Building a pistol kit

macr0w · Apr 27, 2021

It's not perfect but I'm pretty happy with it.

dave_person · Apr 27, 2021

Hi Macrow,
Nice job. The dull finish and American walnut color do not look right historically but as long as you don't try to pass it off as a French cavalry pistol, who cares.

dave

JohnnieT · Apr 27, 2021

I think it’s a lovely gun. And if that’s not perfect, it’s certainly very close! Great work. And thanks for the inspiration when it comes time to build my own.

macr0w · Apr 27, 2021

dave_person said:
Hi Macrow,
Nice job. The dull finish and American walnut color do not look right historically but as long as you don't try to pass it off as a French cavalry pistol, who cares.

dave

Yeah, this is just tung oil. I was thinking about working on it some more after looking at it for a few days.

dave_person · Apr 27, 2021

macr0w said:
Yeah, this is just tung oil. I was thinking about working on it some more after looking at it for a few days.

Hi Macrow,
Mix a little polyurethane or spar varnish in with the tung oil. Then wipe it on with a rag, let sit for 10 minutes and then wipe off all the excess. Let dry overnight and repeat until you have a bit of gloss on the wood. It won't take long if you have some warm days. The result will be an attractive and authentic look. The other thing you can do that will make a big difference is add some pure yellow dye to the oil varnish mix. Behlens and others sell oil soluble dyes. That color will warm the cold purple brown of black walnut making it look much more like the French walnut these pistols were made from. This pistol is the same American black walnut but treated with yellow dye and finished with polymerized tung oil (not raw oil). It has the correct historical finish and color.

dave

macr0w · Apr 27, 2021

Good tips.
Thanks.
I read your other posts about finish. Very nicely done.
At first I thought I would be happy with just oil but as it turns out I am not.
Stay tuned and we'll see what I can do with it.

Celticstoneman · Apr 27, 2021

macr0w said:
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What a nice looking weapon! I'm jealous!

SOLANCO · Apr 28, 2021

Commodore Swab said:
Next time forget the wax and use one of those cheap plastic grocery bags

Smart! Except for sharp edges plastic wrap would do it.

Allenby · Apr 28, 2021

Great looking pistol; thanks for sharing the photos. Many happy days with it.

Commodore Swab · Apr 29, 2021

If you flip your flint over it will be more reliable.

macr0w · Apr 29, 2021

Really?
I'll give it a shot.

macr0w · Apr 29, 2021

dave_person said:
Hi Macrow,
Mix a little polyurethane or spar varnish in with the tung oil. Then wipe it on with a rag, let sit for 10 minutes and then wipe off all the excess. Let dry overnight and repeat until you have a bit of gloss on the wood. It won't take long if you have some warm days. The result will be an attractive and authentic look. The other thing you can do that will make a big difference is add some pure yellow dye to the oil varnish mix. Behlens and others sell oil soluble dyes. That color will warm the cold purple brown of black walnut making it look much more like the French walnut these pistols were made from. This pistol is the same American black walnut but treated with yellow dye and finished with polymerized tung oil (not raw oil). It has the correct historical finish and color.

dave

Hey Dave, let me ask you about the yellow dye.
Would Rit dye work? I have used it in the past to dye wood directly but never mixed into the finish.
Also, if this stock already has oil in it would the yellow be able to get past the surface?
And finally if I'm mixing up a few ounces of finish for this stock how much yellow should I add to it?
There is a woodcraft right down the road. I bet they might have an oil soluble dye.
Anyway, thanks for the suggestions and stay tuned.

dave_person · Apr 29, 2021

Hi,
I have oil soluble yellow aniline dye by J. C. Moser. I think I got it from Woodworker's Supply Company but Woodcraft ought to have something similar. I think Behlen makes a version too. It only requires about 1/8 teaspoon to color a quantity of finish you might need to complete your pistol. Depending on how filled your grain is at the moment, the dye should penetrate enough to color the wood although not to the extent it would before the tung oil. I suggest testing a spot inside the barrel channel or under the butt cap to see how it looks. You can also keep applying finish tinted with the color and that will also warm up the walnut. The pistols below were stocked in American black walnut, stained with yellow dye, and then the polymerized tung oil finish was tinted with a little red dye. See how warm the color is. These are civilian not military pistols so they would normally have a finer finish.

dave

macr0w · Apr 29, 2021

Thanks for the advice.
I'm going to lightly sand this thing back a bit before I begin.
Off to woodcraft.

macr0w · May 18, 2021

Hey guys, This is probably my last post in this thread. I have finally finished this pistol for good.
I'm happy with it. It ain't perfect but it looks good enough for me and it makes smoke so...
I'm adding a few updated pics of where it stands right now and where it should be for the foreseeable future.