Silly question

[Tomahawk674]

Hello guys, I have a question that is perhaps silly.

I have a '39 Colt Official Police. The gun is blued. The hammer is silver looking on both sides except for the top, so is the trigger. This is the same for all Colt Official Police, Army Special, etc.

What finish is used for the hammer? on a blued gun I wouldn't think Colt used plated parts, and the other only "finish" I know of is color case hardening, which it doesn't seem to be.

Just curious...

 

[Jim Watson]

As far as I know, the hammer was blued and then the sides polished back to bare steel.
That is the only easy way I know of to have a black spur and white sides.

 

[Tomahawk674]

Interesting, it shows no sign of rusting or pitting after 70 years.

 

[CraigC]

Hammers were case hardened, polished, blued, then the sides polished white. Why they ever decided to start polishing the sides of hammers is beyond me. To my eye, it always looks unfinished and is an eyesore on single actions.

 

[Tomahawk674]

Wow, that's a lot of steps for one part.

 

[Jim K]

And that is one reason why Colt revolvers looked great, but cost a lot of money. Which is why they don't make them any more.

Jim