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Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1698 Location: Minnesota

I know this one is off topic, but I've never had a nickel finish gun before and calling colt plus doing internet searches has only gotten me varied opinions. I've purchased a 1930's Colt Detective Special ,nickel finished and engraved. My question is how to maintain the exterior- gun oil,flitz,renaissance wax,??? Also, is there any way other than paying colt $120 for a letter, to find out if the engraving is factory? Thanks

Nickel is not completely corrosion resistant and it does not bond well to steel. So a base layer of copper or bronze is applied first. The coating will tarnish if not kept clean. Also, ammoniated jewelry and silver polishes eat into nickel bonded on with copper or bronze, so it's best not to use them to remove tarnish. Any residue will eat into the finish over time and can cause it to lift off the steel.

Most older gun cleaning agents designed to remove lead and jacket metal fouling and corrosive primer fouling are also tough on nickel finishes. Avoid them like the plague.

Some owners apply a coat of carnauba wax after carefully cleaning the nickel finish. However, any salts or corrosive agents left under the wax coating will damage the finish over time. Some all natural, food grade black powder bore lubes with non-colloiding, non-acidic organic oils like oil of wintergreen, oil of cloves, or some pine oils won't damage nickel, but any natural salts in the fatty waxes or vegetable fat shortenings mixed with the oils will.

I've found a simple occasional wipe with a clean rag lightly sprayed with WD40 works the best. WD40 is nothing more than a very light petroleum oil sweetened with ether to help it mix with moisture so evaporation will take place. There is nothing in it to corrode the finish. That is why WD40 makes a good electrical contact cleaner. It won't tarnish nickel, silver, copper, brass, or bronze. It is a poor rust inhibitor, but it does leave the surface clean if it's not slathered on and left to gunk up. So wipe it on, then wipe it off, and store the gun where finger acids and salts and/or moisture won't get to it. Hope the info helps.

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Stay away from Hoppe's #9

Joined: 02 Jul 2014 Posts: 20

Neverdull works great and will not harm nickle, a little paste or renaissance wax will protect it fine. This is a very durable finish and does not require a lot of upkeep, if done right to begin with.

My first rifle was a 1950's Savage Model 99 F that was originally chambered for 300 Savage and is now chambered for 22-250. Here's a pic of the original nickel plated bolt and lever. The gun is over 60 years old and the nickel finish, I'm assuming it's nickel, is in good condition.