Antique restauration in the GTA?

J

John Rambo

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My father, who is not a gun person happens to have an old martini henry rifle. Its in pretty bad condition. He doesn't know if its been deactivated and I can't take a look at it anytime soon since I live pretty far.
Can anyone recommend a good place where He could have it restored around Toronto?



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Thanks
 
It would probably not be worth restoration
Good ones are only worth a few hundred bucks
It might clean up and be worth more than one restored
 
From the pic it's hard to tell, but it does not look like there is much pitting (at least on the outside) you have a couple options...

If you want it pretty shiny like new & all blued up - send it off to Nick at Vulcan refinishing. That bill will certainly be more than a decent functioning martini.

OR

you could clean up the loose and surface rust enough to start browning it yourself. That would give you an antique patina and still protect it from further decay.

the big questions are the condition of the stock, condition of the bore and whether or not it has been deactivated.

-sean
 
I would remove the wood and let the metal parts soak in a container of diesel fuel, it will remove a large quantity of rust. Finally clean with 0000 steel or brass wool. Clean the wood with varsol and apply a few coat of linseed oil.
 
It is an old one. Right now, it is dirty, but it is original. It wears its years and history on the outside for all to see.
Is it all there? Anything broken?

Restore it and you will have a pretty rifle. $$$ and a lot is lost.

This one is not rare, nor is it particularly valuable.
But it does have the charm of a heavy patina.
A good sympathetic cleaning is what it requires.
Remove any active corrosion.
Gently clean off the dirt and oxidisation.
Stabilise the wood.
You will then have a clean old rifle, nothing lost.

I love these old guns and enjoy bringing them back into presentable condition.
But many of my projects end up being more preservation rather than restoration.
Too much of an enthusiastic cleaning can ruin things as an antique.
That patina has taken years to form. An old rifle should be allowed to look old.
Remove the signs of abuse and neglect, but leave it looking its age.

So it all depends on what degree of restoration you were wanting.
How do you imagine it looking when restored?
Looking like an antique, or looking like new?
 
Thanks for all the input. He got a restoration quote between 2-3k. Obviously this is worth it. I'll try to take the rust off and make a wall hanger out of it
 
Here in UK a friend bought a M-E in similar condition and now regularly shoots it - after a deal of effort, mind. The bore came up beautifully from end to end and all it needed was some cosmetic attention with a good deal of sympathy mixed in.
 
as said before it is a common old rifle as a wall hanger its good the way it is and if you clean it to metal that fine too ,,cause thats where parts come from
 
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