Build advice

[Celt5494]

So my son being the amazing young man that he is decided that since Pop's doesn't have a Blunderbuss he was going to get one. He got me a nice kit that I will have to put together so I have some questions. I have never built anything like this from a kit and with the exception of the lock everything is pretty much in the white.

1: Would it be more appropriate to blue the barrel or brown it given it's a Blunderbuss? What is the best method of doing this at home?

2: I was thinking of rubbing the stock down using boiled linseed oil then finishing it off with furniture wax. Anyone have better ideas?

3: I will need to smooth out some of the brass edges on the furniture. What's your prefered method of doing this?

I have been shooting black powder since I was young but admittedly I am a complete novice in all of this process other than minor repairs. I have gone through this forum about what others have done but since I had so many questions I wanted to lump them into one thread. I would greatly appreciate any sagely advice any of you builders can offer. Thanks in advance.

 

[Commodore Swab]

So my son being the amazing young man that he is decided that since Pop's doesn't have a Blunderbuss he was going to get one. He got me a nice kit that I will have to put together so I have some questions. I have never built anything like this from a kit and with the exception of the lock everything is pretty much in the white.

1: Would it be more appropriate to blue the barrel or brown it given it's a Blunderbuss? What is the best method of doing this at home?

2: I was thinking of rubbing the stock down using boiled linseed oil then finishing it off with furniture wax. Anyone have better ideas?

3: I will need to smooth out some of the brass edges on the furniture. What's your prefered method of doing this?

I have been shooting black powder since I was young but admittedly I am a complete novice in all of this process other than minor repairs. I have gone through this forum about what others have done but since I had so many questions I wanted to lump them into one thread. I would greatly appreciate any sagely advice any of you builders can offer. Thanks in advance.

I'm a little curious what this kit is.

 

[Phil Coffins]

#1 suit your self, I’d blue.
#2 boiled linseed oil is the least effective finish to pick and wasn’t used back in the day. It was used to make a varnish to use.
#3 a mill file to clean up the castings especially the edges and bottoms before inletting. And needle files for complex edges.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I don't know much about the blunderbuss but I do build flintlocks so hopefully this helps.

It is believed that gunsmiths started browning barrels after 1790. Before that Barrels were left in the "Bright", or charcoal blued, or heat blued. What is appropriate for your build is up to you.

Your stock treatment sounds fine.

I use files and sandpaper and wire wheels on brass furniture.

Hope that helps.

 

[Celt5494]

I don't know much about the blunderbuss but I do build flintlocks so hopefully this helps.

It is believed that gunsmiths started browning barrels after 1790. Before that Barrels were left in the "Bright", or charcoal blued, or heat blued. What is appropriate for your build is up to you.

Your stock treatment sounds fine.

I use files and sandpaper and wire wheels on brass furniture.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, some good ideas there. I thought about leaving it bright but I think for this I want to do something with it. Partly because I want to learn how to do this and do it properly. I am not familiar with the charcoal bluing process. Would you kindly educate me on this?

 

[Celt5494]

I'm a little curious what this kit is.

It is a Traditions.

 

[flntlokr]

So my son being the amazing young man that he is decided that since Pop's doesn't have a Blunderbuss he was going to get one. He got me a nice kit that I will have to put together so I have some questions. I have never built anything like this from a kit and with the exception of the lock everything is pretty much in the white.

1: Would it be more appropriate to blue the barrel or brown it given it's a Blunderbuss? What is the best method of doing this at home?

2: I was thinking of rubbing the stock down using boiled linseed oil then finishing it off with furniture wax. Anyone have better ideas?

3: I will need to smooth out some of the brass edges on the furniture. What's your prefered method of doing this?

I have been shooting black powder since I was young but admittedly I am a complete novice in all of this process other than minor repairs. I have gone through this forum about what others have done but since I had so many questions I wanted to lump them into one thread. I would greatly appreciate any sagely advice any of you builders can offer. Thanks in advance.

I made mine brown. I finished the stock with a couple of coats of walnut minwax. Inside and out. I don't think there is a more durable finish that requires as little maintenance. My brass was all 'as cast' and required a lot of fine emery work to get it smooth enough to hit with the polishing wheel. I had to file down the mold seams and such.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Thanks, some good ideas there. I thought about leaving it bright but I think for this I want to do something with it. Partly because I want to learn how to do this and do it properly. I am not familiar with the charcoal bluing process. Would you kindly educate me on this?

