Aging Metal

[rich pierce]

Indeed, that would work, but for the custom maker, would take too long and be too uncontrolled. Generally we want to avoid the swelling and shrinking associated with wetting and drying repeatedly. Also, proper "faking aging" takes into account that some areas of a gun get rubbed down better than others, whereas others are prone to trap corrosive fouling and moisture. If you look at old barrels, they are rougher near the breech than in the middle, etc. Locks are more corroded where the fouling geta trapped behind the cock, around the pan, behind the frizzen spring, etc.

 

[DrTimboone]

All the guns Mike has shown us are beautiful!! :bow: Mike your methods make a lot of sense an I am taking notes!! :thumbsup:

As I am learning how to make guns as an avocation rather than to sell, I have been trying to achieve a slighty aged look. Not 250 years old but not new right off the bench. Perhaps what a longhunters gun would look like after a year or two of use. I am getting it on the metal and from some of my beginner wood carving skills :hmm: but I just haven't had the heart to intentionally put the dings etc in the wood.

It seems the method and time of leaving solutions on etc depends on how aged you want the gun to look first time you take it to the range, rendezvous, reenactment or hunting.

I appreciate all the great deas here and I hope Deerstalker will take all this and write a book! :v

 

[Deerstalker]

I'm getting with my publisher as we speak....

 

[Birdman]

OK guys another angel on the ageing thing. Granted many builders age their guns for the customers and Mike belive me I think your guns are beautiful. BUT if a farmer took his gun out once a week for a day to try n get meat how much wear would it get in a year, in five years? How many guns do we collectively own that have not been aged but used regular during hunting season, what do they look like? Zonie have ya ever been out in the rain or snow while hunting? I know I have been out for several days at a time and the gun was as wet n cold as I was, the swelling n drying didn't hurt the gun much. IMHO most of the ageing people want is well beyond what normal wear n tear would be on a gun owned by the average guy of the times.If a person of the times could afford a gun which was an EXPENSIVE ITEM he would have taken as good a care of it as he could. I just feel the wear we see on guns is more attuned to use over fifty years or better n heck most folks didn't even live that long so why shold the gun look that old. What I was getting at with the leave it outside thing is just an excelerated weathering of the original finish but sure I understand as a builder ya don't have that much time, I was meaning more the new owner doing it. Just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've heard over and over again from the people i've built guns for "I want a gun that looks like it's a 200 year old well maintained original."
Seems to be where my market is and always has been. I believe most all of my guns are bought to shoot except in a few rare cases, but they are also bought as an investment and a piece of art work that hangs over the fireplace inside their home.. And part of their charm as they hang over the fireplace is they look like the old guns.
i've always built guns just like all the old ones I've handled. There's nothing I enjoy more than the patina on a 200 year old gun, I have a couple nearly that old that I still shoot.
That patina to me is part of what makes those old guns so great, and I try to reproduce that look on the stuff I build for the same reason. Too me, and this is only my opinion, Guns that are finished "crisp and new made" just don't have the warmth or soul that the old guns have.
New made stuff too me is just cold and the lines are too "sharp". Just a personal prefernce type thing in the end, i don't want to stir up a big stink over this.... :v

 

[rabbit03]

Nice looking work Mike, I really like the look. I am sure he will be happy with the results once he gets the finish right, thanks for the posts,

rabbit03

 

[Deerstalker]

Nicely said, Mike. And I couldn't agree more. My new guns just don't have the same feel as the old ones, and that is what I want to achieve with this project... just a personal preference thing. That is why there are so many diffent methods and materials out there to try and match everyone's taste. You hit the nail on the head with what I was looking for, and I appreciate yours and rabbits advise, as well as everyone else's on this matter. I really appreciate the help, and when I finish the gun, I'll be sure and post pictures.
Thanks,
Bryan :hatsoff:

 

[Ed Grubaugh]

Thanks for the post Brian.

Think that's pretty much what I want to do with my build. I was going to brown but this sounds more to my liking.

Ed

 

[Deerstalker]

Your welcome, Ed. Thank the guys with all the help, not me! Great board here!
Bryan

 

[45nut]

Deerstalker,

You can cover the metal with mustard and it will turn gray.

Wow,,,mustard? thats interesting. I am in the middle of another project,I had a barrel pulled from a 1893 Marlin 30-30 turned into a encore barrel in 30-40 Krag and during the machining process a spot here and there was taken from the beautiful old patina that was on the barrel. I am going to try the mustard trick on a spot on the bottom of the barrel to see if I can cover some of the spots that need it.

 

[dwarvenchef]

Hello "Nut" glad to see ya here, great place :thumbsup:

 

[45nut]

yes indeed,,lots to learn from the folks here. Thanks for the link! :thumbsup:

 

[dwarvenchef]

You can cover the metal with mustard and it will turn gray.

Anyone have pictures of the mustard worked metal? I'm interested due to the fact I make my own mustards and would love to try this. Would this finnish be ok on a PC early Hawken? (I will get it someday soon)

 

[rabbit03]

GRAY POUPON-----------------And now you know the rest of the story!

rabbit03

 

I've heard over and over again from the people i've built guns for "I want a gun that looks like it's a 200 year old well maintained original."
Seems to be where my market is and always has been. I believe most all of my guns are bought to shoot except in a few rare cases, but they are also bought as an investment and a piece of art work that hangs over the fireplace inside their home.. And part of their charm as they hang over the fireplace is they look like the old guns.
i've always built guns just like all the old ones I've handled. There's nothing I enjoy more than the patina on a 200 year old gun, I have a couple nearly that old that I still shoot.
That patina to me is part of what makes those old guns so great, and I try to reproduce that look on the stuff I build for the same reason. Too me, and this is only my opinion, Guns that are finished "crisp and new made" just don't have the warmth or soul that the old guns have.
New made stuff too me is just cold and the lines are too "sharp". Just a personal preference type thing in the end, I don't want to stir up a big stink over this.... :v

Thank you Mike for expressing my own (and my customers) point of view so succinctly.......

Mustard - it's the vinegar that does the actual etching - the rest just holds it in place........

Just be sure when aging to do the whole thing - nothing worse/fake looking IMO than a piece that has the barrel and maybe the other metal work aged but the stock is in pristine condition.....

 

[tg]

I have a 4" piece of GM barrel that I will give you to play with (drawfile ,polish, try all the tricks) if you want it send me PM with youe snail mail addy. that is how I tested all the different methods I have used.

 

[dwarvenchef]

I will be doing this to a TC caplock (if I can find one for a good price). I have seen many places showing Iron hardware for them, plus the TC Hawken fits me super... If this "test" is to my liking it will be used on my authentic hawken kit when I get it.

While I like sharp crisp finishes and wood to match, I just can't "use" them the way I can a well weatherd one. Will be a fun experiment.