Question;how to "age " a brass revolver fram

[Richard Schimenti]

I have recently purchased a brass frame ( confederate copy) of an 1851 Navy..
My question is: How can I darken the bright shiny brass frame to have more of the aged wheat look of brass..


I am aware that over time it will take on the patina ( so spare the answer of be patient), but i was wondering if there was a way I could shorten the process.

I have been told that cold bluing works, but in trying it on a brass rod that i have the color came out way too black..

[Rob]

Leave it in a damp closet or car trunk. Works for me - all too well.

Or look here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=aging+brass

[Cannon Fodder]

That sounds like the typical Reenactor. Try to make your gear look antique. Remember when they used it, it was top of the line. I don't believe you would ever have found anyone on the field with an antique. Their life depended on it.

[roundshot]

It will tarnish plenty quickly on its own. Get a little black powder smudge on it and you'll be wishing it were bright again. I'm with "Cannon Fodder"-Why rush aging (especially if it's you).


Bob Williams
1st NC Artillery

[Dave Myrick]

I'm confused about the the entire issue? Why would one want to make something that didnt exist during the period look like what one would think it would look like if it had?
Brass framed `51's or `60's simply didn't exist. The weapons that were issued were kept clean and bright (free of rust and corrosion) because everyone knows a clean weapon has a far greater chance of working than a dirty one, especially when your life depends on it. Carrying an aged appearing or dirty weapon is a reenactorism.
Dave

[Richard Schimenti]

In my question, I said that I had a Confederate copy of a Colt Navy...It is actually a reproduction of aSchneider and Glassick brass frame 36 Cal. revolver that was made in Memphis, Tenn. in 1861 and found its way out to the western theatre, which is what I portray.. I also believe tha the Confederate revolver called the Gunnison and Griswold was also a brass frame close copy of the Colt navy, however it had a round barrel not the hex barrel style of the Schneider and Glassick..

I also said that I just wanted to make it look the color of "wheat" and not an old antique...

[12thriv]

Take a leak on it! I'm not jokeing, i knew a guy back in the day that would piss on his brass buttons for that "Old Rebel Look". He would also pre rip any new piece of polyester costume garmet he got before going to an event. Yes i had a very bad past..... I uhh dont like to talk about it. :rolleyes:

Oh, please... :rolleyes:

[Sgt_Pepper]

Mr. Schimenti could have been clearer and more explanatory in his original post, but that doesn't excuse readers from thinking for a few moments before replying. In fact, it makes it all the more needed.

As for Confederate revolvers and their makers, I have a source which lists the following, in part:

Shawk & McLanahan of Carondelet, Missouri, produced brass-framed copies of the .36 cal. Whitney revolver for a short time before the outbreak of war.

Leech & Rigdon produced steel-framed copies of the .36 cal. Colt Navy revolver, as did a later reorganization of the firm as Rigdon & Ansley.

Griswold & Gunnison made brass-framed copies of the .36 cal. Colt Navy revolver.

Spiller & Burr made brass-framed copies of the .36 cal. Whitney revolver.

Others, smaller in output and lesser known, existed.

[GaWildcat]

You sir are correct that the Griswald and Gunnison was brass framed. Pages 58 and 59 of EOG:The Confederacy shows both a Griswald and a Spiller and Burr, both brass framed, both made in Georgia. The weapon you mention I am not familiar with, but thats not the question. Yes, the South produced Colt knock offs, the G & G, and Leech & Rigdon for example copied from the 1851 Navy, both with octagon to round barrels.

As to aging the brass, honestly the best way is to just let it tarnish on its own. I cant recall if any lacquer is on the brass, but a trick we had in the old Army (in the 80's) at Basic was to soak our brasses in alcohol, loosening up the lacquer and then polishing them. This was pre-StayBrite. The same techinque could be used, and then just dont polish it.

If you aren't aware, be careful with brass framed revolvers. They loosen up over time. My Navy Arms Griswald is 80's generation, and its pretty loose. I sure wouldnt live fire the bugger! If I'm preaching to the choir, forgive me

[MStuart]

The good Sgt. beat me to the punch. While the CS mfg brass framed revolvers weren't nearly as plentiful as their northern made colt brethren, they did exist.

http://www.floridareenactorsonline.com/revolvers.htm

Mark

[GaWildcat]

Sorry to steal your Thunder! LOL

What I love is going through a catalog like Cabela's (not my choice for good reenacting weapons) and seeing about 20 Brass framed Colts and Remmies

[Richard Schimenti]

Thanks GaWildcat for the info....I just intend to make "smoke and noise" with it...

for live fire, I have a Uberti 1858 Remington and a Uberti colt " stagecoach" in .31 cal.

Again, thank you for the tip !

[Dave Myrick]

Yes brass framed confederate made copies of Colts were manuafactured. They were not simply brass framed copies of the original Colts. Barrel shapes differed, along with different hinges on the loading levers and the cylinders were devoid of the roll engraved naval scenes. I won't talk about the Whitney knock offs or the copies made of Colts other arms such as the Baby Dragoon or the 3rd model Dragoon that were also produced in the South at various times during the conflict.
The Griswold copies, had rounded barrels and unrebated cylinders. The Leech and Rigdons, also featured round barrel of iron vice steel, unrebated cylinders and were devoid of pin safeties and the loading lever latches are different as well. Trigger guard and hammer shapes also differed from the Colt's they were derived from. These are visable differences one can tell without close examination. Other differences include the number of lands and grooves in the barrels and the manner the cylinders were made which yield upon taking a close look, show the cylinders are actually from twisted iron and not steel at all.
The closest original to the modern brass framed `51 Navy's would be the Schneider & Glassick. These were made in Memphis and the primary visable difference would be the lack of the roll engraving on the cylinder.
As I mentioned earlier, none of the available modern "copies" comes close enough to the originals in appearance to justify their usage in the field when a much more suitable and equally available copy does, the steel framed `51 Navy.
Dave

[hussard7]

Richard:
I have to agree with Dave M. Most repo Confederate revolvers are poor choices, this one especiallly as the firm only made about 50 of them according to Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms. A Dance Bros is also a bad choice as they made under 350. The other reason is as Dave stated, they are never accurate copies, opting for a plain copy of a 51 Navy or brass framing a Remington and calling it a Spiller and Burr when theirs was a Whitney Navy copy.
Yours,
Wayne Gregory

[Dave Myrick]

Most of the brass framed Dance brothers revolvers did not even have recoil shields! There is a photo of Geronimo with a Dance revolver in his belt.

But to answer the original question, to give the thing an aged look, take it out and fire it a few times. The sulferous smoke along with the heat will take the bright shiney right off of that brass.

Dave
Shaking his head at the lunacy.

[GrumpyDave]

Polish it with ash from a campfire and some water/spit. Or, put it in a closet for 100 years or so.

[NC5thcav]

Although I don't like the kinds of revolvers in question, keep in mind that everything that a soldier had was at sometime issued new. Using it is the best way to age any piece of gear properly.