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View Full Version : Picked Up A Very Special Kimber


Rinspeed
03-20-09, 13:17
I got this one on a trade after looking for quite awhile for a Clackamas this clean. Anyone who follows these early Kimbers knows they are getting harder and harder to find. There are only 7000 of them with the Clackamas roll mark but you don't see them for sale very often. The deal was especially sweat because it is much nicer than the pics I was sent before it was a done deal.

Also I'd never handled one of the late 90's Kimbers before and this thing just reeks of quality. If Kimber would have kept up this level of fit and finish, and been able to hold the price, they would have no competition today to speak of. The only thing I'm sad about is it has an idiot mark that I'm trying to figure out what I should do about. If any of you have some ideas I would like to hear them.





http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Rinspeed/Kimber-7.jpg





http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/Rinspeed/Kimber.jpg
kaltblitz
03-20-09, 15:25
Simply beautiful and a nice find.

Not only did you get a Clackamas Kimber, but you got a Custom Royal.

I was on the hunt for one of these a year or two ago, but settled for a pre-Series II Cutom Classic.

I wouldn't worry about the idiot mark and I wouldn't change a thing. Just leave it like it is and it will serve you well.
baffle Stack
03-20-09, 17:25
What is an idiot mark?
ToddG
03-20-09, 17:49
What is an idiot mark?

http://home.mchsi.com/~jdeeth/tattoo.JPG
varoadking
03-20-09, 17:50
Picked Up A Very Special Kimber

What makes this piece so very special?
varoadking
03-20-09, 17:53
http://home.mchsi.com/~jdeeth/tattoo.JPG

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v22/varoadking/anim_rofl2.gif
johnclark075
03-20-09, 18:09
An idiot mark is when the slide stop leaves a scratch because it is slid against the frame on the 1911.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u16/sloo50/idiotscratch004.jpg
13F3OL7
03-20-09, 18:09
http://home.mchsi.com/~jdeeth/tattoo.JPG

That made my day.
bpd315
03-20-09, 19:10
Idiot mark.........now THAT is funny.

:p
VooDoo6Actual
03-20-09, 23:08
LMAO good one
Freakdaddy
03-21-09, 10:35
http://home.mchsi.com/~jdeeth/tattoo.JPG

NICE!! :D!
Yojimbo
03-21-09, 14:17
Nice score!

I also have a Clackamas Series I Kimber they sure seemed to be put together with a lot more care than their later 1911's.

http://www.huntingpictures.net/data/560/95P1130106_c.JPG
Rinspeed
03-22-09, 00:51
What makes this piece so very special?




Did you read the text?
MisterWilson
03-22-09, 01:23
Todd, I'm STILL laughing.

A 1911 "Idiot Mark" is where someone, when reinstalling the slide stop, accidentally went too far with it and managed to completely FUBAR the pretty finish on the slide. It looks like someone took a protractor & an exacto knife and cut a perfectly round GASH into the slide.

All I can say is, whatever you do, do NOT try to dremel polish an idiot mark out of a blued slide.

(Yes, I was dropped on my head when I was young and did many awful things to guns with a dremel tool. Lets not talk about the work I did on that one AK to make that 8X POSP scope to fit...*sigh*)
bkb0000
03-22-09, 02:35
no, no, no.. they're called Genius Marks and they're caused by the sharpness of the user's mind... scratches everything around you. and they're on all of my guns.
varoadking
03-22-09, 17:17
Double tap with this freakin' slow site connection...
varoadking
03-22-09, 17:17
Did you read the text?


I did. What part of your post references what it is that makes it special?

If you're referring to the number of units produced, 7,000 is far from a limited run.

I was thinking there might be something "special" about your specific piece...
ThirdWatcher
03-22-09, 19:37
I don't think I've ever seen an idiot mark on the slide before.:confused:
Rinspeed
03-24-09, 13:33
I did. What part of your post references what it is that makes it special?

If you're referring to the number of units produced, 7,000 is far from a limited run.

I was thinking there might be something "special" about your specific piece...



There are 7000 total Clackamas marked Kimbers but very few of the Custom Royals. That plus it was in much better shape than I thought it was going to be makes pretty special to me.
MarshallDodge
03-24-09, 13:41
Rinspeed- That's a beauty. They don't make them like that anymore. :cool:

ToddG- That was hilarious. Someone needs to post that on the 1911 forum.
Race
03-24-09, 14:58
Rin,

That's beautiful.

Anyone know when Kimbers started declining in quality? I have a couple of series 1 Kimbers that I bought new in 1999 (they're stamped "Yonkers, NY"). Did the decline happen before this?
mattjmcd
03-25-09, 11:13
Very nice piece, dude.
BAC
03-25-09, 14:18
That's a fantastic looking 1911. I've never seen an idiot mark on a slide before, only on the frame (my Mil Spec has one, heh :o).


-B
baffle Stack
03-26-09, 00:00
Your Kimber is very nice. I can't even make out the idiot mark on it.

Surely not nearly as idiotic as an Obama tattoo on the hip of all places. :rolleyes: