Clear Coat Over Patina - Am I out to lunch?

Crazy Chaingun

Crazy Chaingun

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Hello all,

I'm working on fixing up a Savage Model 4C that I picked up cheap. Old girl had been poorly neglected, but after scrubbing the rust away with oil and steel wool, there's a classy-looking brown-grey patina that I think I might leave as is. However, I'd like it to be a durable, practical gun, so I'm thinking of using a Tremclad satin clear-coat over the patina to give the gun some protection from the elements.

Anyone ever tried this? I can't see why it wouldn't work, but that's what I thought about my last GF (and that didn't work).

Cheers,
C.C.
 
IMO, I wouldn't use an aerosol based clear coat. From what I understand about aerosol paints they dry by the solvents evaporating out of them, leaving the pigment (paint) behind. When you wipe them with another form of solvent - like gun cleaner - your reintroducing the solvent and then able to wipe off the (paint). I work in the auto collision repair industry and I have seen a lot of peoples cars that got spray painted by vandals and its really not that hard to clean off with a mild solvent and a little elbow grease. Anyway just my 2 cents. Good Luck.
 
If I were you , I wouldn,t do it , -- just rub it down with a bit oil every so often, let it age naturally , -- I did that once years ago to an old bayonet, and really regreted it , finally got it striped off , Its nice to just have that old " been there , done that " look , ---- But hey, that,s just my view ----
 
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In my eyes it's no different than what car guys are doing right now clear coating on top of a rust patina. But I agree, rattle can clear coat might not be heavy duty enough or hold up to the heat or handling.
 
Just put a coat of SILICONE over the metal parts. That will last at least a year or more, which is about the same a coat of Clear Kote will last.

The SILICONE will dry hard and not look like someone slathered varnish or something similar all over it and the silicone won't chip or rub off.

Silicone has the quality of remaining active, even after the emulsifier has dried.

There used to be a silicone based wax available for vehicles. It was so active that a dry towel rested on any sloping surface would slide off just from its own weight.

The downside is that the metal will likely never take a blue or any other coating properly again. The upside is that it will preserve the finish you have.


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Bad idea unless you want to hang it over your fireplace. Why not just maintain the thing like you should?
 
I have been told that conservators wax is a good choice to protect a patina finish. Museums use it on old artifacts.

Paco
 
BWEST said:
If I were you , I wouldn,t do it , -- just rub it down with a bit oil every so often, let it age naturally , -- I did that once years ago to an old bayonet, and really regreted it , finally got it striped off , Its nice to just have that old " been there , done that " look , ---- But hey, that,s just my view ----
Click to expand...

Agree.
Just keep it clean and dry and lightly oil on occasion and you are good to go!
 
pacopena said:
I have been told that conservators wax is a good choice to protect a patina finish. Museums use it on old artifacts.

Paco
Click to expand...

--- Your right, pacopena --- I forgot to add this , works Really well on old guns . pick it up at Lee Valley , ---- I use it on a couple of old Winchesters , and a couple of old handguns, a little goes a long way , as well .
 
Just another question guys...same type...different application. So I wanted to polish my old Marlin 444 ( it has some pitting on the barrel and receiver that need to be sanded/polished out) to a mirror shine and leave it like that...no bluing...can I just oil it down,or wax it as described above and will it stay that way...or can I put a clear coat of some sort over it .
I've spray automotive basecoat, clearcoats for years but never thought of putting it on a rifle at a preservative...interesting idea...but an unknown to me.
Cheers
Brian
 
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