How would I “age” a new 1911? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How would I “age” a new 1911?

Posted: 11/5/2018 7:57:29 PM EDT

I would like to do a quick 1911 project.
What I have in mind is to purchase a new Auto-Ordnance WW2 GI style 1911A1.
“Age” it a bit, install some clear Sweetheart grips.

My question is about ageing the finish.
Just rub it down with some steel wool and oil?
Maybe let it rust a bit and go at again with the steel wool?

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:00:01 PM EDT

[#1]

Throw it down the driveway

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:02:48 PM EDT

[#2]

GD is that way. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:14:06 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Throw it down the driveway

View Quote

FPNI, never fails & always gets it right!

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:16:49 PM EDT

[#4]

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Antiquing_SAA_Revolver.pdf

Good article

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:24:18 PM EDT

[#5]

Put it in a cheap ass repro M1916 holster for a few weeks.

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:39:47 PM EDT

[#6]

Green Scotch-Brite pads work a lot faster than steel wool. I found out how fast when I was cleaning some stuck-on stuff off my 556 can, and it took off more of the finish than I would have liked.

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:51:43 PM EDT

[#7]

Go to war with it.

Posted: 11/5/2018 8:56:26 PM EDT

[#8]

Sounds like you are going to polish a turd.

Posted: 11/5/2018 9:17:32 PM EDT

[#9]

Have it cerakoted

Posted: 11/5/2018 9:17:37 PM EDT

[#10]

carry that girl in some leather for a few years.....

Posted: 11/5/2018 10:12:40 PM EDT

[#11]

Gracefully .......carry it every day.

Posted: 11/5/2018 10:42:47 PM EDT

[#12]

Didn’t want to mess up a legit 1911 for this.

Figured an El Cheapo would suffice.

Posted: 11/5/2018 10:47:59 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
Green Scotch-Brite pads work a lot faster than steel wool. I found out how fast when I was cleaning some stuck-on stuff off my 556 can, and it took off more of the finish than I would have liked.

View Quote

This is the answer. Easy to over do it and make it look all sorts of wrong. Any sharp edges get hit with it and feather it out into the flats. front sides of the slide get some lovin too. Look at pics of worn guns and you can figure out where to, and not to, wear the finish. You'll want to hit the main wear areas first then do a light overall wear to "blend" it together. Pretty easy to do really, just take your time.

Posted: 11/6/2018 8:25:08 AM EDT

[#14]

find a sandy,dirt pile and whip the gun into it about a dozen or so times, wipe it off with a damp, rough terry towel. Get a rough piece of cowhide or scrap leather and wrap the muzzle with a firm grip and pull and push the slide in and out to simulate numerous holsterings...

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:04:14 AM EDT

[#15]

Assemble the following items:

A) Two 5 gal buckets with lids
B) That coffee can of random brass you picked up at the range
c) Handful of wood scraps some with bent over nails in it
D) cheap brass brush
E) 1 gal mineral spirits
F) Heatgun (not a hairdryer)
G) Cosmoline
H) Plastic baggie
I) cheapo re-pop holster

Procedure

1) Make safe!
2) Using the heatgun make her nice n hot...
3) Slather on Cosmoline while hot
4) Cool & in the baggie
5) Let her rest a few days while rotating between freezer and someplace fairly warm
6) Toss in bucket with mineral sprits and let it soak
7) Clean it up real good with mineral sprits & brass brush (scrub like you are in a cleaning contest)
8) Put brass & wood in other bucket along with the 1911 snap on the lid and proceed to "Tumble"
this is simulating years of very careful storage.....
9) Binge watch your favorite show while mildlessly holstering
10) Evaluate your handiwork and repeat if needed.

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:37:34 AM EDT

[#16]

Let someone who does military miniatures do it.

Posted: 11/6/2018 3:10:18 PM EDT

[#17]

Draw it from a kydex holster that's tighter than it should be a few thousand times

Posted: 11/7/2018 11:35:01 AM EDT

[#18]

Order a blued gun and use it a little.

Posted: 11/9/2018 1:09:28 PM EDT

[#19]

This is what a blued gun looks like from living in a good leather holster and being used often, but only rounding probably 3k rounds.

some more high spot wear

and this is what a stainless gun looks like that's been used good and often (but still taken care of) for 30k plus rounds.

Posted: 11/22/2018 6:31:45 AM EDT

[#20]

Just pick up some 1000 grit and 600 sand paper and lightly go over the high stuff , then a few passes maybe on the front of the slide area , front strap gets some thinning and the rear safe area , go light ,look at photos , I had the Newer A/O gun with the brown GI grips , never a problem with it and it looked GI for whats out there .

Posted: 11/22/2018 6:38:02 AM EDT

[#21]

Draw and reholster from leather a lot. Anything else will put wear marks where there shouldn't be any.

Posted: 11/24/2018 3:12:32 PM EDT

[#22]

Yes, I agree that you should "age" it by using it. Most of the wearing is caused by carrying it daily, not roughing it up. Put it in a holster and shoot it often. Clean it as normal and you'll eventually get to the point where it is "aged" in the right spots. It's sort of like a woman. Would you want her to end up looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein? Or what about the opposite gender, end up looking like Mickey Rourke?

One of my favorite pistols to wear down is the Sig p226. I don't know why but I love the way it wears the barrel and the way it looks. I just shoot it multiple times and it got to that point "naturally."

Posted: 11/26/2018 8:09:09 PM EDT

[#23]

Use it a lot and don't bother cleaning it until it develops reliability issues.

Why age a gun ahead of its time?

Posted: 11/27/2018 12:03:51 AM EDT

[#24]

Shoot it alot and carry it daily.

Posted: 11/27/2018 1:12:02 PM EDT

[#25]

Google “battle worn finish 1911”. Some are great, some not so.

Posted: 12/22/2018 11:58:44 PM EDT

[#26]

“Aged” finishes very often appear as if they’re trying too hard. Practice a lot with any pistol and it will develop honest wear in all the usual places, plus you get to have a lot of fun along the way.

I’ve got about 4,000 rounds through my Colt Rail Gun, and it’s showing a little wear here and there. I tend to baby my guns usually, but this one has gone through some three gun matches where I high crawled and maneuvered through muddy or wet obstacles, and it picked up a small scratch or two. I kinda like the way it looks.

Posted: 12/23/2018 6:58:40 PM EDT

[#27]

Buy 5000 rounds of ammo and practice drawing and emptying the mag 700 times. That ought to do it.

Posted: 12/24/2018 12:45:01 AM EDT

[#28]

Put it in a cardboard box with room to slide around. Put it in the trunk of your car for a month as you drive it. Rinse repeat and use it. I have one and I store it in a G.I. issue flap holster. Its already getting some edge wear.

Posted: 12/24/2018 1:51:32 AM EDT

[#29]

These threads

.

That being said, there are some cerakote jobs that give the appearance of being worn. I'd go that route. But really, unless I was building props for movies/theatre, I'd prefer to actually put the wear and tear on it. Like just get stupid with carrying it and tossing it wear it needs to go.