Now What?

[1Poet]

I got my new Tip Curtis smoothbore today and happier than I've been about a gun of any type for years :happy  It's a Lancaster .54 smoothbore with a 42" swamped barrel in a beutiful piece of maple!  I've been seeing pics of and reading about a Tip Curtis gun until I just couldn't stand it any more  So I finaggled and cannived and came up with the money and here it are.

Now, I need some direction from you experienced flinters on the best forum around.  The barrel and all metal parts are in the bright.  What do I need to do immediately for taking care of the metal parts?  I plan to run a patch or two down the barrel with olive oil or such and a dry one so's not to leave it too wet, but what about the barrel and lock for now?  Then, long term, what should I do for the entire gun, brown the barrel, lock, lockplate and trigger guard?  Or do I coat the rig in Rennasaince Wax?  What?  Please help point me in the right direction!

Finally, if I brown the barrel, do I just carefully remove the pins with an appropriate size punch after removing the lock and tang screw?  I am lost on this and want to do it right, one time only.  Too purty a gun to screw up with ignorance.

Thanks in advance for your advise and all the gread folks on TMA forums!

[Stormrider51]

You are going to get a ton of advice, some of it contradictory.  The first thing you have to do is decide on how you want the gun to look.  All traditional finishes are some form of rust.  A thin coat of rust on the metal absorbs oil and the oil prevents more rust.  So you can go with one of the several rust browning or bluing processes.  Old time gunsmiths sometimes used urine but we have better options today.  Or you can leave the metal in the white and wipe a light coat of oil over it.  Over time it will rust in patches and form a "patina" because there's nothing to hold the oil in place and it will get rubbed away exposing the metal to moisture and air.  Here's what I do and it is strictly a personal choice.

I brown the barrel to keep down light reflection and leave all other steel parts alone to age as they will.  I do wipe them down with an oily rag.  I break with tradition when it comes to oil.  I use a product called simply "Gun Cleaner with High Grade Lubricant" by Max Professional.  It's like Break Free CLP but a lot cheaper to buy.  I clean the bore with hot soapy water and follow with dry patches and then the Cleaner.  I've never had a bore rust.  The lock gets the same hot water cleaning (I use a toothbrush) and oiling.  Never had a problem with a lock rusting either.  I do suggest that whatever you choose to do you remove the barrel at least once.  Apply furniture wax to the wooden barrel channel and all parts of the barrel that are normally covered with wood.  I've seen far too many guns with hidden rust on the barrel areas covered by the stock.  The furniture wax forms a great barrier that is harder to rub off.

John

[1Poet]

Thanks, John!  Good advise.  I have heard that some folks used pure beeswax on the barrel channel and under portion of barrel, but haven't heard anyone here suggest it.  Sounds good, though. Is cold brown from LMF a good choice?  Thanks again, Lloyd

[Stormrider51]

The LMF solution is what I use.  Take note of the warning about using too much.  We are creating rust.  Too much solution left too long will result in pitting.  Maybe we can call the pitting "ageing" but I prefer to be on the ball and get an even finish.     Also, be sure to plug the barrel to prevent the solution from getting into the bore.  We want rust on the outside, not the inside.  This stuff is great at creating rust.  I'll also point out that the difference between rust brown and rust blue is a single step.  Soak the rusted barrel in boiling water and the result is a blue/black instead of brown.  Be sure to use distilled water though or the result may surprise you.

John