Hard Chrome Finishes: Matte, Brushed, Satin?

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Vodoun da Vinci

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I'm having a pistol restored by APWCogan and then finished in hard chrome. The gun is a classic Colt 1903 and I'm not sure about what surface texture I want for the hard chrome.

I don't really care for flashy, highly polished guns and like the look of brushed flats and matte rounds *but* I wonder what a gun looks like if all surfaces are matte finished. Opinions and pictures are solicited please. I'm looking to get as much scratch resistance and corrosion resistance as possible as this gun will likely end up a carry gun and not a Safe Queen or prized collectible.

I'm looking for less reflectivity and a more "business like" finish and wonder if maybe all matte would be the way to go but I'm finding few pictures for reference.

Thanks in advance! :)

VooDoo
 
I had this revolver hard chromed by Mahovsky's. My gunsmith bead blasted it for a uniform matte finish before I sent it in.

SDC10427.jpg
 
That's what I've thinking about for my 2 1/2 Combat Magnum 19-5!!!

Er.. when I have the bucks!

Deaf
 
Jim Watson said:
All matte is dull and uninteresting.
Matte curves and brushed flats sounds good for your application.
Click to expand...

I'm leaning towards that...brushed flats/matte rounds *but* I have not seen enough guns that are all matte to really "feel" that decision. It's gonna be a carry gun and training gun so finish durability, flatness/non reflectivity, and cleanup are paramount. Hence the hard chrome.

Saw a 1911 style pistol in all matte that was pretty attractive and interesting I thought.

LB4.jpg

Too many options for me to settle my mind. WC145, that revolver is gorgeous!

VooDoo
 
Brushed chrome will give a stainless steel-look with a satin finish. I prefer this look on a working semi-auto, classier IMHO.

Polished chrome will look more like nickel-plated gun, with a bright shiny finish. It will show scratches more, and will require more TLC. But this might be truer to the Colt 1903 nickel finish See www.coltautos.com/mmsg.htm as an example on an original 1903 in factory nickel. If you decide to go the polished chrome route, you gotta get faux pearl grips. :evil: :evil:

I picked a 1911 in matte chrome once. Just did not work for me - instant buyers remorse. Traded it away for something more of my liking (back to blue).
 
On the other hand, a shiny pocket gun just for fun..

COLTMDL1908.gif

I use this one for formal occasions. Model 1908 .380 ACP.
 
Ooooooo....shiny. love nickle guns. I just go whacko about the way they scratch, unfortunately. Nice lookin' pistol!

Found a pix of a hard chrome Tokarev in matte hard chrome! I kinda like this...it's understated yet hard finished and simple.

TTC-CHROME-3.jpg

VooDoo
 
Last edited:
Serviceable for sure, but I want a little style on my Colts.
If it would clean up, I would consider matte curves and bright flats like later nickel Guns.
 
Mmmmmmm...I hadn't thought about that. High polished flats and matte rounds. I'll have to think about that. Dunno if the gun surface will clean up that well without massive stock removal and then having the lettering re cut but AP&W Cogan gets the gun next week and once they have hands on it I'm sure they'll know for sure.

This is the gun as it is right now:

RightProfile_zpsaa9be235.jpg

Great! More possibilities to ponder... :banghead: Thanks Jim! :what: :D

VooDoo
 
An example of "brushed slide flats" with remainder satin (bead blasted).
Be advised; the brushed finish tends to show scratches easier than the satin finish.

P-35004-1.jpg

This example is brushed slide and frame flats:

007_zps81541895.jpg

005_zps21891c69.jpg
 
I've always preferred a matt finish as well, but I once polished a SS M66 to a high gloss finish. It came out looking almost like a nickel finish, but after having done it I regretted doing it.

I shot a friends inherited nickel 19-4, and it honestly just doesn't do it for me.

GS
 
As much as I like the nickle - high gloss finish on a gun (cool to look at if it belongs to someone else) I don't think that's for me. Really, I'm more leaning at all matte or matt rounds and brushed flats just to get the contrast.

This will be the first of a couple guns I'm wanting to do like this and I'm thinking all matte or matt rounds and brushed flats is gonna win out. 2 more days to get my mind right but I think these are my best bets for a working/training/carry gun while getting a little eye candy for the cash.

VooDoo
 
Obviously not a Colt, but bright flats look good to me -

One picture dressed as purchased in some nice dark wood stocks http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=191289&d=1384710733

and another one below (slightly out of focus, I am afraid)with Thin Mycarta Navidrex.


That Colt 1903 does have long flats on the slide, and a shiny finish there might be too flashy for your tastes. My suggestion, since you asked, is to go with your idea of "I ... like the look of brushed flats and matte rounds" if you do not want the long flat slide gleaming. It just seems that the design of that pistol would lend itself well to a two-toned hard chrome look.
 

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have a Savage model 1915 done is satin hard chrome. The company - no longer in business - left all markings alone at my request. Gave the area they were on the slightest polish but you wouldn't know it. It is a good finish, doesn't scratch easily and on my Savage anyway, it looks great. The grips are black. Not dull or shiney, to me it's just right.
 
I ripped this off from a post on the Colt Forum, but I really like this finish, and it's what I will do if/when I refinish one of mine.

satin_zps73f23aff.jpg
 
Actually, that's the gun/picture that inspired this entire trip. I have been wanting to find some mechanically decent Colt 1903's that had been neglected and have the the finish compromised and "save them" by refinishing. I'd like to see some of these pistols continue in their designed role as personal defense/pocket guns. Starting with me....

I carry my old Colt and use it as an introduction gun to members of our small group of shooters. I have yet to find a shooter that didn't really love these guns and find them ergonomically to be tops. The scary thing is that we don't have many (any) new manufactured guns with this kind of natural pointing characteristics with the edges rounded and a 3 3/4' barrel. New pocket pistols are all toys and micro miniature barking beasts.

Off topic. I really appreciate all the folks who have shared pix and their hard chrome experiences. I'm gonna go with the matte rounds and brushed flats for the first gun. The next one?

Maybe black chrome.

VooDoo
 
I like the matte finish for less reflectivity. I also like that it has a stainless steel like appearance. If I want bright and shiny I typically go with nickel plating.
 
I think it's part of the joy of owning and preserving these firearms. Making them look good, saving them, and using them as they were designed to be used. If they have a Spirit then I'd think they would be appeased to be appreciated as fine tools and weapons.

I love looking at other gunners "Special Projects". Gives me peace and good ideas. Thanks for sharing. I have a hard chrome Jones going.... :what: :) I hope my projects in hard chrome end up looki g as good as some of the guns I have seen in this thread.

VooDoo
 
This is matte hard chrome done by APW, through Alpha Precision. Although for your Colt, I think brushed flats and everything else matte would be the trick.

IMG_7120e.jpg
 
My Colt 1903 was dropped at my local FFL for shipping to APWCogan tomorrow. On the customer order form I circled "brushed flats and matte rounds". So it's in the works now. I asked for an estimate once they get the gun in hand and can evaluate the additional work (needs some minor gun smithing as well) and put it all together for me.

It's gonna be a long, long, 6 - 8 weeks wait for me as I'm really not a calm person. Can't wait to see how it comes out. Just gotta breath deep....:D

VooDoo
 
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