Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: Puffer on February 12, 2021, 09:12:41 AM
-
BLUE PAINTED FLINTLOCKS
https://claysmithguns.com/Blue_Trade_Gun.htm
[ Invalid Attachment ]
-
I know lots of trade guns were milk painted in lotsa colors besides blue, too, but .... yuk ... really cheapens the looks to me.
-
Trade Guns were known to be offered in several "painted" variants,.... blue, red, (sometimes with spots, vines, or lightening added), specifically for the eastern Indian Trade. :bl th up
-
I know it's the wrong shade of blue, but wouldn't it look terribly patriotic if the stock were blue, the barrel white and the lock and all the hardware were red? Zowie !!!
I just looked at the link on Puffer's post and I see that you too can own one of these fine blue trade guns for the princely sum of only a modest $2,850.00. I would think shipping and handling is extra. I am also sure you can be the first on your block to own something like this if you act immediately. But wait, there's more. If you act right now, they will also include a genuine English flint, complete with a certificate of authenticity, suitable for framing. Oh, the wonder of it all.
John (Bigsmoke)
-
I know it's the wrong shade of blue, but wouldn't it look terribly patriotic if the stock were blue, the barrel white and the lock and all the hardware were red? Zowie !!!
I just looked at the link on Puffer's post and I see that you too can own one of these fine blue trade guns for the princely sum of only a modest $2,850.00. I would think shipping and handling is extra. I am also sure you can be the first on your block to own something like this if you act immediately. But wait, there's more. If you act right now, they will also include a genuine English flint, complete with a certificate of authenticity, suitable for framing. Oh, the wonder of it all.
John (Bigsmoke)
Paint is expensive. :laffing :bl th up
-
I know it's the wrong shade of blue, but wouldn't it look terribly patriotic
Hey John...it is patriotic...it’s Infantry blue! :yessir:
-
Can you imagine assembling one of these fine weapons then the boss comes up and says " It looks fine, paint it blue." :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: ;banghead; ;banghead; ;banghead; ;banghead;
Thank goodness , they're also offered stained and finished!!
-
:yessir:
-
.
IMO, it's just as bad as a plastic stock..... :Doh!
-
.
IMO, it's just as bad as a plastic stock..... :Doh!
:hairy but ...., better than being painted "PINK". :lol sign :toast
-
During that day, I'll bet the painted trade guns were the cat's meow to both the natives and young colonials, for both aesthetics and rebellion of youth. Add in a brass serpent side plate for instant bling and spiritual karma.
-
IMO, it's just as bad as a plastic stock.....
But it is historical, as from previous centuries. Plastic not so much!
~Kees~
-
.
IMO, it's just as bad as a plastic stock..... :Doh!
:hairy but ...., better than being painted "PINK". :lol sign :toast
How do you know that the pink model isn't for a woman? Kinda like the Smith and Wesson revolvers with that color scheme? I think I remember seeing that somewhere.
-
I know it's the wrong shade of blue, but wouldn't it look terribly patriotic
Hey John...it is patriotic...it’s Infantry blue! :yessir:
Yep, It's gotta be that "Infantry Blue Paint" that's so darn expensive. :bl th up
I've read this story before, right here on this forum, some time back.
And when ya think about it, "The barrels are 20 bore (gauge) and 42" long. Weight is 7½ lbs."..... that gun, with that weight, just might make a nice "Walk about" Riflegun!....after ya painted it black, of course.
Russ...
-
Some of you think it cheapens the look, but painted guns probably held up to handling and weather better. One is also a lot less likely to lose it leaning it against a tree in the woods.
-
Solid blue, red, yellow, etc. - not the best camouflage for game or war.
-
I remember the 1st one I painted. It took courage. That uneasy feeling goes away after a few but comes back quickly when painting one yellow. I painted a few red & blue but only one yellow.
-
Some of you think it cheapens the look, but painted guns probably held up to handling and weather better. One is also a lot less likely to lose it leaning it against a tree in the woods.
True enough but if kinda feels like packin' the fatest, ugliest squaw you can find cause you think no one will try and take her from you. Still functions the same, cook, skin and tan your hides, keep you warm at night. But you still have to wait till the fire has burned out in the teepee before ya can look at her. ;) ::)
-
Solid blue, red, yellow, etc. - not the best camouflage for game or war.
Camouflage was not a concern, for either guns or uniforms.
-
Solid blue, red, yellow, etc. - not the best camouflage for game or war.
