Fluorescent lights,bad for color case guns????

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loco posted this 26 February 2011

Hi folks. Have been told by more than a few, that fluorescent lighting will fade color case. True? False? If it does, can you replace that bulb with another style of bulb and be safe ie. plant grow bulb? Hate to give up that handy long light over my head,but really hate to ruin a color case. 

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RicinYakima posted this 26 February 2011

1: Real case-hardened colors fade no matter what you do. It is just the normal reaction of the iron under the surface. In 200 years it will be grey no matter what. I have read that in the old days, folks would keep a finish of varnish or linseed oil over the surface and that helped.

2: The modern “color case” is mostly paint-like. The only thing you do is like other paint, keep it waxed. Some guys are using cold blue to “brighten” the finish and then coating with tung oil finish.

HTH, Ric

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loco posted this 27 February 2011

Thanks Ric.

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RicinYakima posted this 27 February 2011

A little research lead to the find that “grow lights” are worse for paint damage than normal fluorescent bulbs. Sunlight is the worse type of light for deterioration. The other big things are abrasive de-leading cloths and bore cleaners.

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loco posted this 01 March 2011

Well, so much for the grow light bulbs!!  I do try to keep all cleaning materials cleaned up. So Ric, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that a man is better off to just use and enjoy his guns and let them grow old with him. If not, he will be shooting and cleaning them in the dark,not knowing if they are faded or not. I'll fade before they will anyway. That does it,(I'm shootin). No joke, thanks for all the info Ric. It was something I had heard, and knew I would find out something here. Loco

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Michael Petrov posted this 02 March 2011

Use any lights you like, light has nothing to do with the fading of the colors of case hardened metal.

The late professor Oscar Gaddy laid this myth to rest years ago, or not.

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RicinYakima posted this 02 March 2011

You are right for case hardened metal,it is going to get grey no matter what, but what about the new process that is applied from a spray brush?

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Michael Petrov posted this 02 March 2011

RicinYakima wrote: You are right for case hardened metal,it is going to get grey no matter what, but what about the new process that is applied from a spray brush? They do not, CC can and do last forever if not abraded.

I have no knowledge of metal hardening  that is applied from a spray brush.  Must be something modern.

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loco posted this 04 March 2011

Thanks for the reply Michael. I only use them over my work bench in the vault, but didn't want to do any harm. That makes me feel better. I see your from Anchorage. I flew in there the first day they lifted the air ban after 9-11. What an adventure!!! I had 3 firearms to check in and was 5 hr early, just to get make gate time. Was meeting a friend that lived there that worked for the fish and wildlife out of Anchorage, to go caribou hunting. Had talked to a flight service about a drop hunt and they said to just call them when we got there and they would fly us up and drop us off. Well guess what happens right after a 3 day grounding of (ALL) aircraft. They were picking up hunters, 3 days late, that were late for work and didn't know what 9-11 even was. Just did a little sight seeing instead, and had a great time. Planning another trip north soon. Thanks,Loco.

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RicinYakima posted this 04 March 2011

Michael, The new stuff is NOT metal hardening, it is metal coloring. We just call it color “case hardening". It is just for show. Ric

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Michael Petrov posted this 04 March 2011

Not that you ask but IMO just use it and enjoy it and don't worry.

This rifle was case hardened over ten years and a few thousand rounds ago.

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RicinYakima posted this 04 March 2011

Michael,

A beautiful job, on a Steven's 44?

Like to here more about the “33 1&6/10” cartridge.

Ric

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Michael Petrov posted this 04 March 2011

The action is a Ballard by Marlin.

The cartridge is a 357 Maximum necked to 33-caliber a friend and I designed.

I built it for offhand with fixed ammo. Found out I was not that good offhand started using it bench-rest with breech seated bullets.

Gain twist barrel by Ron Smith.

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RicinYakima posted this 04 March 2011

Beautiful rifle! I am presently working on a .30 by 1 & 6/10” based on 30/30 for benchrest.

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Tom Acheson posted this 11 June 2020

Kind of an old thread, but....

Just recently, I had my #5 Remington Rolling Block worked on. The work included a trigger job (now is 22-24 ounces, was 150-pounds), polish and blue the barrel and color case finish the receiver.

