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Doc Hoy · December 18, 2012, 06:38 AM

First Bedbug...

I am a little embarrassed to say that I have got the BP cartridge bug like I have the cap and ball revolver bug. Every Peacemaker style revolver I see, I want.

I haven't even begun with the Remingtons.

Mykeal et al.

I owe you all an apology for my use of the term "white metal". I know it means a different thing now, than it did thirty years ago. I was inadvertently going back to those days. And I did not mean it as an ambush. Sorry guys.

My Grand dad was a die caster at a metal fabrication plant in South Eastern PA. He used the term "white Metal" to refer to ferrous alloys which were high in other metal content. The two properties that were being sought were:

1. lower melting temperature so that methods for casting could be used other than sand casting allowing parts to be made in their finished state. (No grinding, only polishing to complete the part)

2. Parts which achieved the structural strength approaching and I guess in some cases, surpassing steel or cast iron.

For reference, my Grand dad told me that "Tootsietoys" were made from white metal. I know most of you remember Tootsietoys.

The characteristics of the metal were:

- As I recall, slightly lighter than an equivalent steel or iron part.

- Grey in color and tarnished to a very dull grey color

- a little softer than steel and thus easy to polish

- Didn't take finishes very well. Paint chipped or wore off quickly

The first time I examined a Heritage Arms revolver I noticed some parts that were not finished in the same way as the barrel, frame and cylinder. They actually appeared to be painted. To me that was a dead give-away that the parts were (in my language) white metal.

I noticed that same style parts on this Geroco revolver. When I took it apart I found that the trigger guard and back strap were cast and had no finish grinding. The internal surfaces had exactly the same texture as the external surface. In the case of the Geroco revolver, the finish that Schmidt used was not paint but some other process, possibly akin to bluing. But just as I remember from my Grand dad's experience, the parts did not take the finish well, nor did it last as well as the steel parts.

Others of you who are more familiar with ferrous alloys and metal processing will have more infomation on this issue.

December 18, 2012, 06:38 AM	#14
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Two responses First Bedbug... I am a little embarrassed to say that I have got the BP cartridge bug like I have the cap and ball revolver bug. Every Peacemaker style revolver I see, I want. I haven't even begun with the Remingtons. Mykeal et al. I owe you all an apology for my use of the term "white metal". I know it means a different thing now, than it did thirty years ago. I was inadvertently going back to those days. And I did not mean it as an ambush. Sorry guys. My Grand dad was a die caster at a metal fabrication plant in South Eastern PA. He used the term "white Metal" to refer to ferrous alloys which were high in other metal content. The two properties that were being sought were: 1. lower melting temperature so that methods for casting could be used other than sand casting allowing parts to be made in their finished state. (No grinding, only polishing to complete the part) 2. Parts which achieved the structural strength approaching and I guess in some cases, surpassing steel or cast iron. For reference, my Grand dad told me that "Tootsietoys" were made from white metal. I know most of you remember Tootsietoys. The characteristics of the metal were: - As I recall, slightly lighter than an equivalent steel or iron part. - Grey in color and tarnished to a very dull grey color - a little softer than steel and thus easy to polish - Didn't take finishes very well. Paint chipped or wore off quickly The first time I examined a Heritage Arms revolver I noticed some parts that were not finished in the same way as the barrel, frame and cylinder. They actually appeared to be painted. To me that was a dead give-away that the parts were (in my language) white metal. I noticed that same style parts on this Geroco revolver. When I took it apart I found that the trigger guard and back strap were cast and had no finish grinding. The internal surfaces had exactly the same texture as the external surface. In the case of the Geroco revolver, the finish that Schmidt used was not paint but some other process, possibly akin to bluing. But just as I remember from my Grand dad's experience, the parts did not take the finish well, nor did it last as well as the steel parts. Others of you who are more familiar with ferrous alloys and metal processing will have more infomation on this issue. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath. Last edited by Doc Hoy; December 18, 2012 at 06:44 AM.