Camouflage was not a concern, for either guns or uniforms.
I think the natives would beg to differ a bit, they were masters at the game of hide 'n' seek, much to the distress of the outlandishly robed redcoats. ;D
-
Some of you think it cheapens the look, but painted guns probably held up to handling and weather better. One is also a lot less likely to lose it leaning it against a tree in the woods.
Totally agree that the paint helped the stock against rain & snow...sure didn't do much for the working parts I'm guessing...and then there's the thought that if ya had to paint your gun blue to keep from losing it in the woods...well, ya might just better keep it in your pants...just sayin' :bigsmile:
-
Some of you think it cheapens the look, but painted guns probably held up to handling and weather better. One is also a lot less likely to lose it leaning it against a tree in the woods.
Totally agree that the paint helped the stock against rain & snow...sure didn't do much for the working parts I'm guessing...and then there's the thought that if ya had to paint your gun blue to keep from losing it in the woods...well, ya might just better keep it in your pants...just sayin' :bigsmile:
YOU guys crack me up, which is much enjoyed these days!
-
Solid blue, red, yellow, etc. - not the best camouflage for game or war.
Camouflage was not a concern, for either guns or uniforms.
I think the natives would beg to differ a bit, they were masters at the game of hide 'n' seek, much to the distress of the outlandishly robed redcoats. ;D
Yet those brightly painted stocks appealed to the natives... :o
-
Solid blue, red, yellow, etc. - not the best camouflage for game or war.
Camouflage was not a concern, for either guns or uniforms.
I think the natives would beg to differ a bit, they were masters at the game of hide 'n' seek, much to the distress of the outlandishly robed redcoats. ;D
Yet those brightly painted stocks appealed to the natives... :o
Yeah, the bling did at least a few in, perhaps. ;D
The bottom line is ... it's all aesthetic subjectivity, no more or less. There's form and there's function. No reason a painted pony couldn't be a fine spirited ride.
To each their own. It's all good. :bl th up :*:
-
:applaud :applaud :applaud
-
Certainly not what one usually envisions when talking about flintlocks. While I'd prefer a nice stain on the wood there is something sort of "appealing" about a painted one. Just me, but I dismiss the "ugly" appellation.
-
I saw a couple of these at Colonial Williamsburg years ago. They don't look that bad in person.
I asked the gunsmith about it, he basically said that the traders were just giving the customer what they wanted.
Considering the popularity of glass beads and trade silver I would say that the locals had a thing for bling.
IronHand
-
The only color I've seen in HBC records regarding paint were for Brown. I've never figured out if it was brown paint as we think of it or brown stain. The only hint in that regard were a load guns shipped to York Factory that were returned when the Indians brought them back with broken stocks and the gunsmith determined that the guns broke as result of glue failure in finger joints that connected several lengths of wood together to make the stock. The letter accompanying the returned guns demanded that in the future only guns stocked with a "single" piece of wood would be accepted. I concluded from that the joints were hidden from the inspector prior to shipment by the brown paint.
I also never saw any references to staining or varnishing the stocks. That may be because these tasks were so inherent in completing a gun that it was never mentioned.
Where did you find the Blue painted stock references.
-
https://claysmithguns.com/Blue_Trade_Gun.htm
-
Just my thinking so no historical reference here but the natives worship of all things nature. I can see a stock being blue would be appealing for both the blue sky and turquoise, the mineral used for jewelry making. Yellow might reference the sun or wildflowers. Red- blood (an enemies or food) or sunset or wildflowers.
Not to mention human nature to want something no one else had. The latest fashion as it were.
-
PASS ! :Doh!
-
Same here, Eddie... I Just can't come to terms with that color of stock or any painted stock for any reasoning... They may have had their place back in the day with the Native Americans, but I just can't
warm up to a painted stock of any color.
-
Same here, Eddie... I Just can't come to terms with that color of stock or any painted stock for any reasoning... They may have had their place back in the day with the Native Americans, but I just can't
warm up to a painted stock of any color.
+1 ... it just don't seem natural and covers up purty wood grain, no matter how ugly the wood grain ;D
-
One is also a lot less likely to lose it leaning it against a tree in the woods.
I'll give you that . If it ever comes missing in the woods it's lost though cause I can't see anyone being willing to steal it . :bigsmile: :luff:
-
I know it's the wrong shade of blue, but wouldn't it look terribly patriotic
Hey John...it is patriotic...it’s Infantry blue! :yessir:
Yep, It's gotta be that "Infantry Blue Paint" that's so darn expensive. :bl th up
I've read this story before, right here on this forum, some time back.
