[jakeg823]

Well I finally dropped my Kimber Compact CDP II off at Birdsong for a new finish. Trying to keep the bi-tone similar to the current look, so I went with the Light Grey for the slide and controls, and black for frame and all internals. Should look pretty sweet I think. 6-8 weeks till I find out for sure though unfortunately, which it looked like they had plenty of work lying around. I also left two Kimpro Compact Tacmags, and an extra recoil and firing pin spring to be coated(just because I had them already and figured they might as well be done as well even though they arent due changing for another 1000 rounds or so).

Why get this done on a pretty new gun(1 year old)? Partly because the Kimpro II finish sucks. Partly because the barrel is Carbon steel and has and will rust very easily. Partly because its self lubricating. Partly just because I wanted to. And mostly because of the fact that even with wear, scratches and scrapes it still wont rust!

Finally found out all the other color options too, Black-t(of course), Green-t, light & dark grey, tan, dark brown(which was surprisingly quite nice!!!), and for the ladies, pink(which might come in handy for the fiance whenever i get her a .38).

I went ahead and took some before pictures, so i'll keep this updated when I get the gun back.

I'm also looking at some new grips that'll hopefully be more pleasing to the eye on the new finish than I'm imagining the current rosewood grips would be. Thinking about the Larry Davidson starburst grips(identical to the Wilson Combat's but w/o the medallion), or a set of black and grey VZ 320s, would love anyone's opinion on which would look better, and my only problem with the Starbursts is that they're more common. And the benefit to the VZs is that they're a slim grip.

Davidson Starbursts: http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=293538
VZs: http://vzgrips.com/gun-grips/1911-pistol-grips-1/limited-run-1/320s-black-gray-g10-slim-line

 

[Xd357]

You won't be disapointed. They do alsome work but I didn't know about the new colors. I'd like to see them.

 

[jbpmidas]

Looking forward to the finished product! Go with the slim grips!

 

[bubbat]

Yeah got to post pictures when you get it back. I thought they only did black-t and green-t. I have been wanting to get my P225 done two tone in gray and black..hmmmm

 

[jakeg823]

Yeah they only have black, green and tan on their site I think. I've got some example pictures they sent me last week of the different greys. I'll post them up later. The black and green look great of course in person, I'm not a fan of Tan anything, but it still looked really nice, I wouldn't mind getting the brown on something. The light grey is hard to describe...darker than stainless is all I can think of ha. And the dark grey is nice, but it's almost a blue tint to it.

And I was leaning more towards the slim grips myself, but I've just always had a thing for those starbursts.

 

[jakeg823]

oh and strange fact! the answering machine for the shop is still Walter Birdsong

 

[jakeg823]

these are the pictures sent to me yesterday by Susan at Birdsong, just some examples of their gray finishes. the lighting isnt the best so its hard to tell the shades in some of them.

this one is light gray and dark grey. in person the light gray is much lighter as you'll see further down.

this one is dark gray and black. see the bluish tint to the dark grey?

and she didn't specify what these last 2 were, but i'm guessing dark & light gray, but maybe not because the lighting is drastically different. saw a odd looking gun there today(might've been a odd model cz or something), with the same pattern as these 2 pictures

 

[Caleb C]

Just curios, How much are they charging you for the work? (Don't mean to get all in your kool-aid. Don't feel obligated to answer if you'd rather not).

Who has long-term experience with Birdsong's coating? What do you think about the durability and color options?

 

[jakeg823]

According to their site(if I recall) it's $125 for glocks and small plastic pistols, $150 for other handguns, and I'm wanting to say $180-200 for long guns. Prices include 2 magazines also being coated, and it's $10 per mag after that

 

[Cliff Cargill]

Walter Birdsong (RIP) was a genius. He wrote the book on gun refinishing, and his sons contiunue his legacy to this day. I'm proud to say I've known the family for close to 30 years.

