Hawken question

[Jim Curlee]

I'm wondering if the original Hawken's, had finely sanded iron part's, or draw filed metal part's? Couldn't find anything in Baird's books, about the metal finish's.
Jim

[rich pierce]

I believe that locks, buttplates, guards, etc were case hardened and such parts are nearly always well polished before case hardening.

[Jim Curlee]

Rich; How about the barrel?
Jim

[J.D.]

The barrels on the original Hawkens I have seen were pretty finely finished prior to bluing. Contrary to popular belief, I have seen a coupla originals with traces of blue remaining on the protected areas of the barrel.

[rich pierce]

The browning you see on a lot of contemporary Hawkens probably is done because originals got rusty and folks figured they were browned originally.  Plus it's easier to brown barrels and locks than get a fine blued finish.

[mike e]

Would the barrels be charcoal blued?

[rich pierce]

Probably not.  Chemical bluing is more durable and prevalent by then.  In some ways it seems the Hawken boys and others were copying British styling (except for the buttstock and buttplate, obviously.  British rifles were first class and expensive.  American makers used scroll guards, hooked breeches, etc to add some class to their offerings.  It seems possible they followed British finishing styles as well.

[Dan'l 1946]

Another reason folks may think that all the old guns were browned is that some forms of bluing seem to turn a nice plum brown with age. I've got a Winchester '94 receiver that was made in the first year of production that is a lovely shade of brown. It was definitely blue when it left the factory and it has never been refinished. Inside the action everything is a nice shiny blue.