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This stuff has probably been covered before but here goes anyway.
I have two Model 94 carbines that have fairly extensive receiver flaking but otherwise they are in very nice condition.
Manufactured in 1925 and 1932
They are included in Bert’s survey.
The receivers are still perfectly smooth, no difference in surface texture that my fingers can detect.
So…
How does flaking occur? Has anyone ever seen it actually happen?
Does a flake of color actually fall off the gun, or just fade away?
How thick is the lost color or flake? Must be a few microns or less.
And finally, if a pristine brand new gun from that period was left totally untouched in a controlled environment, would it still flake? Or untouched in a less than controlled environment?
Thanks to anyone for any help here.
-Mike
November 1, 2013
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[email protected] said
How does flaking occur? Has anyone ever seen it actually happen?Does a flake of color actually fall off the gun, or just fade away?
How thick is the lost color or flake? Must be a few microns or less.
Must be that–never heard reports of visible “flakes” being found in a gun case or elsewhere. Someone reported that a near-mint gun put away in a case & not examined in many yrs was found to have lost much blue when re-examined, which suggests it happens even in a controlled environment; unless the owner’s memory of the original cond was faulty. I know it’s happened to me that a gun I remembered as having very nice cond turned out when viewed 10 or 15 yrs later to be a little disappointing compared to my recollection.
November 19, 2006
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Interesting question – I have seen many guns that have experienced flaking (we’re mainly talking receivers) but I have never pondered whether there is an actual, “flake” laying somewhere. I’ve never seen one. Must not be like dandruff.
July 8, 2012
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I have several mint model 94 carbines made within the mentioned flaking year range, and none of them are experiencing bluing loss. If they have not flaked in the last 100 years, why would they now? Just my take.
Al
