To clean or not?

[andy52]

I just started the second original gun I bought Saturday at the auction. It's full stock with a boatload of inlays.
None of the inlays are engraved but they are so dark with patina they are almost obscured in the wood, the trigger guard is so dark it almost looks like browned steel. So what is the consensus on polishing the brass on an old gun like this?

 

[ord sgt]

I let any brass age. Honest patina, IMHO, adds to the beauty of the firearm. But that's me. Your mileage may vary. Some people like shiny brass, some don't (me). I would leave the brass as is.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Leave it alone!! Took a lot of years to get that patina.

 

[Zapadach]

If it was an old motorcycle with that patina Jay Leno would make you an offer. If you cleaned it up he wouldn't.

 

[Kansas Jake]

What a beauty. Leave the finish alone.

 

[Lonewalker]

Folks pay good money for a product to reproduce that patina, I'd sure leave it. BUT that said your gun, enjoy it as you see fit

 

[Phil Coffins]

Wipe with a rag. That brass is fine as an old antique rifle should be. You are the current guardian of it, please think long and hard before removing the patina.

 

[andy52]

What a beauty. Leave the finish alone.

I will have to clean the wood somewhat it has a small crack in the forearm that will need to be cleaned before gluing.
The barrel is a .45 smoothbore and I have no need for a .45 smoothy so I may send the barrel to Bobby Hoyt and have it rebored to a .50 rifle. I don't buy wall hangers I will shoot this one.

 

[andy52]

Wipe with a rag. That brass is fine as an old antique rifle should be. You are the current guardian of it, please think long and hard before removing the patina.

Thank you, I am thinking about it if I weren't the brass would already be polished and I wouldn't have asked the question...

 

[tenngun]

Try that .45 smoothbore before you change. While not rifle accurate you can get a Bambi dropper at fifty yards and put a Rocky or two and Buggs too in your pantry.
I like tarnished brass, I think brass on originals was kept shiny.
I think value would be effected if you shined the brass so I would leave it, but not let it get more.
If you change the barrel I would polish the brasssince you devalued the gun anyway

 

[andy52]

Try that .45 smoothbore before you change. While not rifle accurate you can get a Bambi dropper at fifty yards and put a Rocky or two and Buggs too in your pantry.
I like tarnished brass, I think brass on originals was kept shiny.
I think value would be effected if you shined the brass so I would leave it, but not let it get more.
If you change the barrel I would polish the brasssince you devalued the gun anyway

I probably will shoot the gun as a smoothbore just to see what it does before I decide. I'm not sure having the gun rebored would devalue it., how would anyone know it wasn't a .50 cal from the start. The barrel isn't mark with anything.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Nooooooooooo......looks great as is!

 

[Longone]

That looks like leverite.
Leverite alone.
My 2cents

 

[2 shots]

want a like new gun , than buy a new gun. cleaning an antique gun is like cleaning an old coin. many have been ruined and devalued. leave em be. when your 90 do you want someone to try too make you look 20?

 

[Brokennock]

OMG!!! That is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I love when brass mellows like that. I see a big difference between darkening like can be done with chemicals or other means, dulling the shine with abrasives, and that beautiful nonreflective mellow tone of the brass on this gun. How it blends with the wood, to me, is incredible, like they've grown together after long partnership.

Obviously the choice is yours.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[appalichian hunter]

If mine I would leave it as is, old rifles are like old dogs just get better with age.

 

[Grenadier1758]

That old smoothbore is beautiful just as it is. Restoration by fixing the crack is a good idea. Shining the brass is a bad idea.

 

[andy52]

Thanks, guys I'm convinced to leave the brass as is.

How it blends with the wood, to me, is incredible, like they've grown together after long partnership.

This is about the truest statement so far it took about 170 years for it to look this way so I'll leave it that way.

 

[andy52]

That old smoothbore is beautiful just as it is. Restoration by fixing the crack is a good idea. Shining the brass is a bad idea.

The crack will be a pretty simple fix it's really not that bis but if not fixed it will catch on something eventually and break off.

 

[Art Caputo]

I would leave it be. Personal preference, but the natural aging adds character to the rifle.
My early Lancaster..