The gun will be shot outdoors in CBA benchrest matches. So exposure to sunlight will happen, despite all of our ranges and firing lines being covered. The gunsmith who did the work said he dies not clear coat the metal. He did suggest the use of Renaissance wax. Not sure what that is, a type or brand? Makes you wonder if you rub it on is that scouring action going to affect the finish? He also said if I would like to clear coat it to use Dreft, a simple spay on laquer.

My question for the crew here is what do you do to prolong the look of and protect a color case finish on your guns? I have read that the finish does fade over time.

Thanks!

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

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Shopdog posted this 11 June 2020

No R,in Deft. It's an OK product but like all spray bombs,you are largely paying for reducer. Only way to get the stuff to shoot out of tiny tips.

Lacquer in general isn't hitting on a whole lot for protection in it's abrasion resistance. Works great for ease of application and you'd be hard pressed to find any finish that touches up as easy. Big points on why it still is a std in furniture.

Auto clears with UV protection would have to rank up there for protection. Maybe not as tough as a true epoxy finish but,getting dang close. And both of these,well lacquer too..... are not bound to SHINY. They all can be had in any level of flat,semi,and of course shiny sheen levels. Common misconception of folks.... to the point that I would bet real money folks couldn't tell one finish from another vs an "oil finish" in a blind taste..... errr,you know test. It's just that folks assume ALL spray,non oil finish must be shiny. Taint so. Good luck with your project.

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Bud Hyett posted this 11 June 2020

Renaissance Wax is a product of the British Imperial Museum, a micro-crystalline wax that protects and shines up the metal; I have began using it and am happy with the results. The label says to use on metal, wood and leather. After application per instructions, the firearm does not feel slick when handling it, a desirable benefit. It can be bought through Amazon.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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RicinYakima posted this 12 June 2020

Tom, It will fade no matter what you do. However you can delay it by stopping the oxidation of the surface. Renaissance Wax has a history and will not harm anything on your rifle. Old fashion Johnson's paste wax is also good, but avoid all those CLP products and silicone products. Either of these products on a soft cloth and a light touch up will make it last at least 100 years. HTH

p.s. I use Renaissance Wax on my leather books that are over 150 years old without problems.

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Wheel Weights posted this 16 June 2020

real case color will NOT fade to gray on its own. My friend has 100s of 100+ year old single shots that are cased and the CC is perfect.

Sunlight is the big enemy and is artificial in the same spectrum.

Coat CC with an anti sunlight varnish like this:

https://www.epifanes.com/page/clear-finishes

From 1897, 100% original.

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RicinYakima posted this 16 June 2020

123 years and still beautiful. Out of the sun and protected stops color fading from chemical changes.

Here is a nice Sharps Bouchard that was oiled, but not waxed, or varnished, after 140 years.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 16 June 2020

wax for preservation ... we have all heard of old rusty 22 rf that still have a mint bore .. protected by the thin layer of wax from the waxy 22 bullets ...

i just read of another old rusty 22 that was crusty on the outside but had a good bore ... after being stored 20 years in a high moisture environment ...

my 2nd best, but most favorite long-term gunk for guns and steel tools ... is Fluid Film ... part wax and part lanolin ... a good layer of Rig grease is the best ( ok, rustoleum paint is best but permanent ) but FF comes in a spray can and is so easy that i actually use it when i should.

along that line, buy yourself a quart of Mobil 1 in 0-30 wt., for lubing guns, ... it doesn't gum up ... and if you have lots of guns, save yourself enough to buy a new mold once a year ...

ken

 

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Brodie posted this 16 June 2020

I think you have a valid point about the wax Ken.  When I went hunting in coastal Alaska I used Auto wax on my rifle (mostly to prevent the shine of the new blue job). Despite the almost constant rain there was not a spec of rust on that 300 WM.  The build up of wax where the action went into the barrel prevented moisture from getting between and under the barrel and action.  Worked good.

B.E.Brickey

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Wheel Weights posted this 17 June 2020

Wax if you want to redo it every time you use it

UV inhibiting varnish if you don't

Turnbull done Marlin. 20 years ago. UV varnished THEN.

Shot 100s of rounds and hunted every year.

KISS !

 

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