Worked-over Bess

[colmoultrie]

In an earlier thread this spring, I posted photos of my Dixie Bess. I've worked on the lock a bit, thinned down the forend, and added sling swivels. I also attempted a bit of a darker finish, using in part flat black spray paint, as Mike Brooks mentions in his gun-building tutorial.

Now I just had three days between getting back from a week in Europe and going to Whispering Pines (yes, life is hard :grin: ), so I just used the stain on hand - good ol' Minwax walnut and Minwax ebony stain. I'd like something better for the "Japanese mystery wood" - any suggestions?

I can always steel-wool it down again, and I have to take the wood on either side of the bbl. channel down even further, although it's a LOT better than it originally was.
For contrast, here's the original...

and now, after a bit of work (and help!)...

Mike, I had a question: You say you spray the entire gun black and then use steel wool to take 90% of it off. Do you do this with the lock, barrel and furniture in place, or just the stock?

 

[Shine]

Thats japanese cherry. Try fiebings leather dye dark brown its working great for me

 

[gizamo]

That appears to be a Miroku Bess. Great gun...

I refinished mine by simply sanding it out with 600 wet sandpaper, adding some color to the Tru Oil and then buffing with 0000 steel wool between coats. I never broke thru the 40 year patina of the Japan cherry that these guns were made from. They are pretty stunning...

To age this abit, I've had luck using patches full of fouling, ~ wiping down the stock and then blending. Another coat of TruOil seems to lock this in place..

 

[colmoultrie]

Hmmm, it's funny; I posted a question in the gunbuilder's forum a month ago asking about the type of wood on these Besses, and the best answer I got was Japanese Mystery Wood. Now within a few hours I get two responses telling me Japanese Cherry, which makes sense. It does appear to be a soft, but dense wood with a very closed grain that buffs into a "finish" without the usual linseed oil/resin necessary. I'll have to try the feibing's and/or the fouling trick, perhaps mixed with some linseed oil.

 

[gizamo]

The trigger bow is the dead giveaway to a Japanese Bess. The fact that it was not bored for the sling swivels was another clue. Shine and I are both from Maine.

We Mainers know a thing or two about trees... :rotf:

Anyhow, nice Bess... Mine was hung on a wall in a smokers house for decades, doubt it ever got dusted. I spent a bit of time cleaning it up...

That cherry was to die for, when it was refinished......

 

[Shine]

Its also the same wood that the Dixie mountain rifles were made from. Both were made at miroku factory. Fiebings will give you a nice dark brown finish with a reddish tint to it. It really comes out nice ive done a tulle,a transitional long rifle and a french double shotgun with it. Hey giz I found a rifle I swapped with my brother.

 

[colmoultrie]

I wasn't trying to post a "mystery" gun. I said in my previous threads that it was a Miroku. Thanks for the tips on refinishing.

Shine, I think I will get some Fiebing's and try that. I take it - "a little bit goes a long way"? The combination of dark brown with a reddish undertone is, I think, exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[Shine]

yes a little goes a long way and wear rubber gloves the stuff will not come off your hands.

 

[gizamo]

Shine,

Don't tell me you got the Jaegar back! If so, we'll have to do the woodswalk together with em'... :grin:

 

[colmoultrie]

Well, I finally got some Fiebing's dark brown and tried it tonight. Thanks for the tip!

(forgot the part about rubber gloves, so my hands are now yellow-brown :shake: )

I think it came out very well indeed!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Looks better!

 

[rkmeyer]

Nice job, it looks much better. :hatsoff: In about two weeks your hands will almost back to normal! :haha:
Dusty :wink:

 

[Trench]

That refinish looks great!

 

[colmoultrie]

Thanks guys!

Trench, I know I'm changing the subject, but that avatar has evolved nicely! I now expect the full portrait to feature a thick ledger book in the left hand and a flintlock duelling pistol in the right; perhaps a ballot box or a legal portfolio rather than the ledger. You look like a gentleman who has come up in the world and will shoot anyone who is crass enough to remind him of his origins. :thumbsup:

 

[Trench]

Thanks guys!

Trench, I know I'm changing the subject, but that avatar has evolved nicely! I now expect the full portrait to feature a thick ledger book in the left hand and a flintlock duelling pistol in the right; perhaps a ballot box or a legal portfolio rather than the ledger. You look like a gentleman who has come up in the world and will shoot anyone who is crass enough to remind him of his origins. :thumbsup:

I'm flattered you even noticed. It's funny really. It's definitely been an evolution as you put it. I started out with a tri-corner, shirt, trousers, and mocs and I just kept refining and finally ended up here...which feels right. Now, I jut need to get my hands on a high-collared roundjacket or coatee and that should just about do it.