Western L66 Question

[afishhunter]

I've owned a couple Western (pre Coleman era) L66 over the years, and have seen many more.
I know the blades are 1095.
I have NEVER seen an L66 or F66 "BLACK BEAUTY" with a patina. Some that I've seen for sale at Gun & Knife shows were heavily used, presumably for field dressing, peeling, and butchering big game critters.

QUESTION 1:
Does anyone know difinitavely if the Pre Coleman era Western chrome plated the L66 blades?

That is the only thing I can think of to explain the lack of patina.

I will add I've never seen an L66 with peeling or bubbling chrome, either.

Question 2:
Did Coleman or Camillus (USA) continue to make the L66 with the "traditional" 1095, or did they change to 440A or 425HC stainless blades?

[tallguy606]

Now that you mention it, I bought a 66 that was heavily rusted on the tangs around the handle. Deeply pitted. But the blade was still shiny. Hmmmm

[tongueriver]

I did read somewhere years ago that those Western Boulders were chrome-plated.