Nickel Barrels on Pedersoli Flint Howdah

[mckaylodge]

New here. Also got my first Pedersoli -Flintlock Hunter 20ga. Not sure I like the brown barrels. Seems to be a coating. It’s hard to get an accurate electronic gauge thickness measurement but my lowest reading was 0.3 mil and most were over 1.0 mil. May be a fired ceramic. I’m toying with the idea of stripping it off with my vapor hone, polishing, and nickel plating (electroless). I get a lot of vintage motorcycle parts nickel re-plated (top-notch show plater near me) and Iove the look of nickel. What do you think of that?

 

[1950DAVE]

Honest opinion. I wouldn't like it. Would a pig look better with lipstick. All due respects it is yours do as you please. Resale will dismiss though. Why not blue it if you don't like brown. Motorcycles look good with glitz and glimmer, but nickel on a Blackpowder firearm, I don't know. Just my opinion. You asked.
And welcome to the forum I am sure you will get more replies to your question.
Dave

 

[TFoley]

I Iove the look of nickel. What do you think of that?

Not a lot.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Make me number 3 on brown or blue but not nickel. Sorry but again you did ask. Your gun. Good luck.

Dave

 

[SDSmlf]

Welcome to the forum from North Carolina.

What do you think of that?

Nickel/chrome looks good on modern military guns used in parades........ but even with those it kills the value. But I agree with your opinion on the brown Cerakote ceramic finish Pedersoli uses on some of their guns. Just don’t care for it, but at least it is sort of the right color. I wouldn’t do the nickel finish, but it is your gun and it can be stripped off in the future if you change your mind or want to sell it.

 

[Blitz]

Honest opinion. I wouldn't like it. Would a pig look better with lipstick. All due respects it is yours do as you please. Resale will dismiss though. Why not blue it if you don't like brown. Motorcycles look good with glitz and glimmer, but nickel on a Blackpowder firearm, I don't know. Just my opinion. You asked.
And welcome to the forum I am sure you will get more replies to your question.
Dave

Welcome to the forum from North Carolina.

Nickel/chrome looks good on modern military guns used in parades........ but even with those it kills the value. But I agree with your opinion on the brown Cerakote ceramic finish Pedersoli uses on some of their guns. Just don’t care for it, but at least it is sort of the right color. I wouldn’t do the nickel finish, but it is your gun and it can be stripped off in the future if you change your mind or want to sell it.

Ruger and others made and make SS models and many folks think they look fine.
I do. Ruger Old Army SS love it.

Buzz

 

[TFoley]

That's because, back in the day, there were certainly a number of revolvers with nickel finishes - I have three unmentionables with that finish. But to my knowledge there were no nickel finished arms like yours. Perhaps you are trying to start a new trend? Maybe you should ask why the factory don't make one like that.

Especially a flintlock...

 

[Musketeer]

Welcome aboard. There's certainly no functional reason why nickel plating wouldn't work, though it may not be an historical finish for such a gun. If you love a nickel finish, then go for it (so long as you take into account the potential effect on resale value if you ever decide to part with it).

 

[Carbon 6]

What do you think of that?

As you said yourself, " I get a lot of vintage motorcycle parts nickel re-plated "
Nickel plating is pretty but not durable. It won't hold up to the rigors of black powder shooting.
It's hard to beat the traditional methods that have been around for hundreds of years.

That's what I think.

 

[mckaylodge]

Thank you all. Swayed me against nickel. I can see it would be gaudy for a utility firearm type as this, lacking as it does other refinements such as bright brass, silver and a lot of engraving of a “gentleman’s” gun. Now my thinking is to strip off the unhistorical ceramic coating and see how oiled bare steel holds up - as was very common in the 17th c. and some in the 18th c. (especially military firearms) to get color contrast against the walnut. I can then go to blueing if necessary which still gives contrast much better than brown color against brown walnut and I like that look in earlier Howdah reproductions. Purely a matter of making the already impressive firearm more outstanding. Thanks again.

 

[toot]

you might go all the way and install PEARL GRIPS ON IT!

 

[mckaylodge]

I know you're joking but THAT did cross my mind, or imitation ivory inlays, haha. Like a dog that messes up his bed before it lays down, it ain’t mine till I’ve messed with it. And I considered removing that plastic looking satin coating off the walnut and oiling the wood to a nice patina that improves year-after-year using Waylon Bay True-Coat or just boiled linseed oil (Swedish Allback brand only). Pedersoli’s Alaskan Howdah open breach has silver colored barrels that look great against the wood (but are hard chromed).
Thanks.

 

[nkbj]

Nickel plate was used to resist black powder induced corrosion.
When was it first used? I don't know when from a historical correctness point of view.
I don't like the look (my personal preference) but that's not your concern.
Passing thought, maybe consult with the personnel about weakening the joints between the barrels?

Pearl handles... nah. Carved sandalwood tiger motif grips inlaid with ebony stripes!

