum protection. This is | | | | |