Bess Finish

[Hawken12]

Hi Y'all
Stripped finish off my new bess,,I'm lookin to darken the stock,I'm thinkin its walnut,I noticed a blond streak on rite side,lookin to even things up.My question is whats best stain for it ,lookin for dark brown.Thanx
Not dun yit,when I got her all nekked ,an saw what her butt looked like,not like that hasn't happened before,but as ya kin see in the picther ,its a new one on me.I'm thinkin this is a stress point ,my shoulder says it is,anybody gotta solution,(my first thot is ta make up a big gob of epoxy,with saran wrap on the brass buttplate and give her a big squeeze.Worked before,well not the epoxy,Don't like bein stuck to one gal,yer thots appreciated.

 

[Many Klatch]

If it's walnut, it'll probably darken enough with an oil stain that you won't have to use a stain.

I have never seen anything like that butt plate extension. As thick as a Bess butt plate is, I don't think that you are going to break it. I'd probably just put it back together and shoot it.

Many Klatch

 

[Hawken12]

this bess'es buttplate is hollowed up to that piece of dowelling,til about halfways down the plate.Just thinkin that dowel's gotta be takin a lotta stress with no wood surrounding it to help with absorbing the shock of recoil.

 

[Parzifal]

Looks like fun to me!
I have used the minwax special walnut, with really beautiful results,
1 or 2 light coats, then really work into it a mix of raw linseed oil and mineral spirits mixed together, It works really great just take the time and she'll be a beauty!

After that every now and then when I clean them all up a give em another light wipe down with the linseed oil and mineral spirit mixture,

Keeps the musket happy!

That piece under the but plate is new to me...Never saw that before..? Maybe you could put a shim of sorts right below it ??

I love a nekked dame!!


Cheers

Rob :hatsoff:

 

[Hawken12]

thanx for yer reply battle,how dark does that stain git.as in more coats darker,some stains only go so far,this could solve the blond streak,problem tho,yup thats a new one on me,the butt looks like ya could put a tradegun butt on there,with little or no modification.When I took the screw out and saw wood rite up against the buttplate,I was happy,til I lifted her off.

 

[Parzifal]

I gets dark , but it also pulls the figure right out of the wood making it awesome, I find the stain doesnt really --POP-- until after the raw linseed oil and mineral spirit mixture is worked into it....That minwax special walnut stain is really a good product I do think you could darken the white bit just by doing more coats on that spot....After it soaks in the wood for a few months and with use, it seems to develop the woods natural figure.

Or
Go over the whole musket with a good coat of minwax ebony "black" let it dry for 2 days then sand it all down and then use 1 coat of the special walnut..that would give it a more weathered look..But may conceal more of the figure in the wood..

I bet if you just went with the special walnut and oil finish she will shine , and the lighter spot will only be a distinctive aspect to add to your muskets beauty.

Cheers.

Rob

 

[Mike Brooks]

That dowel is a fix for a stripped screw. I'd hit that stock with some Birchwood & Casey Walnut stain.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would go with something like the Birchwood Casey stock stain as well. Minwax stains always look like Minwax stains to me.

 

[Hawken12]

Hi Mike,Both screws are the same,look to be the original,I've never had a bess apart before,how did they finish the originals off,If ya notice this one is pretty much a strait cut,could be a buttstock off a trade gun..What would you suggest,it does feel solid its pinned on the top plus the 2 screws,good fit to the wood ,cept what ya see

 

[Elnathan]

hawken12,
Here is an idea. A lot of original swaged buttplates has lead filling in the heel for reinforcement, I believe. You might try putting some flux in the heel and pouring some lead in there. The dowel could be easily trimmed off. You would have to plug the screw hole in the buttplate and redrill the hole afterwards, however.

How long is the screw? Is it long enough to go into the stock proper? , if not, then instead of using lead you might try mixing some woodglue up with sawdust and placing it around the dowel as reinforcement. Actually, I think that would be my first choice of fix...

Having said all that, if the heel of the buttplate is 1/16" or thicker and it fits the sides well enough that the weight taken off the dowel, then I wouldn't worry too much. As long as it doesn't wiggle around in the inlet, I don't think the dowel will break from side pressure, and if they weight of the gun does not rest upon the dowel when the gun is placed on the ground upright, I doubt there will ever be a problem.

 

[Hawken12]

Thanx Elnathan,I like the woodglue an sawdust idea.just to beef up around the dowel,the screws are only about 1 inch long,and plate does fit tite to the wood and pinned at the top.lead adds weight an this ol girl weighs enuff now.the barrel is .225 thick,more like a pipe than a barrel.