rare colouring

mitchell301 · Post by **mitchell301** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:06 pm

A "Rare" plum-coloured Webley Junior on Gunstar.
Im sure I read somewhere that this colouring was due to incorrect/insufficient salts used in the "blueing" process.
Is this really rare?..... and shouldnt this defect direct the price downwards rather than upwards? or have I got this all wrong?

Post by **pmh** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:10 pm

I must admit, I saw this and did wonder why Webley would stray from the path of tradition.

A wrong blue does sound plausible, but I would have though Webley would have come up with an advertisement to try and explain (nearly said add some spin) as to why the different colour.

Kind regards,

Phil

mitchell301 · Post by **mitchell301** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:22 pm

I've been searching as to where I'd got this information from. I think this breakdown...due to the salts causing the discolourment, actually occurs with age,rather than at production. It seems to affect the older of the mk1 models, so maybe Webley changed or corrected their blueing process after this problem was identified.

mitchell301 · Post by **mitchell301** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:27 pm

I've found a couple of possible reasons.
1. The blueing salts were too hot on application.
2. The frame is malleable cast iron, which is made outside of Webley, but machined by them. However, the spring tube is High-quality steel.
It seems that the steel spring tube retains its blueing far better than the cast iron frame. Both materials would possibly have required a slightly different separate blueing process, rather than an identical process in the early models.

Post by **pmh** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:59 pm

Makes a lot of sense.

Hopefully, somebody out there will be along shortly to explain what happened.

Kind regards,

Phil

JonW · Post by **JonW** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:36 pm

I have read that it is for the second reason elsewhere (but sadly can't remember where). I don't think they are actually that rare though, GunStar usually has about four or five to choose from.

edit:- That one is a particularly nice tone and in very good condition. If you scroll further down the page of Juniors there are a host of offerings from JC Militaria with the more common colouring.

mitchell301 · Post by **mitchell301** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:00 pm

Some nice little examples there......including several plum-coloured versions. Maybe the term "rare" is a little misleading, but they still look good. If I were to purchase another one, I dont think this particular colouring would put me off. An early mk1 in good mechanical condition would be attractive, whatever the colouring.

JonW · Post by **JonW** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:16 pm

I think that I would specifically choose one in that tone as they look really good.
Cast iron frame, you sadly don't get that anymore!

A site for enthusiasts of the traditional & classic air pistol/firearm

A site for enthusiasts of the traditional & classic air pistol/firearm

A site for enthusiasts of the traditional & classic air pistol/firearm

rare colouring