That's why Springfield Armory, government agencies worldwide, and even the Israeli military use their services.

It's the best money can buy.
http://www.black-t.com/

 

[jakeg823]

http://black-t.com/2009%20PRICE%20LIST.pdf

There's the price list pretty reasonable compared to A LOT of finishes out there, and from what everyone says about it, it's the best on the market, so I'd say it's definitely worth any extra $$

 

[Cliff Cargill]

I've probably had around 25 guns done there over the years. It holds up very well. As a competitive shooter with over 21 years of matches behind me, I've never seen anything hold up like Birdsong's Black-T. I've had guns that I was runnning 25 to 30 thousand rounds a year through, and the parts on guns gave out before that finish ever did.

If you go with the best, even if it means spending a liltte more you'll never be unhappy.

 

[Caleb C]

I've been wondering about this. Is it really the best on the market or is it in the name? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to discount the validity of the product, the service, or the family's work ethic. Mr. Birdsong created a great product and did very well for himself and his family. Although, the technology is old (well over twenty years if I'm not mistaken). There have been a lot of advancements in chemistry and firearm technology in that time. So the question stands, Is it really the best finish? May be its success is the product of a great "old" invention in combination with a great marketing strategy, reputation, and years of hard work.

Pleas don't misunderstand me. I'm thrilled that some fellow Mississippians have been able to make firearm history as well as make a crap load of money in the process. I'm just curious how the finish compares to more modern finishes when color/camo options, durability, and price point are taken into consideration without a name to skew the facts.

 

[Cliff Cargill]

W.E. Birsong was always making that finish better. They've improved the finish over the years.

 

[Caleb C]

I'm not pushing any product or attempting to discredit another. I'm just curious. Everyone who provides a product or service claims to be the best at it. One of them is right. I'd just like to know (based on facts) who is right. I appreciate any input from guys like you who have first hand knowledge of Birdsong. I do have a bit of experience with other finishes so another thread will not be necessary. My interest at the moment is in Birdsong.

I didn't realize that the product was in constant development over it's lifespan. That's why I'm asking these questions. Admittedly, there's some ignorance on my part. Again, I'm not knocking the stuff. I just want to know WHY it's the "best".

 

[jakeg823]

Haha dang getting ugly in here. Reputation will take you a long way calebc...I did my research, and it was definitely the most appealing finish for me for all the reasons stated above. I know you duracoat, and y'all do some awesome work, but from what I've researched of duracoat it's not what I was personally looking for.

Also, for me, birdsong is located about 5 miles from me, so not only does it seem to be one of the better finishes for me, but I love the fact that I can support someone so close to home

 

[jakeg823]

Ha you weren't bothering me. As long as it's relevant I don't mind a thread being slightly deviated...I just don't like it when someone chimes in on some random thread asking for a comparison of two random guns or something along those lines.

I didn't really have any purpose in even starting this thread except to show off what gets done, because as much work as there is of birdsongs out there I have found it extremely hard to find related pictures and such. Lots of good experiences, but few pictures to accompany them. So I'm fine with whereever this thread goes, so long as it stays relevant.

 

[Xd357]

I've got a ruger mkii that was rusting and pitting (before I bought it) and had it black-Ted. It looks alsome now. I think one of the biggest things black-T has going for it is it's self lubricating and uses very little oil or no oil in some cases.

 

[jakeg823]

I've got a ruger mkii that was rusting and pitting (before I bought it) and had it black-Ted. It looks alsome now. I think one of the biggest things black-T has going for it is it's self lubricating and uses very little oil or no oil in some cases.

That was my selling point. Especially since this is my primary carry gun, I want it to be able to hold up to all the sweat that my big butt can dish out! I especially love that all the internals are coated, barrel included, because the barrel on kimbers is carbon steel, and rusts very easily. The self lubricating will also be very nice, but the rust prevention is what pushed me over the edge

 

[Myers]

How well does the black-t hold up to holster wear?