Flintlock Pistols With Rare Safety Frizzens, c1740

dana_w · 8th April 2016, 08:48 PM

The hard thick brown substance proved very difficult to remove, until my friend Bob Calder recommended a product used to remove linseed oil from old paintings. That product's active ingredient was ammonia, and ammonia proved to be the answer to my dilemma. A day and several hundred q-tips later the first of the two pistols is ready to be rephotographed.

All photos are copyright (c) 2016 Dana K. Williams. All rights are reserved.

fernando · 8th April 2016, 09:31 PM

Great, Dana!
Congratulations

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JamesKelly · 20th April 2016, 04:56 PM

And just why did you remove this old, probably original, finish from your pistols?

As an accumulator (if not collector) of old guns I am very, very pleased when i can get one which has not been "improved" by some other collector/dealer/whatever

I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright, but in the USA some of us view it as heresy.

corrado26 · 20th April 2016, 05:14 PM

Quote:

I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright,

This is absolutely uncorrect. Only some French collectors and especially one French dealer like to improve their pistols and guns by extreme polishing!!
corrado26

fernando · 20th April 2016, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesKelly

... I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright ...

Some do, some don't, James; maybe you are not well informed

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesKelly

... but in the USA some of us view it as heresy...

Heresy may reside anywhere

.

dana_w · 20th April 2016, 07:21 PM

I talked to a lot of well known collector's before deciding to remove the nasty linseed oil, and I am happy with the results. Anyone else think that they should have been left the way they were?

David R · 20th April 2016, 10:08 PM

The problem with any thick opaque finish is what it may hide underneath. If corrosion has started, or starts later on, the damage can be irreparable before it is noticed.
I would guess that the Linseed oil varnish was originally applied by a previous collector rather than the original user, given how it would interfere with cleaning and maintenance during it's lifetime of use.

Philip · 20th April 2016, 10:57 PM

Dana, the linseed oil was not the original metal finish on the guns, and considering the problems that these caked-on, after-market coatings can cause in the long run, you were right in removing it. This is not analogous to the aggressive treatments used by some collectors and dealers, namely abrading the surface with polishing agents, or enhancing it via re-bluing or redoing the browning.

8th April 2016, 08:48 PM	#1
dana_w Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Southeast Florida, USA Posts: 436	The hard thick brown substance proved very difficult to remove, until my friend Bob Calder recommended a product used to remove linseed oil from old paintings. That product's active ingredient was ammonia, and ammonia proved to be the answer to my dilemma. A day and several hundred q-tips later the first of the two pistols is ready to be rephotographed. All photos are copyright (c) 2016 Dana K. Williams. All rights are reserved. Attached Images

20th April 2016, 07:21 PM	#6
dana_w Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Southeast Florida, USA Posts: 436	I talked to a lot of well known collector's before deciding to remove the nasty linseed oil, and I am happy with the results. Anyone else think that they should have been left the way they were? Last edited by dana_w; 21st April 2016 at 02:34 AM.

8th April 2016, 09:31 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Great, Dana! Congratulations .

20th April 2016, 04:56 PM	#3
JamesKelly Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Michigan, U.S.A. Posts: 108	And just why did you remove this old, probably original, finish from your pistols? As an accumulator (if not collector) of old guns I am very, very pleased when i can get one which has not been "improved" by some other collector/dealer/whatever I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright, but in the USA some of us view it as heresy.

20th April 2016, 10:08 PM	#7
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,123	The problem with any thick opaque finish is what it may hide underneath. If corrosion has started, or starts later on, the damage can be irreparable before it is noticed. I would guess that the Linseed oil varnish was originally applied by a previous collector rather than the original user, given how it would interfere with cleaning and maintenance during it's lifetime of use.

20th April 2016, 10:57 PM	#8
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Dana, the linseed oil was not the original metal finish on the guns, and considering the problems that these caked-on, after-market coatings can cause in the long run, you were right in removing it. This is not analogous to the aggressive treatments used by some collectors and dealers, namely abrading the surface with polishing agents, or enhancing it via re-bluing or redoing the browning.