Spanish Percussion Pistol

[Camoga]

Thanks Fernando K and Victrix.
What would be your thoughts and using a polish like Brasso on the metal?

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Camoga

Thanks Fernando K and Victrix.
What would be your thoughts and using a polish like Brasso on the metal?

Camoga,

I’m not a professional restorer, just a history enthusiast and amateur collector. I agree with Jim’s statement that part of antique objects’ charm often lies in their ruggedness. I would personally not polish a gun barrel. In your case I would clean the metals parts carefully with some white spirit. Then apply some mineral oil and let dry in a dust free environment. Then when dry I would apply some renaissance wax on the metal parts. I would apply a thin layer of walnut oil on the wood. The alternative would be to have the gun restored professionally which would likely not be worth the cost.

[Philip]

Samuel,
The previous posts contain some very good do-it-yourself tips for treating the metal. Being an antique arms restorer by trade and looking at your gun in its current state I wholeheartedly agree with Jim, et al, that polishing or indeed any over-aggressive cleaning of the metal is not desirable. The patina that you see on much of the steel is actually quite pleasing, much more so than a "scoured" surface.

If the screws turn freely and you have properly fitting screwdrivers, you might want to dismount the barrel and lock to likewise clean and conserve the interior metal surfaces as well. A lot of times, active rust is present in those areas covered by wood since they are not easily accessible during whatever cursory cleaning and oiling the piece may have had over generations. Stubborn rust can in most cases be scraped off with tools fashioned from little strips of brass or soft metal (not knives or screwdriver blades!), and hardened grease and dirt removed via the methods described previously.

The destructive effect of rust often transfers from metal to wood, where the oxidation (which is enabled by moisture) can lead to staining and even decay. Cleaning the accumulated dirt, grease, and other crud off the wood can safely be done with acetone applied with cotton swabs, small stiff bristle brushes, and bits of old toweling (depending on the amount of accumulation and the surface area involved). The scrapers you made for metal de-rusting can be used to gently tease adhering rust clumps free of the wood. The good thing about using something like acetone is that it evaporates quickly and leaves no oily residue, so if you want to glue back any loose slivers of wood, or fix the big crack on the underside, your wood adhesive will hold firmly. After that you can use the oils mentioned in the prior posts and finish with Renaissance wax.

Be patient, going as far as skill allows, and you can end up with quite a good result. Do keep us apprised of your progress and please post some pics of the finished job.