French Grey
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- kimwcook
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French Grey
I like the looks of French Grey. I've wondered for years what it actually was. Googling it I just end up more confused. Some spray a coating to make it look grey, some acid etch..etc...Can someone tell me what the real French Grey process is. Looking at the Shiloh Sharps with French Greying and engraving really whet's my whistle. I'd like to know if it's a feasible finish on a using rifle.
Old Law Dawg
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This is what Eabco says about their French Grey finish:
"A soft looking, hard gray-metal finish which is superior to stainless steel in its corrosion resistance, wearability, and operational "slickness". We prepare the exterior metal surface by blasting with a blend of very fine aluminum oxide and glass bead media. This base surface preparation is actually what causes the deep "French Gray" look after plating is complete. The actual French Gray surface is a two-part metal plating process that bonds to steel at the molecular level. The result is a hermetic seal that protects against corrosion while beautifying the firearm it’s applied to. We’ve done our French Gray Finish on all types of firearms from handguns to long guns."
"A soft looking, hard gray-metal finish which is superior to stainless steel in its corrosion resistance, wearability, and operational "slickness". We prepare the exterior metal surface by blasting with a blend of very fine aluminum oxide and glass bead media. This base surface preparation is actually what causes the deep "French Gray" look after plating is complete. The actual French Gray surface is a two-part metal plating process that bonds to steel at the molecular level. The result is a hermetic seal that protects against corrosion while beautifying the firearm it’s applied to. We’ve done our French Gray Finish on all types of firearms from handguns to long guns."
- kimwcook
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Bruce there in lies the rub. Eabco state it's "our French Grey finish". As I said looking on the web there's a number of different ways of applying a French Grey finish. Another source of information states that the original way of getting a French Grey finish was to Case Color Harden the part and then polish it to it's grey color. That's why I posed the question. Thanks for your reply.
Old Law Dawg
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French Gray finish.
Dixie Gun Works has a chemical called 'Logwood' that is supposed to be used to apply a 'French' or 'Coin Finish'. I don't have their catalogue handy at the moment, but if memory serves me, you boil the part in the chemical to achieve the muted grey finish.
The process you described sounded more like a modern approximation of a French Gray finish, only (possibly) a plating process instead of a chemical treatment.
The process you described sounded more like a modern approximation of a French Gray finish, only (possibly) a plating process instead of a chemical treatment.
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That sounds like hard chrome.Bruce Scott wrote:This is what Eabco says about their French Grey finish:
"A soft looking, hard gray-metal finish which is superior to stainless steel in its corrosion resistance, wearability, and operational "slickness". We prepare the exterior metal surface by blasting with a blend of very fine aluminum oxide and glass bead media. This base surface preparation is actually what causes the deep "French Gray" look after plating is complete. The actual French Gray surface is a two-part metal plating process that bonds to steel at the molecular level. The result is a hermetic seal that protects against corrosion while beautifying the firearm it’s applied to. We’ve done our French Gray Finish on all types of firearms from handguns to long guns."
I'm interested too, always wondered about that. I believe the receiver of my Fabarm double is advertised as a french gray finish but it looks like hard chrome. Though it seems like french gray has been around far longer than industrial hard chrome finishes. I'm sure there are several ways to do it. What interested me specifically is the finish on several different Winchester commemorative M94's.
- Ysabel Kid
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You are right !Bruce Scott wrote:Yeah, most references I found mention French Grey 'type' finishes. I understand there is a cyanide method of case hardening that imparts a grey finish. Whether this is true French Grey remains open to question.
French side by side shotguns had their receiver usually made of soft iron, case hardened using cyanide bath and the process produced a uniform grey finish, not the usual colored one.
Currently it is made using chrome plating on a finely blasted surface.
Verney Caron uses this process.
- kimwcook
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Well guys here's the skinny on French Grey. Got a reply to my email to Shiloh.
From Heather at Shiloh:
The French grey finish goes through the same case hardening process as the others, then it is quenched differently so that the color is washed out. It is more prone to rust, you would need to baby it quite a bit and keep in very well oiled. Also, this finish does not look good unless it is engraved. It sort of looks like you forgot to finish the rifle.
Thank you Shiloh!
From Heather at Shiloh:
The French grey finish goes through the same case hardening process as the others, then it is quenched differently so that the color is washed out. It is more prone to rust, you would need to baby it quite a bit and keep in very well oiled. Also, this finish does not look good unless it is engraved. It sort of looks like you forgot to finish the rifle.
Thank you Shiloh!
Old Law Dawg
Shilo's French gray. http://www.shilohrifle.com/engraving_room.html
http://www.shilohrifle.com/custom_featu ... 20FINISHES
http://www.shilohrifle.com/custom_featu ... 20FINISHES
Last edited by cas on Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Slow is just slow.
- Ysabel Kid
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Shiloh's reply goes along with a quote from Venturino I find in my notebook:
I recall reading a post on some forum (no notes, sorry) that indicated what little protection there is results from the surface being polished and hardened. The resulting surface is very smooth, and this somehow delays the onset of corrosion, but it will corrode eventually; the metal is basically bare.A French gray finish is accomplished by giving the receivers (and buttplates) their hardening process and then literally erasing the colors. French gray is popular with buyers when the rifle receivers are engraved, as it shows up better with the light-colored metal surface.