And when ya think about it, "The barrels are 20 bore (gauge) and 42" long. Weight is 7½ lbs."..... that gun, with that weight, just might make a nice "Walk about" Riflegun!....after ya painted it black, of course.
Russ...
And rifled it . Hard to be a " Riflegun" with no rifling .
-
"after ya painted it black, of course".
Then it would get banned.
-
While I remain "on the fence" concerning painted guns, I've seen quite a few modern ones sporting color/colors that show up like neon. One would certainly get you much attention at the range or at, heaven forbid, a rendezvous. :lol sign
-
:hairy :hairy :hairy
~Kees~
-
I just bought a Type G trade gun assembled from Clay Smith parts over on the ALR site. It has a beech stock, 47” custom 24 gauge barrel, 13 1/2” length of pull and RE Davis lock. Everything was copied off the original at Colonial Williamsburg. It is a very slender piece and weighs right at 6 pounds.
I have no plans to strip and paint the stock,.....
(https://i.ibb.co/bgqWJg8/186-F842-F-E28-A-4073-83-AA-5702-EA4-A75-C8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kgkH1gW)
(https://i.ibb.co/T4ZcHqT/5-FE01-C27-ADB3-4-B4-D-8-F33-69-A9-CF784991.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bsx1rR3)
(https://i.ibb.co/DLwx7R2/06-F17648-F913-48-AF-A8-B2-239-E9673-A2-AA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1bRD9mW)
(https://i.ibb.co/KyFRgz4/504-E24-DE-C681-422-F-83-BD-6-E907-CA5-F617.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s3yk4Jx)
-
I just bought a Type G trade gun assembled from Clay Smith parts over on the ALR site. It has a beech stock, 47” custom 24 gauge barrel, 13 1/2” length of pull and RE Davis lock. Everything was copied off the original at Colonial Williamsburg. It is a very slender piece and weighs right at 6 pounds.
I have no plans to strip and paint the stock,.....
(https://i.ibb.co/KyFRgz4/504-E24-DE-C681-422-F-83-BD-6-E907-CA5-F617.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s3yk4Jx)
Now that there is one Gorgeous smoothie :hairy
-
Now that there is one Gorgeous smoothie :hairy
Thanks Rob! ;D :shake
-
:hairy Me like...
-
I just bought a Type G trade gun assembled from Clay Smith parts over on the ALR site. It has a beech stock, 47” custom 24 gauge barrel, 13 1/2” length of pull and RE Davis lock. Everything was copied off the original at Colonial Williamsburg. It is a very slender piece and weighs right at 6 pounds.
I have no plans to strip and paint the stock,.....
(https://i.ibb.co/bgqWJg8/186-F842-F-E28-A-4073-83-AA-5702-EA4-A75-C8.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kgkH1gW)
(https://i.ibb.co/T4ZcHqT/5-FE01-C27-ADB3-4-B4-D-8-F33-69-A9-CF784991.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bsx1rR3)
(https://i.ibb.co/DLwx7R2/06-F17648-F913-48-AF-A8-B2-239-E9673-A2-AA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/1bRD9mW)
(https://i.ibb.co/KyFRgz4/504-E24-DE-C681-422-F-83-BD-6-E907-CA5-F617.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s3yk4Jx)
I agree with you Rondo, only a fool would dare paint such a lovely shootin piece.
I love that "slender built" part of your description, makes for and absolutely lovely Walk-About smoothie.
Russ...
-
I'll chip in with my admiration for that gun. Absolutely gorgeous, you did well!
~Kees~
-
I agree with you Rondo, only a fool would dare paint such a lovely shootin piece.
I love that "slender built" part of your description, makes for and absolutely lovely Walk-About smoothie.
Russ...
Thanks Russ :shake,..... honestly, the stock is a bit "light colored" for my tastes, but if I "striped and re-stained" I'd lose the "antiquing" that was done to the stock and I find it rather attractive (at least for now). :) :bl th up
-
As far as build goes , I love both guns shown in this thread . I do not like painted guns regardless of color but especially those in Easter egg colors . I would love to own one like rollingb's fitted with both a smooth and rifled barrel .
-
I second Eddie's opinion, nothing beats a wood grain stock. I also would like to own one of each.
(Disregard the screaming you hear in the background, that's my wallet) :scared: