Help Identify Name on Barrel

[vtbuck223]

I want to thank you all for the helpful responses concerning my last post about this gun. I read them and listened to them carefully. After some thought (and encouragement by jdm) I decided to try and pull the barrel. Though seemingly unlikely...the thought that there may be a name on the underside of the barrel was too much to take.  I took it slow and would have backed off if I encountered anything too difficult. However, I was able to get the barrel off without any problems. I have heeded your words and done nothing else at this point. I really expected nothing to be on the underside of the barrel...but I had to know. I was pleasantly surprised to be rewarded with letters that I presume are the maker of the gun or atleast the barrel. Now, I would really appreciate your help in identifying who this may be. Also....every part of me wants to clean the rust off the underside of this barrel and put some bowling alley wax on the inside of the stock...are you sure that I shouldn't do this? Thanks Jeremy

[Eric Kettenburg]

That's I (representing a J, I think) Scholb or Schob, I've also seen Shob with a missing C.  Barrelmaker's mark, looks like when the gun was built the maker notched the barrel through the S.

[mr. no gold]

I (Issac). Scholb was the barrel maker and he worked up in the Lehigh area. Don't know if he ever made a rifle or not, but there are a fair number of guns with his name on the bottom flats. I have a Henry Huniscker smooth gun (49 inch barrel) which has Scholb's name on it. He seems to have worked in the early to mid 19th century and did great work.
Nice piece you have found; thank you for letting us look at it. We are all pleased that you are enjoying it greatly; takes some of us old folks back to the days when we got the bug and found a good gun. Feet didn't touch the ground for months.
Dick

[Shreckmeister]

I wonder if Scholb made the L in his last name small so
people would not mispronounce his name and create
difficulty in finding him?  Marketing wasn't invented in
the 20th century.  Just thinking out loud.

[BGC]

If you're planning to keep the rifle, I'd go ahead and clean the rust off the barrel very lightly. Perhaps with 0000 steel wool(can be purchased at Brownell's). Put a little oil or rust preventive on the steel wool and rub gently. Don't take it down to bare metal, just use enough elbow power to get rid of the rust flakes. Then give the entire barrel a coating of oil or rust preventive with a saturated cloth. If you don't stop the rust, the barrel will only continue to rust and will eventually be ruined. As for the wax in the barrel channel, I'd use some sort of wood preservative and give the channel " a drink".
The wax will seal the wood and prevent any moisture from getting into the wood. The wood needs some moisture or it will become brittle and start breaking and cracking. Try some Scott's Liquid Gold wood cleaner and preservative(usually can buy at the grocery or hardware store) Saturate a cloth and rub inside the barrel channel. If the wood is pretty dry you will notice how fast the liquid is absorbed into the wood. You will know when to stop. The absorption will slow down enough that a wet film will stay on the wood surface. I've had very good results keeping my guns in good condition using these procedures.

[JTR]

Caution with the wood cleaner!!!!!
I don't know about Liquid Gold, but know for a fact that Murphys wood oil soap will take the finish off an old stock in less than a heartbeat!
John

[BGC]

The Liquid Gold is a whole lot safer to use.  You would have to really rub it to remove the finish. You can actually apply it and let it dry and it won't remove the finish. You won't even have to take a clean cloth and wipe it off.
It comes in two scents, regular and lemon. I usually use the regular, but have used the lemon mostly because the regular is sold out. The smell of lemon will leave after a few days.

[Collector]

I'm a big fan of "Howard's, Feed-N-Wax," that can be found in Home Depot.  It contains a blend of beeswax, carnauba wax and orange oil (smell goes away.)  It contains no silicone or linseed oil.  Note: It does contain a petroleum distillate, but as to what it is, I've never, personally, investigated.  I keep a lint-free rag that has been used, for years, as an applicator for this product, in a Hefty One Zip-Click baggie and apply by lightly wiping down both wood and metal, about 2X per year.  I've seen no ill effects.

