| In good condition, these guns are valuable antique | | | | from the stock. A metal extension of the barrel - the |
| collectors' pieces. Others that require a bit of work | | | | tang - runs into the stock. Remove the tang screws |
| can often be cleaned and restored by amateurs. | | | | and any retaining bands or pins. The trigger guard, |
| Cast-metal parts or wooden blanks, which can be | | | | butt cap and ramrod pipes are screwed or pinned |
| shaped to replace damaged or missing stocks, can be | | | | and must be removed with extreme care. If the |
| obtained from specialist suppliers. Even old | | | | screws do not yield to penetrating oil, leave them |
| gunpowder explodes, so be sure that any gun being | | | | alone - it will be a job for an antique restorer to drill |
| repaired is not loaded. Insert the ramrod, or a length | | | | them out. Barrels and other metal parts can be |
| of wood, into the barrel to check if there is any | | | | cleaned with a mixture of oil and paraffin. Re-polish all |
| obstruction. If there is, remove it with a modern | | | | parts with progressively finer abrasives; finish with |
| shotgun-cleaning rod that has a screw tip, or use an | | | | jewellers' emery or crocus paper. Some barrels may |
| ordinary steel screw soldered to a stiff piece of wire. | | | | have been blued to prevent rust and, special bluing |
| Screw the rod gently into the obstruction and pull it | | | | fluid can be bought from a gunsmith. Try not leaving |
| out like a cork. Wash the barrel with hot water and | | | | fingerprints on the barrel as this causes rusting.Clean |
| dry it.To dismantle the gun, first half-cock it, then | | | | the stock with steel wool and linseed oil. If the stock |
| remove the screw which holds the cock (in the | | | | is broken, mend with epoxy resin mixed to a paste |
| flintlock) or the hammer (in the percussion type) and | | | | with matching stained sawdust. If the stock is |
| slide it off. Unscrew the pan-cover pivot and screw | | | | beyond minor repairs, a new stock may be fashioned |
| securing the spring beneath the pan: remove the | | | | with an entirely new piece of wood. Small dents in |
| parts. Unscrew the holding bolts or screws and | | | | the stock can be extracted by using hot steam from |
| remove the lock-plate. Several screwdrivers may be | | | | an iron. Place a cloth over the dent and apply the hot |
| needed: the blade must fit each screw or bolt slot | | | | iron.Powder flasks were made in hundreds of designs |
| exactly so as not to burr the screw or bolt. If they | | | | and several materials. However, the majority of |
| are hard to remove, applying a bit of penetrating oil | | | | antique flasks were made pear-shaped and made |
| will do the trick. To dismantle a flintlock mechanism, | | | | from tin, brass or Britannia metal. Metal flasks were |
| loosen the four screws that hold the mainspring, | | | | usually made in two halves soldered together. If the |
| sear, searspring and the bridle. Compress the | | | | seam has parted, find out what alloy the flask is |
| mainspring (in a small hand vice), take out the spring | | | | made of before trying to re-solder it. A simple test is |
| screw and remove the spring. The pin at the rear of | | | | to put a few drops of water in a cup and add an |
| the mainspring engages in the lock-plate and the | | | | equal number of drops of nitric acid, obtainable from |
| other end of the spring engages in the toe of the | | | | a chemist. Put a drop of the solution on the metal to |
| tumbler.Remove rust with fine emery paper or | | | | reveal the colour. Red-brown indicates bronze; yellow |
| powder. Make sure to remove all abrasive powder | | | | and yellow-red, brass; dark grey, pewter; and bright |
| after cleaning. Smear all parts with petroleum jelly and | | | | silver-grey, Britannia metal. To polish the antique flask, |
| reassemble. Press the tumbler down to the fired | | | | use the technique appropriate to the material it is |
| position so that the end of the mainspring goes over | | | | made of. Many powder flasks have very fine detailed |
| it. Put the cock on and pull it back to the half-cocked | | | | etchings, embossings or engravings that give them |
| position so that the tumbler toe compresses the | | | | their unique look. An antique gun without its matching |
| mainspring. Refit the rest of the pieces in reverse | | | | or specific powder flask loses its appeal when antique |
| order to removal.To clean the barrel, first remove it | | | | collectors are looking to add to their collection. |