Before and after.

[Londonshooter]

I'm the first to suggest that a vintage gun that is especially fine should go to a professional to be repaired or refinished. I do like to try my hand at these things though. This gun needed repair of a couple of fractures so I thought I might also tidy up the drop points. That's a fussy business as it turns out but I like the result.

 

[mephisto002]

Excellent work,
I wish I had half your talent.

 

[Decker9]

Million times better!! Nice job!!

 

[Londonshooter]

I'm on the hunt for a left hammer to match the right one. Or a pair and swap them both out.

 

[Licensed to kill]

Some examples from Peter Dyson. Search hammers and scroll to the near end to get past all the percussion hammers.

 

[kamlooky]

No eye-deer oww you managed to git away with that.
Great job.

 

[Jay]

Impressive!

 

[FLHTCUI]

Amazing how some tlc can improve something that is already beautiful into something gorgeous.
Well Done Sir, well done.
Rob

 

[Londonshooter]

No eye-deer oww you managed to git away with that.
Great job.

After stripping the head and wrist of gun oil with soaks in acetone I lifted the dents as much as I could with steam, then brought back the contour of the drop point with gouges, then reshaped the wrist to the original rounded profile to avoid leaving a flat spot - or worse, a depression.

 

[jamesharrison]

Amazing how much grunge accumulates in the chequering over a century or more.

 

[Londonshooter]

James, that's so true. Black powder residue, dirt, sweat. grease, oil, blood, and skin. Some say that collection of DNA and dirt is patina. I cleaned it out with a cut-bristle toothbrush and mild solvents including Dawn soap and water. Then dilute toothbrush applications of BLO, maybe 3 times. Not sure if this is what a stock guy would do. I just stopped when it looked right, not filled in, not glossy.
Now I have a fore-end for this gun that hasn't been stripped with acetone and it actually could use a re-checker but I think I'll just keep it in its present as-found but cleaned condition. The buttstock checkering I think is better to leave un-cut as well. There's more to go with this but I'm in summer mode now. Had been tidying up my phone pics and thought I would share.

 

[DGY]

Really nice work, a picture of the entire gun would be great.

 

[Londonshooter]

Really nice work, a picture of the entire gun would be great.

Thanks. When it's done I will update with photos but I will leave the gun for now. There is more finishing of the buttstock to do but first I'm going to make more even contact at the head where it meets the frame by 'glassbedding' it with dyed acryglas. There's a tiny gap there now from being softened with oil then pounded with recoil. Don't slather gun oil on your locks! Look at the goo in that mortise

 

[Mike Webb]

Very nice job. Much better than many "gunsmiths" working now would do.