Refinish Bess Q's

[kration]

I have a new MVT Longland Bess and would like to refinish the stock and metalwork. Does anyone have suggestions as to type stain and final finish such as oil? Out of the box the Bess is highly polished to the point of almost looking like chrome..
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Kration

 

[Mike Brooks]

Unfortunately in the land of India they like to polish everything with a buffer and buff off all the crisp edges that should be present. I'd draw file out all the steel then give it a good patina. For the wood I'd stain with an alcohol based stain, fairly dark and use Chambers finish.

 

[pichou]

Mike, when did the Brits start using shellac as a finish?

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If you are using the gun for reenacting, redo the steel finish with 400 grit to get the military look.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Mike, when did the Brits start using shellac as a finish?

Beats me, but I would guess fairly early on.

 

[pichou]

Hmmmph! Brooks: downgraded to Demi-God!
:rotf:

The earliest I've noticed it on originals is 1850's-ish, but I have not handled a lot of original 18th c. Brit guns either.

 

[Pork Chop]

Mike, when did the Brits start using shellac as a finish?

I'll take a stab at it. They started using the shellac to finish the stock when they were done shaping and inletting it. :blah:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Hmmmph! Brooks: downgraded to Demi-God!
:rotf:

The earliest I've noticed it on originals is 1850's-ish, but I have not handled a lot of original 18th c. Brit guns either.

I handled a couple rev war era 2nd model guns that had a chippy finish that may have been shellac....could have been some kind of hard varnish too. It may have been put on long after they left the armory too, no way to tell. I don't recall ever reading what the original finish was.

 

[Zonie]

Quoting from the Shellac Export Promotion Counsel's
site while speaking of furniture:

"...The use of the Shellac as a furniture finish never caught on in the west until the early 1800's and it eventually repleased [sic] wax and oil finishes..."

This would indicate that Shellac was not used on guns prior to 1800.

For more information than you ever thought you would ever need follow this link to the rest of the article.
SHELLAC COUNCEL HISTORY OF SHELLAC