Charcoal blue is simple enough to do but requires care in the process to get good results. The steel parts are polished well and all oils removed. Handle them with cotton gloves because the smallest trace of oil will mare the finished blue. What I do is place the parts in a crucible carefully filled with natural charcoal, be sure no part touch the sides or another part. Heat to 800F degrees and hold for two hours. Turn off the furnace and allow to cool to room temperature before removing. Carefully take the parts out of the charcoal and coat inside and out with machine oil. Allow them to set for two days then gently wipe of excess oil. Here’s an example.
IMG_0400 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Daveboone]

The old saying for using linseed oil....rub it in every day for a week, every week for a month, then monthly for a year, then renew yearly. As I recall.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The old saying for using linseed oil....rub it in every day for a week, every week for a month, then monthly for a year, then renew yearly. As I recall.

I haven’t the time or energy to use such a labor intensive product to get inferior results.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

All the originals I have seen were bright.

 

[Celt5494]

Charcoal blue is simple enough to do but requires care in the process to get good results. The steel parts are polished well and all oils removed. Handle them with cotton gloves because the smallest trace of oil will mare the finished blue. What I do is place the parts in a crucible carefully filled with natural charcoal, be sure no part touch the sides or another part. Heat to 800F degrees and hold for two hours. Turn off the furnace and allow to cool to room temperature before removing. Carefully take the parts out of the charcoal and coat inside and out with machine oil. Allow them to set for two days then gently wipe of excess oil. Here’s an example.
IMG_0400 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

That sure did turn out pretty.

 

[CzarJL]

If its the Traditions Blunderbuss (like this)

I am on the same path as you just a few steps ahead, so my thinking is:
#1: I though about doing it in Plum Brown as I like my Kentucky Rifle turned out, but I'm being lazy and going to try cold blue (Perma Blue). If it doesn't work out, I will strip it and try something else. I do plan to blue the inside the muzzle as its over 2" wide on a .54 cal smoothbore.

#2: I have some Tru Oil, so after a medium to dark stain, that's the path I'm taking but I don't see why boiled linseed oil and wax would not work.
#3: A small file and an assortment of sand paper with different shaped backers (paint sticks and dowels) to match contours is what I am using. Make sure to take the time to go though the grits and remove the previous grits scratches.

Happy building

 

[Celt5494]

If its the Traditions Blunderbuss (like this)
View attachment 283891

I am on the same path as you just a few steps ahead, so my thinking is:
#1: I though about doing it in Plum Brown as I like my Kentucky Rifle turned out, but I being lazy and going to try cold blue (Perma Blue). If it doesn't work out, I will strip it and try something else. I do plan to blue the inside the muzzle as its over 2" wide on a .54 cal smoothbore.
View attachment 283908
#2: I have some Tru Oil, so after a medium to dark stain, that's the path I'm taking but I don't see why boiled linseed oil and wax would not work.
#3: A small file and an assortment of sand paper with different shaped backers (pain sticks and dowels) to match contours is what I am using. Make sure to take the time to go though the grits and remove the previous grits scratches.

Happy building

That is the same kit my amazing son got me. Thanks for posting all of this. Please keep your progress updated here if you would. I'd love to see how everything turns out and how you accomplished it.

Regards


Edit: "but I being lazy" -------- Love it

 

[Sam squanch]

If it were mine, I’d PAINT it! Many trade guns and sea going guns were painted, sometimes in red or blue. Something different.

 

[Celt5494]

If it were mine, I’d PAINT it! Many trade guns and sea going guns were painted, sometimes in red or blue. Something different.

Thanks for the post and while I do agree that there is some historical value to it I just don't care for the look of a painted stock.

 

[Sam squanch]

You could paint a Burl pattern on the stock, then oil finish for an interesting look. Or fake the striped maple look with ink stripes, like the old leman trade rifles.

 

[Celt5494]

You could paint a Burl pattern on the stock, then oil finish for an interesting look. Or fake the striped maple look with ink stripes, like the old leman trade rifles.

While I appreciate the ideas I'm going to stick with a natural stain rather than painting anything. I much prefer that look to other methods.

 

[Rob M.]

The old saying for using linseed oil....rub it in every day for a week, every week for a month, then monthly for a year, then renew yearly. As I recall.

LOL .... Good post !

 

[Daveboone]

LOL .... Good post !

I have also read several times...dont remember where, that stocks would be placed in a tub of heated linseed oil for a couple weeks....I think it was for Brown Bess stocks, but I have also heard that they used a mixture.