Colt 1851 Navy Conversion-please help!

[spidermanna]

I made an oversized Colt Model 1851 Navy conversion for a Good, Bad, and Ugly cosplay. I am stuck on the final coat. Should I use a satin finish, gloss finish, semi-gloss finish? Planning on doing the handle in satin but I want to capture the metallic finish it currently has without screwing it up. How do I do it? I’m not as good at this as I think I am. I think the snakes will be glossy and added afterwards. Please help!

(FYI, the little one is the real one— for reference)…

 

[PHArchivist]

Final coat for all components of the gun?

My "secret sauce" for blued gun metal is to hit the barrel (and all other blued parts) with a satin or flat black, and wet sand to 3,000 grit. At times, I have come back with a clear semi-gloss, but that is not always necessary.

This does not add an red or blue tones, (as we see on 125 - 150 year old firearms), but offers a pretty darn good finish.

I've toyed with the ideal of using clear blue and clear red sprays to emulate the additional rainbow of color tones, but have yet to experiment with this added element.

 

[PHArchivist]

This does not add an red or blue tones, (as we see on 125 - 150 year old firearms), but offers a pretty darn good finish.

I've toyed with the ideal of using clear blue and clear red sprays to emulate the additional rainbow of color tones, but have yet to experiment with this added element.

Like these:

 

[The 48th Ronin]

This does not add an red or blue tones, (as we see on 125 - 150 year old firearms), but offers a pretty darn good finish.

I've toyed with the ideal of using clear blue and clear red sprays to emulate the additional rainbow of color tones, but have yet to experiment with this added element.

Like these:

That's color case hardening, which is a totally different process from bluing. That would be a fun challenge to try to reproduce with candy clears. I'm not sure I'd even know where to start with something like that though...

 

[spidermanna]

Ok, so I think I forgot to mention that the gun I am trying to finish is made completely of PVC and polyurethane resin. Does that make a difference in terms of the recommended techniques for getting that amazing blued look w/shiny barrel & brass?

 

[The 48th Ronin]

Ok, so I think I forgot to mention that the gun I am trying to finish is made completely of PVC and polyurethane resin. Does that make a difference in terms of the recommended techniques for getting that amazing blued look w/shiny barrel & brass?

Yeah, I figured that your replica wasn't actually steel. The problem is that you're never going to get a painted finish to look exactly liked real blued steel. I think it's possible to get close, though.

Check out this post by JOATRASH FX:

Blade Runner: Leon's Concept COP (A new interpretation.)

I still haven't tried anything like this myself, but it IS intriguing.

 

[spidermanna]

Yeah, I figured that your replica wasn't actually steel. The problem is that you're never going to get a painted finish to look exactly liked real blued steel. I think it's possible to get close, though.

Check out this post by JOATRASH FX:

Blade Runner: Leon's Concept COP (A new interpretation.)

I still haven't tried anything like this myself, but it IS intriguing.

Thanks for the link. That is amazing work and good tutorial.

 

[The 48th Ronin]

 

[PHArchivist]

Ok, so I think I forgot to mention that the gun I am trying to finish is made completely of PVC and polyurethane resin. Does that make a difference in terms of the recommended techniques for getting that amazing blued look w/shiny barrel & brass?

My technique is mostly used on plastic weapons.

Most of my threads on completed weapons demonstrate this technique...

 

[PHArchivist]

Hard to capture the effectiveness, but hope these do a bit...

The Baretta is a metal airsoft, but the finish is indeed paint. All others are plastic...

 

[spidermanna]

Hard to capture the effectiveness, but hope these do a bit...

The Baretta is a metal airsoft, but the finish is indeed paint. All others are plastic...

I am going to save this post and use this for the next build. Mine came out ok—it’s too ‘clean’ looking —and I hate the snakes…

 

[spidermanna]

Btw, the grenade launcher is freaking awesome!

 

[PHArchivist]

Btw, the grenade launcher is freaking awesome!

Thank you!

I think your pistol is just about there! Looks fantastic...

Try a black wash with a water-reducible acrylic paint, (so you can wipe it off easier) on the snakes and the brass. I think that would make a huge difference and really complete an already-fantastic looking project!

 

[spidermanna]

Awesome. I am also going to try that with the DL-44 too, which is next…

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Give the snakes a few washes of brown to break up the monotony of the silver to add in some wear and tear. Could also do some light black washes, and wipe off with a sponge, and then come back in with a light drybrushing of silver to catch the edges. That could make it seem more realistic metal finish and not painted in flat silver.

This is how I did the metal nose on the Mask replica. Though, I just used black wash and didn't bother with wiping any off or do silver edge highlights. I did it unevenly and I used chrome silver as the base instead of plain silver. Now I would probably have painted it with chrome color from Alclad.

 

[spidermanna]

I think the snakes are supposed to be shiny all the time since they are made of silver inlays. My problem is they are rustoleum over clear polyurethane resin and they already look pretty crap. I am hoping to flush out some of the detail with a subtle wash of black/burnt umber but worried that the clear coat on it didn’t really do the trick and it’s already wearing. Fortunately it’s only held in with hot glue so maybe they will come off and I can redo them —just not before FanExpo Chicago next month…

Btw, love the wood grain effect on the mask. I struggled to come up with something for the handles and just ended up getting lucky with some acrylics. Yours looks amazing—almost translucent…

 

[PHArchivist]

Don't forget that "shiny silver" on screen can look dull and weathered in person...!

Love the idea of subtle wash with black / burnt umber.


Have you used Liquitex paints?

Acrylics, available in tubes from Michael's, and water-reducible... All colors in the line go on somewhat transparent, as well.

 

[spidermanna]

I have not. I will have to look into that. Mainly use the cheapo acrylics and airbrush—-a lot and use humbrol for anything enamel. I probably should have used it for the rattlesnakes but I was lazy and used a rattle can instead because I wasn’t thinking. It’s amazing y’all were able to achieve a ‘blued’ effect like an old firearm would have. Definitely doing that for Han Solo’s pistol…