[Buck]

Jeremy,
You can also use the brass strip method as opposed to the steel wool, the Gentleman that proposed the steel wool was correct in saying it is a good idea to remove the rust particles. You want to preserve the piece at some point and not have it turn into a relic. I believe I sent you the proper procedure for the brass strip method, just be sure to use a steady hand and do small sections at a time. I have an uncle who is a gunsmith and his specialty is the rebluing of barrels. His clientel are of the " High roller" class and the man has not been home but once in the past 15 years due to his work schedule, this is a procedure that he has employed on many occassions. Most all of the methods that you will hear on this forum are proper procedure, nobody here will direct you to a path that would damage your rifle. Everyone, different as they may seem, have a love for the long rifle and would not like to see you compromise your rifle. Good Luck
Buck

[JCKelly]

Brass sounds good. Bronze wool used to be available at grocery/hardware stores, now mostly replaced by Chinese stuff. However you CAN get bronze wool thru internet. Brass/bronze & some simple penetrating oil, the hateful WD-40 if you must, perhaps better Kroil.

As far as a finish/preservative for the wood, if it is available at a good grocery store or hardware I would consider it poison & not let it touch any antique wood. I'd leave the wood alone. Wipe off the dirt with a rag lightly moistened with something simple, like vinegar, or at most real distilled turpentine.

Johnson's Paste wax would be a good thing to apply to the barrel once you've scrubbed it to your satisfaction. Would suggest you just remove the loose rust, leave the thing brown.
Museum types say use a "microcrystalline wax", which Johnson's Paste wax is. But it may no longer be commonly available, having been replaced by something with silicone.

Do not use silicone containing anything. The film will preclude you or anyone else using a different finish, such as cold pressed linseed oil. ever in the future.
I'm told that Reniassance Wax is state of the art for protecting fine antique metal stuff, such as armor.
Over the years I have seen more damage done to antique arms by collectors Improving them than by age & neglect. This includes even well respected dealers, scraping off patina so the markings can be better read in a photo.

[Dphariss]

I want to thank you all for the helpful responses concerning my last post about this gun. I read them and listened to them carefully. After some thought (and encouragement by jdm) I decided to try and pull the barrel. Though seemingly unlikely...the thought that there may be a name on the underside of the barrel was too much to take.  I took it slow and would have backed off if I encountered anything too difficult. However, I was able to get the barrel off without any problems. I have heeded your words and done nothing else at this point. I really expected nothing to be on the underside of the barrel...but I had to know. I was pleasantly surprised to be rewarded with letters that I presume are the maker of the gun or atleast the barrel. Now, I would really appreciate your help in identifying who this may be. Also....every part of me wants to clean the rust off the underside of this barrel and put some bowling alley wax on the inside of the stock...are you sure that I shouldn't do this? Thanks Jeremy

LEAVE IT ALONE.
Put it back together and LEAVE IT ALONE.
It has too much finish on the wood to mess with.
Anything you do will likely decrease the value both monetary and historical.
Dan

[Buck]

Jeremy,
 JCKelly gives good advice as does Dan. Renaissance wax is a microcrystaline based wax, it was developed for antique furniture and metals, this will not remove any of the existing finishes and protects the piece. It is acceptable to wax it minimally and not often. If you handle the piece after you apply this wax you will leave fingerprints, but removal with a soft cotton rag without more wax will remove the prints. Use it sparingly! and not often. When I first began collecting I was caught in the same crossfire of opinions you are now experiencing. I have not been collecting for long and the Gentlemen that frequent this site are very experienced. What it boils down to is what you want to do with your piece. I show these pieces 4 times a year now and do not travel out of state like many of these men do here, just from a few simple observations I noticed that men from different areas care for their pieces differently. I would give you examples but do not want to offend. It boils down to your preference, I think that the value is in the eyes of the owner, yes there are definitely pieces that are more desireable and of greater historical value. I have pieces that fall into both categories,  I have some that are on the low end of the spectrum that I would not sell for any sum of money. I will offer this opinion, if you want to restore this piece and do not have the experience employ the services of someone who does, there are many here that have that experience. You wouldn't hire a MASON to install plumbing in your house. Good Luck