 

[Carbon 6]

Nickel plate was used to resist black powder induced corrosion.

It never took hold for some reason. Hmm.
l also I think it was primarily use for salt water corrosion in the Navy.

But I might be wrong.

Passing thought, maybe consult with the personnel about weakening the joints between the barrels?

Good point, I didn't think about that.

 

[Bad Karma]

New here. Also got my first Pedersoli -Flintlock Hunter 20ga. Not sure I like the brown barrels. Seems to be a coating. It’s hard to get an accurate electronic gauge thickness measurement but my lowest reading was 0.3 mil and most were over 1.0 mil. May be a fired ceramic. I’m toying with the idea of stripping it off with my vapor hone, polishing, and nickel plating (electroless). I get a lot of vintage motorcycle parts nickel re-plated (top-notch show plater near me) and Iove the look of nickel. What do you think of that?

Not my cuppa... I would probably strip the brown metal and the stock finish as well and replace both with an oiled stock and blue barrels.

 

[Musketeer]

Nickel electroplating goes back to 1805, but when it first found its way onto guns I have no idea. There are nickel plated handguns dating from the latter half of the 19th century, but beyond that...

 

[mckaylodge]

My Pedersoli 20ga Howdah has now been completely disassembled for finishing. It’s a production item, great CNC work but just cost-conscience production finishing that needs added owner, personal loving attentions.

The barrel is now glistening polished steel that can catch a glint of the sun while still showing a bit gray as if a blueing wore away over time and through lots of handling. Nice old, authentic look. Achieved by over an hour of vigorous work against that nasty uniform brown (ceramic?) using gray Scotch-Brite followed by polishing up with successive grades of steel wool. It will need to be kept oiled.

BTW the front sight bead was easily screwed out with a detached Dremel chuck. I didn’t have the correct tool. No thread lock. Was surprisingly loose.

Lock plates and other steel got some artificial wear at edges with steel wool.

The walnut stock was stripped of that nasty modern satin polymer finish with Dad’s paint stripper. Toweled off promptly and wiped down (no water used) and after solvent loss, the wood was gone over with steel wool.

Hmm, tempting time for faux ivory inlays.

Tomorrow the walnut will be given some artificial age and darkening using potassium permanganate (see my post in the gun builders forum I think) to look authentic old and contrast with the now bright barrel. Then comes all the periodic oiling to deepen that wood like a plastic coating can’t.

This Howdah is my first purchase of a commercial reproduction (previously bought others used firearms) and I take it the manufacturer can only go so far and you take it from there.

Pix later maybe.

 

[Carbon 6]

I hope you post some pictures when you're done.

 

[Bad Karma]

My Pedersoli 20ga Howdah has now been completely disassembled for finishing. It’s a production item, great CNC work but just cost-conscience production finishing that needs added owner, personal loving attentions.

The barrel is now glistening polished steel that can catch a glint of the sun while still showing a bit gray as if a blueing wore away over time and through lots of handling. Nice old, authentic look. Achieved by over an hour of vigorous work against that nasty uniform brown (ceramic?) using gray Scotch-Brite followed by polishing up with successive grades of steel wool. It will need to be kept oiled.

BTW the front sight bead was easily screwed out with a detached Dremel chuck. I didn’t have the correct tool. No thread lock. Was surprisingly loose.

Lock plates and other steel got some artificial wear at edges with steel wool.

The walnut stock was stripped of that nasty modern satin polymer finish with Dad’s paint stripper. Toweled off promptly and wiped down (no water used) and after solvent loss, the wood was gone over with steel wool.

Hmm, tempting time for faux ivory inlays.

Tomorrow the walnut will be given some artificial age and darkening using potassium permanganate (see my post in the gun builders forum I think) to look authentic old and contrast with the now bright barrel. Then comes all the periodic oiling to deepen that wood like a plastic coating can’t.

This Howdah is my first purchase of a commercial reproduction (previously bought others used firearms) and I take it the manufacturer can only go so far and you take it from there.

Pix later maybe.

Oh yeah! That sounds great

 

[mckaylodge]

Will post pix when done. Need to let the potassium permanganate dry a couple days then let the initial penetration of linseed oil into the walnut cure for a couple weeks, then another application, and about a week after that reassembly. Don’t want to get any non-drying corrosion protection oils put on the steel into the wood before a thorough penetration of the wood with the drying linseed oil. Repeated future treatments of the wood with linseed oil should be done with steel off. Don’t want that oil on the steel. I use Allback pure boiled linseed oil from Sweden imported and sold by Viking Sales in NY. For storage corrosion protection I keep steel coated lightly with Ship-2-Shore PLID. Just a very thin amount is enough as it’s an effective dielectric. I work professionally in corrosion control so I know the most effective coatings. But that’s another story. Gun oil, Firearms and Fishing Reel | Ship-2-Shore