How close charcoal blue?

[willy]

How close is the new SAA clones charcoal finish to the original finish of the Colt SAA?.

[Coffinmaker]

I don't know anybody who has been around long enough to answer that question.  Guns made by Colt way back in the Wabac (Sherman and the Professor) are old enough the charcoal Blueing will have faded to a degree.

I haven't seen recent production in Charcoal Blue.  Of course, there hasn't been any real recent production at Colt so we actually don't have anything to go by.  You pays your monies and takes yer chances as it twer.

[willy]

Thanks fer clearin that up,,,

[Drydock]

The original Colt SAAs were rust blued to a dark blue/black finish, back then called armory blue.  I  don't know anything from that period that was "Charcoal blued." After WW1 Colt had a Royal Blue finish that was more blue than black, but still very dark, more of a high polish really.

[Coffinmaker]

Sorry Willy, but there is no definitive answer.

[willy]

Seen a vid of how colt did their blueing in the early 1900s,, But couldn't find anything earlier..I'll still keep looking,,but in the mean time,,,Thanks for the replies

[LonesomePigeon]

I believe the original Colt blue was not rust blue but rather a gas oven process that did use charcoal, called carbona blue or carbonia blue. I believe Uberti's "charcoal blue" is actually a nitre blue. It is thin and wears quite easily. True carbona blue was strong.

You can sometimes see high condition examples of original Colt's on auction sites, like Rock Island Auctions and James D. Julia. The Uberti charcoal blue is pretty but it doesn't look much like original Colt's carbona blue to me.

[Drydock]

Carbona blue was an early 20th century blueing, quite lusterous and deep.  But Single Action Armys were always blued to Milspec, which called for Rust Blueing.  The current "Charcoal Blue" is pretty, but not in any way historical, as well as very delicate.

[sfc rick]

Very delicate and doesn't last for long.

[Abilene]

Very delicate and doesn't last for long.

But it is my favorite Uberti finish, anyway. 

[Dave T]

Drydock has nailed this in his posts.

My first "Italian" single action was a Uberti "Charcoal Blue" from Cimarron. The bluing wore off the back strap, the muzzle, and the leading edge of the cylinder during load development. I learned (too late) that it wasn't an original finish.

Dave

[medic15al]

But it is my favorite Uberti finish, anyway. 

Mine as well!  5 1/2 in Cimarron model 45 Colt. Not one smokeless round through it in 6 years Of owning it. Purchased new.

[Galloway]

If the question is did the 7th cavalry's saa's look like the charcoal blue versions offered by cimarron im gonna say no. Colt did indeed use fire/nitre blue screws hammers and triggers time to time on fancy guns though.

[LonesomePigeon]

Drydock, I stand corrected. Your statement inspired me to do some research and you are correct, carbona blue was not even invented until the early 20th Century so the early SAA's could not have been carbona blued. I am still not so sure they were rust blued. I've heard different opinions, from charcoal blued, to niter blued, to it's impossible to know.

[Graveyard Jack]

First I've ever heard of Colt's being rust blued. The original guns were indeed charcoal blued, just as the USFA Pre-war was done. Offered as an optional finish on other guns as "armory blue".  Same finish known as "carbona" blue in Turnbull's shop. There's a very good description of this process in Bowen's book. It is a very durable blued finish, moreso than modern hot salt bluing.

Carbonia is a completely different process that was the sole domain of S&W in the 20th century.

What Uberti markets as "charcoal blue" is not charcoal blue at all. It's fire/heat/nitre blue. Same finish that Colt used to put on small parts. That is why it is so delicate.

The following guns are finished by Turnbull in carbona or charcoal blue, the real thing. The first two are customs with fire blue appointments. Bottom gun is a USFA with Nutmeg ivory added.

[Abilene]

Cimarron used to offer Turnbull's Carbonna Blue as an option as well as his bonemeal case hardening.   I was not familiar with that blue though and during my first Shot Show with Cimarron, there was one gun in the case that had a noticeably higher polished, super shiny, blue job (black).  I thought that must be the Carbonna Blue because it was obviously different, and it had their "U.S. Finish" case colors.  So I told that to a number of folks.  Found out later which ones had the Carbonna Blue, which is actually a more satiny look with a bit of gray in it, to my eyes.  Very nice finish.

[Graveyard Jack]

I think they're farming out their US Finish to Classic Guns or Classic Arms or something like that. I can never remember exactly.

It does have more a silvery blue hue to it with a more subdued luster. Looks different in every pic I take.