| Many of the cold blues are now offered in
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| | matches perfectly.
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| a cream form as well as a traditional
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| | Plain black walnut is actually a rather
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| solution. The cream form is easier for a
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| | light colored wood. To accentuate its
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| beginner to control because they don't
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| | richness, it is often stained in the
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| run, and they're a snap to apply. Color
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| | process of refinishing. The
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| sometimes is a function of the time
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| | Birchwood-Casey kit contains an
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| bluing chemicals are in contact with the
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| | excellent, water-based walnut stain that
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| steel, but most cold blues seem to be
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| | can do wonders to generate the warm,
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| self-regulating and simply stop working
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| | reddish brown tones we associate with
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| at a certain point. The point is follow
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| | walnut stocks.
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| the directions first and then experiment
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| | To Refinish Or Not?
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| a bit if the results aren't exactly what
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| | A word of caution is called for when
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| you want.
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| | refinishing. Many antique and high-value
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| Often when using a cold blue and the
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| | firearms have been desecrated by
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| metal is not readily taking it, I will
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| | inappropriate refinishing attempts. The
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| pre-heat the metal slightly with an
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| | result is the firearm's intrinsic and
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| electric hair dryer or heat gun. The
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| | historical value destroyed. You see
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| additional heat speeds the chemical
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| | examples at every gun show.
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| process and can get you over some bumps
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| | Antique firearms are particularly the
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| in the road.
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| | victims of misapplied polishing, sanding,
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| Aluminum parts do not take a blue. They
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| | the application of erroneous
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| are "blackened." Birchwood-Casey offers a
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| | finishes--it's enough to make you cry.
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| liquid product called "Aluminum Black."
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| | When in doubt... don't, or turn the job
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| Add it to your kit because there's a lot
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| | over to a professional restorer.
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| of aluminum out there in gun parts these
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| | Let me share with you one example. I
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| days, and this product really does a nice
| |
| | recently acquired an 1888 Springfield
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| job.
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| | Trapdoor. The price was right because it
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| While steel wool is the old standby and
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| | was covered with a film of surface rust.
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| readily available at the local hardware
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| | It was a case of neglect, not abuse,
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| store, I like to work with bronze wool.
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| | because otherwise the wood, the
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| Available from Brownells, "00" bronze
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| | mechanics, even the original leather
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| wool is wonderful stuff. It's not as
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| | sling were in good condition.
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| aggressive as steel wool and more
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| | Originally the barrels of 1888
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| importantly doesn't break down like steel
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| | Springfields were blued and the breeches
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| wool. I find it ideal for removing
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| | were case-hardened. The blued barrel,
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| surface rust from blued surfaces and for
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| | breech, lock, triggerguard, butt plate
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| removing strip-softened gunstock
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| | were now... Well, I really didn't know
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| finishes.
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| | what was under all that surface rust.
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| Another great product for removing
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| | My first decision when dealing with an
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| surface rust without damaging the
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| | antique is not to disassemble it unless
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| underlying blue is a product Midway
| |
| | there is an overriding reason to do so.
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| carries called a "Gun Brite Metal
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| | Old stocks dry out and shrink. The
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| Cleaning Pad." This item looks like a
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| | removal of retaining pints, locks, pieces
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| kitchen pot scrubber, is made from
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| | and parts more often than not results in
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| stainless steel, and it works well when
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| | chipped stocks or worse. Still, I needed
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| used in conjunction with a lubricating
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| | to remove and neutralize that surface
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| oil.
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| | rust.
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| In any bluing process, you end up
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| | In my younger years, I would have
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| applying an anti-corrosion product of
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| | stripped and polished the barrel,
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| some kind--a good gun oil or polarized
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| | receiver and other metal parts to bare
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| rust preventive. Two products I like and
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| | metal, and reblued them. Not any more.
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| use extensively are Brownells Rust
| |
| | Best Possible Approach
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| Preventive No. 2 and CorrosionX. More
| |
| | The solution was to take a small piece of
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| about CorrosionX later.
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| | "00" bronze wool, dip it in Corrosion X,
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| Newer Techniques
| |
| | and gently rub away all the surface rust.
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| One of the products you will find missing
| |
| | CorrosionX is a rather unique product. It
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| in Birchwood-Casey's Tru-Oil Gun Stock
| |
| | penetrates and neutralizes oxidation
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| Finish Kit is a wood filler. The open
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| | while serving as lubricant. The result
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| pores of walnut must be filled before a
| |
| | was a final finish on the metal that
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| final finish is applied and
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| | might be best described as a "patina." It
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| traditionally, applying commercial wood
| |
| | wasn't a blue. It wan'' light rust. It
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| filler was customary. No longer. Today,
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| | was a uniform, translucent, pleasing
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| the concept is "wet sanding," and again,
| |
| | browned finish, much in keeping with the
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| Birchwood-Casey's kit instructions are
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| | age and overall condition of the gun.
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| right up to date. The process is simple
| |
| | Further oxidation had been stopped, and
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| and logical, and I don't know why it took
| |
| | the finish of the gun stabilized. It was
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| most of us so long to adopt it.
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| | the right thing to do.
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| To "wet sand" you first saturate the wood
| |
| | Common Sense
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| with a thorough coat of finish and let it
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| | Really, all refinishing, retouching or
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| dry for a day. Then taking small sections
| |
| | restoring comes down to a bit of common
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| of the stock, you apply more finish and
| |
| | sense. Modern chemistry, thoughtful
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| sand it in with a piece of 180 grit
| |
| | packaging and instructional materials
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| wetldry paper, thereby creating a slurry
| |
| | have given us the tools. With practice,
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| of wood particles suspended in oil. The
| |
| | the average gun owner can accomplish
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| slurry is rubbed into the pores of the
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| | wonders when it comes to replicating or
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| stock with your fingers and finally,
| |
| | repairing metal and wood finishes. The
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| wiped off across the grain with a paper
| |
| | challenge comes with deciding how much is
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| towel. In short, the stock is creating
| |
| | enough and whether it is appropriate in
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| its own filler, and the resulting color
| |
| | the first place.
|
