Antiquing percussion revolvers

[user 52391]

I've done a few, they've turned out okay, but I have never been completely satisfied with the results...Are there any good sources of information on different tips & techniques out there anyone here is aware of and willing to share?

 

[Crow Choker]

Lots of info in the back pages, just start scanning and/or do a search.

 

[Old Painless]

I did this to mine. A small test of rubbing nickel on steel was what I did. This pistol had a very bad finish on it
called millennium edition.

 

[TDM]

Don’t know what finish you’re looking for but here are some photos of an 1851 that I stripped, applied several applications of Jax Black drawing each back with steel wool. Jax Brown on the brass.

 

[Stantheman86]

I've done a few, they've turned out okay, but I have never been completely satisfied with the results...Are there any good sources of information on different tips & techniques out there anyone here is aware of and willing to share?

By "antique" do you want them to look 150+ years old or like they've seen a hard few years of field use?

I've done both to various revolvers, I've found it's far easier to Antique brassers but my Uberti London Navy came out looking like a well-loved but cared for revolver.

I just use a vinegar bath to remove the blue, and how you treat the steel after it comes out decides how much patina is on the steel. If you clean the vinegar off right away, and polish it up with mag polish , they are basically just gunmetal and will patina normally. If you let the parts sit out covered in vinegar, they will rust instantly. You can wipe the bore and chambers with CLP to protect them and let everything else rust for a day or two. Clean everything up and it will have a nice dark, streaky patina like an old , well worn gun.

Brassers do come out better, with a few range trips because the brass yellows up nicely with some handling and powder residue from shooting.

I just started watching "Hell on Wheels" again, and even though Bohannon's brass frame 1860 Army is totally incorrect, the gun they use in the show has a nice beat up, hard used look to it , and I'm tempted to get one and make it look well used like that one. Basically it looks like it was drawn and reholstered 1000 times and banged around a little.

I've also just let time and use begin to "antique" them, like with my Uberti 1st Model Dragoon. Holster wear is beginning to mellow some of the blue, the brass is yellowing up nicely and it has some character just from range use. In time it will look like a well used original.

 

[64Springer]

You have to get creative.

Real black powder fouling. Brass black/brown. Salt. Moisture. Heat.

A little dinging and denting. Waller out the screw slots. Scar up and pin hole the grips.

Look at an old gun and try to imagine how got like that.

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

YOU TUBE SHAMANS FORGE best I have found if one is into doing antiquing

 

[user 52391]

Let me elaborate, I'm looking to replicate that frosted brown patina of a well used, but not necessarily abused 160 year old original has.

 

[Stantheman86]

Let me elaborate, I'm looking to replicate that frosted brown patina of a well used, but not necessarily abused 160 year old original has.

Birchwood Casey Plum Brown with the steel heated with a hair dryer

 

[Packrat]

Funny, when I used to reenact everyone was defarbing there muskets and camp furniture. Seems they could not figure out the stuff was NEW than

 

[Old-Duckman]

I just don’t get the allure…guess I’m just too grounded in the unmentionables, I prefer the look of an unmolested, pristine firearm. I’ve also been called a perfectionist…but not by anyone who has been inside my hoard…I mean home.

 

[Mulebrain]

I didn't do these, but showing for inspiration

 

[Hawk54]

Funny, when I used to reenact everyone was defarbing there muskets and camp furniture. Seems they could not figure out the stuff was NEW than

Agree. I don't age anything. Let nature takes it's course.

 

[Hawk54]

I just don’t get the allure…guess I’m just too grounded in the unmentionables, I prefer the look of an unmolested, pristine firearm. I’ve also been called a perfectionist…but not by anyone who has been inside my hoard…I mean home.

Me too! If you want something that looks like an old original buy an old original. Like someone said. If you were issued an 1851 in 1862, it was new or slightly used. It didn't look 150 years old.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Someone mentioned rusting parts in vinegar.
I put rusted up parts in vinegar at times to Remove rust.
It's when you take them out they rust if not washed and oiled. They can't rust when In the vinegar.

 

[Hawk54]

Vinegar fumes will darken brass.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Indeed Hawk. fumes work well, and for brass ammonia on a rag and placed in a plastic bag will get them aged down fast!

 

[Hawk54]

Indeed Hawk. fumes work well, and for brass ammonia on a rag and placed in a plastic bag will get them aged down fast!

Agree. You have to watch the parts as they darken very quickly. When using white vinegar heating it produces more fumes. Suspending the parts over the fumes works well. Turn the parts every so often so all sides of the part are exposed equally to the fumes so you get an even patina.

 

[user 52391]

As an I've tried all the traditional methods, some work better than others. I've just haven't been able to achieve that frosted gray-brown, slightly pitted patina that some of my antique originals have. I've read that applying Naval jelly and leaving it on for several hours works nicely...Has anyone here tried it?

 

[Pukka Bundook]

A good steel wooling before ageing as well, Hawk. Take off the sharp edges for a worn look.
Not saying I do this but when making repacement parts for antiques it makes sense.

and Yes! Ammonia will have brass darkened down pretty Fast! Good point you made!

Bullseye,
Edited to say I have aged parts using chlorox, but it can be savage if you leave it too long and can Look like you used chlorox if you don't keep pulling the part and wire -wooling it.
Not a six gun, but here is a lock I aged down when seeing how it worked. did all metal

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