Classic Noir Movies Prop Gun Model 'Kit'
(Pictured above: Humphry Bogart from the 1947 Noir Thriller 'Dark Passage' sporting a Colt 1927 Detective's Special. Picture source: imfdb.org )
Why A Gun Model?
I am a big classic Noir detective movie fan, but while fans of modern cult movies can simply go out and by prop memorabilia replicas (I'm looking at you Star Wars or Lord Of The Rings fans) we classic movie fans don't have such a plethora of collectables available to us (and I certainly can't afford or legally own authentic movie prop items from this period). So what to do..?
 |
| Above: The iconic 'Detectives Special', what Noir 'gumshoe' worth their salt would be without this compact .38 revolver. The snub-nosed handgun became synonymous with the hard boiled detective. |
Well, luckily these days you can simply 3D print just about any prop item that you can think of relatively easily. I have just - for example - completed my 3D model of the snub-nosed blaster based on the movie BLADERUNNER. And while that's 'modern noir' or 'neo-noir' there are some classic noir props available from some of the 3D print file archives like Thingyverse or Cults.
What I have always wanted was a replica of the famous 'Detectives Special' snub-nosed revolver. A classic handgun design that featured prominently in a whole host of 1940's gangster and detective movies.
 |
| Above: Eddie (James Cagney) threatens George (Humphrey Bogart) with his Detective Special. 'The Roaring Twenties', Warner Bros., 1939. Picture source: imfdb.org |
 | |
| Above: Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) holding a Colt Detective Special on Nora (Lauren Bacall). 'Key Largo', Warner Bros., 1948. Picture source: imfdb.org |
So, I really wanted to have an replica example of this handgun as an example of the Noir genre, displaying it along side some other memorabilia representing one of my favourite movies from the period.
Luckily for me, when I searched though Cults.com someone had created a 3D model of the Colt 1927 Detective Special and so I purchased the file bundle - consisting of numerous parts with which you could print and then construct the replica - and downloaded it.
Making a Model Gun For Display
This would be my third attempt at making a prop 'snubby', the first was a horrendous 3D model that I abandoned and the second was actually of the Smith & Wesson Model 10 snub-nosed revolver (S&W's answer to the original Colt compact). But I wanted an actual Colt model, so - as they say - the third time is the charm!
It was a fairly simple 'kit' of parts and was not a simulation of the actual revolver's mechanism, just a dummy display model. You could add some small springs to make the hammer and trigger move, but this did not activate the cylinder so I decided to ditch that.
The printing was pretty simple and didn't pose any problems, particularly with my new Flashforce Adventurer 5M Pro FDM printer which spat out the parts in matt grey PLA in very little time. I chose to use my FDM printer rather than my resin printer as I greatly enjoy the process of cleaning up FDM prints...
I decided to video journal this project and here is the first part of the process...
I'm just working on cleaning up all the parts and test fitting prior to painting and assembly, so I will also record this and create a send and final movie about this project. Hopefully all will go well.
I should also note that this prop will be part of my 'Philip Marlowe Shadow Box' display project, where I will mount this replica handgun along with several other Noir detective movie props.
 |
| Above: My replica Smith & Wesson Model 10 Snub-nosed revolver along side a early test assembly of the Colt 1927. Just so you can compare the two types. |
Post a Comment