Gun cleaning question.

[pippy96]

Just bought a silver pigeon 5 with colour hardening, is there any cleaning methods I should use with putting the colour hardening at risk.

Thanks

[figgy]

A gentle wipe over with a oily rag that you use to wipe down the barrels.

 

Figgy

[JohnfromUK]

True colour hardening is a very thin, but hard finish, achieved by a heat/carbon process. Most early 20th century English guns had it - and it does slowly wear away with handling etc. The points that get normal wear, for example, where a gun is carried on the arm wear as one of the first places. This is 'fair wear and tear' and one of the things that builds 'character and patina on a gun'.

 

You see old guns in adverts with the phrase 'some colour remaining' or '75% colour remaining' as an indication of the wear and handling they have had over the years. An oily rag as above is the right treatment, but IF you do get corrosion, any abrasive used to remove it will also tend to remove the colour.

 

The message is to be thorough but gentle with the oily rag and do your best to prevent any corrosion ever starting.

[steve_b_wales]

Autosol (Solvol) is a good polish for chrome and silver. You can buy it from most auto accessory shops.

[JohnfromUK]

I'm not sure if Autosol is an abrasive (but I suspect it may be if used for chrome). If you want to protect the colours, DO NOT use an abrasive cleaner. The colour layer is thin and will soon be removed by an abrasive. I would not use an abrasive on a gun for normal cleaning, full stop.

[AlistairB]

I've had an sp5 for 5 years now and the action hasn't lost any color yet, mind you, the action only ever gets wiped over with an oily rag.

AB

Edited September 4, 2014 by AlistairB

[pippy96]

Thanks for the replys