Flintlock Pistols With Rare Safety Frizzens, c1740

Pukka Bundook · 7th April 2016, 02:55 PM

Very nice pistols Dana.

Beautiful and elegant, and I am pretty sure Lewis Barbar, as the "dot" abobe the initials would be a star for James. The L is likely just poorly struck.

Sideplates of this type are beyond all the others in my opinion!

For cleaning the metal;
There is a substance called Circa 1850 furniture stripper.
(Please bear with me!.........furniture stripper sounds horrific I know!)

If a little is dabbed on the Metal, not the wood, it will lift the dried oil more or less straight away.
It does not touch patina, bluing or browning, and does not require rinsing or anything afterwards.
Even on wood it will not hurt it, but will possibly remove old wax finish and you will not likely want to do that.
I'd suggest trying a spot or two in more hidden areas, and see what you think.
Again, beautiful pistols, as nice as they come.
Attached is a picture of Lewis Barbar's mark, and am sure this is the same mark on your pistols.

Thank you for showing them here Dana.

Richard.

dana_w · 7th April 2016, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

There is a substance called Circa 1850 furniture stripper.
(Please bear with me!.........furniture stripper sounds horrific I know!)

If a little is dabbed on the Metal, not the wood, it will lift the dried oil more or less straight away.

Thanks Richard (AKA Pukka Bundook), I'll give that a look. Here is a link to the product. It looks like they may carry it at Home Depot.

http://www.swingpaints.com/product/1800

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

I am pretty sure Lewis Barbar, as the "dot" abobe the initials would be a star for James.

Trust me on this Richard, it is a Star over "IB". When I have a chance I'll upload a closeup.

Pukka Bundook · 7th April 2016, 03:08 PM

Dana,

I am sure you know what you are about.
In your photos, I mistook the star for a dot. Please pardon my presumption that it Was a dot!

Richard.

corrado26 · 8th April 2016, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Trust me on this Richard, it is a Star over "IB".

Sorry, but I read "LB" = Lewis Barbar
corrado26

dana_w · 8th April 2016, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corrado26

Sorry, but I read "LB" = Lewis Barbar
corrado26

I wish it was corrado26, but it is not.

Maybe you are looking at Pukka Bundook's photo which is Lewis Barbar.

dana_w · 8th April 2016, 08:48 PM

The hard thick brown substance proved very difficult to remove, until my friend Bob Calder recommended a product used to remove linseed oil from old paintings. That product's active ingredient was ammonia, and ammonia proved to be the answer to my dilemma. A day and several hundred q-tips later the first of the two pistols is ready to be rephotographed.

All photos are copyright (c) 2016 Dana K. Williams. All rights are reserved.

fernando · 8th April 2016, 09:31 PM

Great, Dana!
Congratulations

.

JamesKelly · 20th April 2016, 04:56 PM

And just why did you remove this old, probably original, finish from your pistols?

As an accumulator (if not collector) of old guns I am very, very pleased when i can get one which has not been "improved" by some other collector/dealer/whatever

I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright, but in the USA some of us view it as heresy.

7th April 2016, 02:55 PM	#1
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Very nice pistols Dana. Beautiful and elegant, and I am pretty sure Lewis Barbar, as the "dot" abobe the initials would be a star for James. The L is likely just poorly struck. Sideplates of this type are beyond all the others in my opinion! For cleaning the metal; There is a substance called Circa 1850 furniture stripper. (Please bear with me!.........furniture stripper sounds horrific I know!) If a little is dabbed on the Metal, not the wood, it will lift the dried oil more or less straight away. It does not touch patina, bluing or browning, and does not require rinsing or anything afterwards. Even on wood it will not hurt it, but will possibly remove old wax finish and you will not likely want to do that. I'd suggest trying a spot or two in more hidden areas, and see what you think. Again, beautiful pistols, as nice as they come. Attached is a picture of Lewis Barbar's mark, and am sure this is the same mark on your pistols. Thank you for showing them here Dana. Richard. Attached Images

8th April 2016, 08:48 PM	#6
dana_w Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Southeast Florida, USA Posts: 437	The hard thick brown substance proved very difficult to remove, until my friend Bob Calder recommended a product used to remove linseed oil from old paintings. That product's active ingredient was ammonia, and ammonia proved to be the answer to my dilemma. A day and several hundred q-tips later the first of the two pistols is ready to be rephotographed. All photos are copyright (c) 2016 Dana K. Williams. All rights are reserved. Attached Images

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7th April 2016, 03:08 PM	#3
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Dana, I am sure you know what you are about. In your photos, I mistook the star for a dot. Please pardon my presumption that it Was a dot! Richard.

8th April 2016, 09:31 PM	#7
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Great, Dana! Congratulations .

20th April 2016, 04:56 PM	#8
JamesKelly Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Michigan, U.S.A. Posts: 108	And just why did you remove this old, probably original, finish from your pistols? As an accumulator (if not collector) of old guns I am very, very pleased when i can get one which has not been "improved" by some other collector/dealer/whatever I am aware that Europeans like to polish their ancient guns nice and bright, but in the USA some of us view it as heresy.