I thought I had seen a fair number of examples of factory wood, but this batch of lowers is outright strange looking. Just recieved from overseas.
They are so glossy I was in disbelief that they are authentic. Most of what I have seen has very well controlled coating thickness with delicate textured brush strokes, giving it a satiny look. ( The pistol grips and uppers in the photos are that way. )
The lowers are very much on the red side, which doesn't bother me too much, but they are finished in a colored coating applied over a neutral base that is also glossy underneath the topcoat. The colored top coat chips off or scrapes off easily, revealing the wood toned base coat.
Obviously the two coating layers are not bonded together very well. Some of the missing spots of top coat can be seen here. The top outer finish is also fairly thick and there are no brushstrokes to be seen, making it look like a layer of glossy cellophane on the wood. The inner contour is not stepped, but is rounded, like some of the other Russian wood I have.
They are fairly beefy compared to some other batches of new wood I have. (Everything is a little thicker /taller/larger).
Any of you collectors out there run across this same stuff ?
They are so glossy I was in disbelief that they are authentic. Most of what I have seen has very well controlled coating thickness with delicate textured brush strokes, giving it a satiny look. ( The pistol grips and uppers in the photos are that way. )
The lowers are very much on the red side, which doesn't bother me too much, but they are finished in a colored coating applied over a neutral base that is also glossy underneath the topcoat. The colored top coat chips off or scrapes off easily, revealing the wood toned base coat.
Obviously the two coating layers are not bonded together very well. Some of the missing spots of top coat can be seen here. The top outer finish is also fairly thick and there are no brushstrokes to be seen, making it look like a layer of glossy cellophane on the wood. The inner contour is not stepped, but is rounded, like some of the other Russian wood I have.
They are fairly beefy compared to some other batches of new wood I have. (Everything is a little thicker /taller/larger).
Any of you collectors out there run across this same stuff ?