Re-blue - or not . . . (v2.0)

[SchmittZoid]

OK ODT,

So here is the real deal. I thought all the revolver experts on here could help me out with advice on this one. JWC , mikey357 , @Leatherhead, Deleted member 13569 , @TommyT, @NWSharpshooter

I have a first year of issue, four digit serial number Colt Model 1892 "New Army & Navy" Revolver. Serial numbers for 1892 ranged from #1 to #10,000. This one is #3865, so it is pretty early to mid-year.

It has some unfortunate areas where it accumulated some hard corrosion and some idjiot previous owner (maybe the individual it was issued to) tried to sand or emery off the corrosion. This was purchased by my father back in the '50's from an old guy who inherited it from his grandfather. Don't know much more about the story, it came into the family before I was born . . . . Been in this condition ever since it was acquired.

So . . . . . . . .

Refinish this one, or not . . . . .

.

 

[SchmittZoid]

A few more photos . . . . . . .

 

[RamRoddoc]

Man that's a hard one.

Yours still has some finish left. To re-blue it will destroy it's collectors value. It has honest wear.

Mine was damaged from water+ash=lye leaking into a firearms safe. I re-blued it. I'm planning on color case hardening the trigger and hammer too.

I say no.

 

[mikey357]

Wow, that one's Finish is...Well...Pretty GNARLY! I hafta' ask--Being that it once belonged to your Father, does it have any "Sentimental Value" to you? If so, then you need to ask yourself if you would enjoy it MORE in the Condition it was in when your Dad had it, or would you enjoy it MORE if it was restored to it's "Former Glory"?

If it has no real "Sentimental Value" to you, then the answer is somewhat easier--If you have it REBLUED, are you ever likely to RECOVER whatever it would cost for the Reblue? I can't answer that one, as I have no idea what it might be worth in it's present Condition--Here, the "Blue Book" or a similar reference will be your friend...HTH....mikey357

 

[markj]

If its a family heirloom that you never plan to sell, have it re blued and restored. Its an awesome piece. If you are looking at it as an investment, its much harder. There is not a lot of collector value there due to the condition, but there is probably some. If you have it re finished, the value may stay the same, but will probably decrease a little. You would really have to be tuned into the collector market for these old Colts to know the exact impact on value.

Id say, if you ever plan to sell it, keep it well oiled and leave it as is. The gun earned that patina, enjoy it.

 

[Deleted member 13569]

My comments would only echo the other guys' excellent suggestions. The biggest factor for me (because I don't collect antiques even tho I am one) is the sentimental value of owning it. As the oldest of us siblings, I had a bunch of my Dad's stuff from when he passed 11 yrs ago. I kept them for a while then gave them to my younger brothers a couple years ago.

So, if it were mine, and if I didn't plan to be a collector, if the sentimental value is not a factor, and if I didn't have a younger sibling to pass it on to, then I'd sell it "as is" (the value is best when the rev has the natural patina) to a collector, take the $$s and buy something I would shoot and enjoy.

The decision is yours, my friend.

 

[canoecanoe]

Wow, that one's Finish is...Well...Pretty GNARLY! I hafta' ask--Being that it once belonged to your Father, does it have any "Sentimental Value" to you? If so, then you need to ask yourself if you would enjoy it MORE in the Condition it was in when your Dad had it, or would you enjoy it MORE if it was restored to it's "Former Glory"?

If it has no real "Sentimental Value" to you, then the answer is somewhat easier--If you have it REBLUED, are you ever likely to RECOVER whatever it would cost for the Reblue? I can't answer that one, as I have no idea what it might be worth in it's present Condition--Here, the "Blue Book" or a similar reference will be your friend...HTH....mikey357

I am no expert, so take that into account.

See if you can get an honest appraisal on its' value in the current condition. Then decide if you are going to try to sell it or keep it. If it were me and the collector value is pretty much gone, I would have it re-blued. To me that would not take away my family related sentimental value and I would personally enjoy it much more if it were restored, even knowing that what little collector value it had is gone.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[PA4476]

IF you decide to refinish, you will still see the slight pitting that you see now. It will just be covered up with new blue.

MY STORY: I have a Browning A5 Light 20 that belonged to my Grand Dad and then my Dad. It shows wear from use, a few nicks in the wood from honest bird hunting done by my Grand Dad. I found a place that can redo it, wood and metal and make it look new, I mean NEW. I almost sent it off to let them do their magic, I had it out looking at what all would need done and realized that every mark, every improfection, any blueing wear was done by either my dad or his dad. So looking like it does now is more important (to me ) than looking new.

 

[JWC]

SchmittZoid, I am often asked my opinion on whether to refinish a gun or leave it as is. To me, that is not an easy question to answer. I must admit that I lean toward originality on older guns, but I am not rigid in my stance.

Sometimes a gun that has been abused should be refinished. But as Mikey stated, don’t ever expect to recoup the money spent to refinish the gun. I had a rifle of mine refinished because a family member allowed the gun, that has great sentimental value, to nearly rust away. I had little choice but to restore the rifle. I do not regret the restoration, and I am proud to have that rifle.

Sometimes a gun should not be refinished because of what the gun is, and who owned the gun before you. I believe your Colt falls into this category. The serial number can be documented back to roughly 1892, when there were around 10,000 produced in that year. Just how many of those 10,000 do you believe have survived the 123 years? To have survived that long the gun should be allowed to show the age, the history and yes, even the abuse. Plus, you dad owned this gun since before you were born, and owned it in the condition as it is now.

SchmittZoid, because of the documentation you have on the gun, because the gun can be considered a survivor, and because your dad owned the gun before you, and owned it in its present condition, I would not have the gun refinished. If you decide to sell it, let the next owner alter the appearance of the Colt, but you shouldn’t. Hey, just my opinion.

 

[insulinboy]

I would give the gun a clear cerakote if I did anything to it, just to protect it from rust. I love the character that gun has and I love any gun with real character. I don't like scratches and gouges.. But some holster wear and evidence of a history of the gun I absolutely love.

But I'm one of the weird ones I guess. I see a whole lot of beauty in the way that firearm looks