INTrooper4255

First hey guys, I'm new to the sight. I just found this site the other day. I'm a huge 1911 fan (well, all guns) and have been for a long time, so I'm anxious to be on the site.

Anyway, I have a Kimber Compact Custom (series I) that I have had since about 1999. Not too long after I bought it, I noticed that the finish started to come off of the grip safety and it looks really strange. It has progressivly gotten worse but I have been unable to touch it up with my touch-up blue, it just won't take. I am not planning on having it fixed or anything after all of this time, I was just wondering if anyone has had this type of problem with theirs also?

HappyGunner

Many of Kimber finishs are not the best. I also have some bare spots and my Kimber is just two years old and really not carred a lot.

You will read in other forums about Kimber finish problems as with many other new Mfg. guns. I think it's a cost reduction deal.

stansdds

Manufacturers just don't do good blueing jobs these days. It takes time, skill, and well maintained chemicals to properly blue a firearm. Most manufacturers violate at least one or more of the requirements for a good blueing, so the finish often ends up being thin and quickly wears off.

h4444

Call it character,,,,keep it oiled up nice,,,,,or call on a gunsmith (for another finish) :cry:

At some point down the road, I'll probably have my Kimber hard chromed.

Till then, I just keep her clean and be sure there is a fine layer of something to protect her when I'm not shooting her.

H4444

INTrooper4255

Yeah, I'm not worried about it, I have always just wondered about it. I am planning on having some custom work done in the future that will require frame refinishing so it's no big deal. What really made me wonder was, when our department issued Beretta 92G's, there were two brothers that are on our deprtment that just from them handling their 92G's, the entire finish on the backstrap of the pistol was gone, right down to the bare metal! It was so strange, it looked as if someone had put the guns on a buffing wheel and buffed it down to the bare metal. When we tranistioned to the 96G, they didn't have the same problem, the guns were fine. It must have been something in their skin? Strange!

Pierre

Ahhh... Kimber finish consistency...

I finally found the cure.

Stainless Kimbers!

I have 2 stainless, 2 "blue", and the Pro CDP... 3 of these pistols look *good*... 2 of em look... really full of character...

I also will be refinishing the blued ones... one day. Till then, the stainless get out more than the .... charaters.

But the cure is *definitly* stainless... or hard chrome as mentioned.

HTH

hassiman

Actually stainless will rust. I made the mistake of letting some MP-7 get under the grips of my stainless compact and next time I took off the grips HORRORS... RUST!

My solutiuon was to send the puppy to Walter Birdsong and have the weapon Black and Greet T finished. Every part.

4,500 hours salt water resistant, self lubing and it looks great... non-reflective etc.

INTrooper4255

Birdsong's Black T is at the top of my list for my next refinsh project. 8)

1trp45

I previously owned a blued Kimber Series 1 Compact that I purchased used. When I broken it down to install a drop in beaver tail safety from kimber, the internals were pretty badly rusted. I replaced the internal trigger parts but eventually sold it. I recently purchased a used Series 1 Compact that was customized by Novak, it has been very reliable but the exterior finish is pretty worn so I will be sending it to have it Birdsong Black-T finish in the next month or so. Its a keeper.