copyright William Marion 2008
Black Powder Revolver
The Online Magazine and Resource for Black Powder Revolvers
Extreme Make Over for an 1851 Colt Navy
May 2006 Edition
Page 4
My old (make that very old) 1851 kit revolver was finally starting to show its age and was in need of a makeover. The cold bluing I had done over 25 years ago was wearing thin and the finish looked like it was put on with a crayon. The brass was extremely tarnished and in desperate need of polishing. Having recent experience with a kit build (see page one), I felt like tackling this job. After disassembling the gun, I gave it a through cleaning to remove any accumulated grease or oil. The bluing remover suggested a soap and water wash followed with a degreaser or alcohol wipe. With the barrel cleaned, I applied the bluing remover. I was surprised at how quickly and how well it removed the 25 year old bluing. With just 2 applications and a light rub with fine steel wool, the barrel was clean and looked like new. I had expected a much more difficult time removing the finish, but was happy to find it so easy.
Next step was to once again clean the barrel thoroughly and apply the bluing solution. You could see the almost immediate change in the color of the steel as the solution was applied.
Next step was to once again clean the barrel thoroughly and apply the bluing solution. You could see the almost immediate change in the color of the steel as the solution was applied.
The directions said to apply, wait 2 minutes and lightly sand with steel wool. I repeated this process 4 times and was very pleased with the result. I have high praise for the Birchwood-Casey products I used.
With the barrel done I then moved on to the brass frame. My first attempt with a commercial brass and silver polish did little. I then resorted to my Dremel tool with a soft pad and a polishing compound. This finally removed much of the discoloration and produced a nice shinny finish on the brass. I didn’t want to retain the authentic antique look, so I opted to make it look like a new replica. I again applied the brass cleaner and got much better results. A final buff with a soft pad on the Dremel tool and the brass was better than when it was new.
I had left the grips on during the initial cleaning and degreasing. They appeared almost black from years of bullet lube and gun oil. While they did lighten up after cleaning, the wood now appeared dry. I applied a thin coating of linseed oil and the result was much more
With the barrel done I then moved on to the brass frame. My first attempt with a commercial brass and silver polish did little. I then resorted to my Dremel tool with a soft pad and a polishing compound. This finally removed much of the discoloration and produced a nice shinny finish on the brass. I didn’t want to retain the authentic antique look, so I opted to make it look like a new replica. I again applied the brass cleaner and got much better results. A final buff with a soft pad on the Dremel tool and the brass was better than when it was new.
I had left the grips on during the initial cleaning and degreasing. They appeared almost black from years of bullet lube and gun oil. While they did lighten up after cleaning, the wood now appeared dry. I applied a thin coating of linseed oil and the result was much more
Shots of some very worn bluing and tarnished brass