" Dirt and Grime"

[n stephenson]

What I`m looking for is anybody willing to share their "recipes" for dirt and grime build up on guns. What I`m NOT looking for is your opinion on ageing guns. If you don`t like your guns aged that`s fine wipe them down with Oil of Olay after every outing. Please don`t give me the" Use It" quote . Save your breath . I`m asking for actual first hand knowledge of people that know what their doing  . THANKS, Nathan

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Pretty inflammatory request!

[Molly]

Breath saved!

[smallpatch]

Nathan,
For metal, I use the "Martin Method".  Brown, way beyond normal, no carding between coats, till you get a very rough, pitted result.  Sand it down till all that's left is the pitting.  The cold blue, knocking off the edges with scotchbrite pad and oil, till you get that nice French gray sort of color.  Looks like a well taken care of old gun look.
For wood, after sufficient stain and finish, I use a combo off the same finish, with some lamp black and Burt sienna, in the low areas. Blended so it looks natural.  When aged to your liking, another coat or two of the original finish to seal it all. Almost forgot, when staining, feather out the stain in "wear" areas.
Hope that helps.
Below is an example that is lightly aged.

[WadePatton]

Pretty inflammatory request!

Perchance Nathan has been back-reading some of the threads on here where everyone offers his/her opinion on whether or not to "age" a gun.  If I recall correctly there was lots of lively discussion way back then (and surely the time before that) such that the process doesn't get much ink, but only the "shall or shall nots" of opinions. 

Heck I may have started or revived an old thread like that. 

Many folks don't share their favorite recipes and techniques. I get that. There are lots of ways to get a nice "not brand new" finish and there are lots of folks who want nothing to do with it. 

So now, back to the intentional infliction of the appearance of experience and time upon our goods.

Some folks get a better result than others in this regard and I think that is why Nathan is asking-and not so gently. 


Also, one of the last fellows I showed my gun to asked if I had re-used old parts in the build. I was flattered by the honest question, and don't quite recall exactly how I got there, but do know that I re-worked the furniture twice.  I just keep "beatin' on it" until I got it close enough. (where beating is corroding/carding).

next!

[wattlebuster]

Dane thats a really fine looking gun there.

[oldtravler61]

Nathan if you want ideas an help here. You will have to learn to listen to the advice an opinions on how to do things. What works for someone else might not work for you. These people are trying to help. But then again maybe you already know everything!!!!! Good luck!  Oldtravler

[rich pierce]

Dane thats a really fine looking gun there.

Mighty good looking rifle.

[smallpatch]

Rich and Wattle,
Thanks, I liked it first time I saw it.  It's a close copy of RCA #26.
Very different.

[James Rogers]

I agree with Wade. Anyone who has been here a while will know there are tons of posts on here asking "how to" and they are bombarded with opinions as to whether it should be done or not. Topics involving restoration of antiques and aging of contemporary pieces come to mind as the most recurring.
I can see some tongue in cheek in the OP's request along with the serious desire not to have his thread turn from an information request to a preaching contest on dogmatic points of view.
 

[Mike Brooks]

Dane thats a really fine looking gun there.

Mighty good looking rifle.

Sure is.

[EC121]

Nathan is simply asking for techniques not opinions.  Nothing wrong with separating the wheat from the chaff ahead of time.   Also it is a really nice, sleek looking rifle.  That is my opinion and a complement.

[oldtravler61]

Smallpatch really like your rifle. Well done indeed!

[smallpatch]

Thanks again guys.  I brought it to Dixons this year to show to Mr. Martin.  He convinced me to enter it in the judging..... got a first place in the apprentice division, along with two full pages of critique.  Very helpful.

[bob in the woods]

You need to define "aging"  . If just dirt and grime, then , like Smallpatch's rifle, you get the finish and colour correct, but the overall rifle still looks rather new to me. If you want to see a new but correctly "aged" rifle, then look at some of Eric Kettenburg's work.  He is a master at this IMO.

[Smoketown]

Check out Jim Kibler's web site too ... Some of his finished rifles.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=41643.0

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=37648.0


Cheers,
Smoketown

[n stephenson]

Thanks Smallpatch for sharing your methods . I appreciate it. These are similar to what I do . I appoligize for my failure to communicate what Iwas seeking . Not wanting to offend anyone I recall my recommendation of Oil of Olay I am not in any way affilliated  with them YET!A sponsorship isn't out of the question however ! I wonder how it would do to soften fouling? Anyway back to the subject , I just wanted to know what other builders had discovered on their journey along this path that we are on . These techniques that we know will die with us if we don`t share them . I`ve gotten more joy out of seeing a student complete a piece than I ever have something I made myself  and when my student worked with his son to complete a piece I felt even better. I am just asking for information Thanks Nathan

[Mike Brooks]

Thanks again guys.  I brought it to Dixons this year to show to Mr. Martin.  He convinced me to enter it in the judging..... got a first place in the apprentice division, along with two full pages of critique.  Very helpful.

Even I couldn't come up with two pages of critiques for that rifle.......

[oldtravler61]

Nathan you will do fine. Welcome to the journey. My first an second attempt at aging. Well let's just say the welcomed critiques could have filled a room. Sorry for coming on strong didn't mean it harsley. But these people are the best imho. When I was at the CLA show in August I had Erick critique my rifle. He is a young man with a wealth of knowledge. What he will tell you is straight forward. He is a Master at ageing a firearm. Good luck in your projects. Oldtravler

[n stephenson]

Oldtraveler 61 no harm no foul . I do appreciate your input. Thanks Nathan

[54ball]

Top Secret

 Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 Study original guns with real wear, even off topic ones. Then come up with some methods and substances that really emulate that. A lot of aged guns look fake or the aging becomes an abstract canvas. Neat stuff but not legit.
 So to truly age a gun it helps to know what real aged gun looks like.

[smallpatch]

Don't forget the Mike Brooks method!  I've done several his way.
I'll say it how Mike told me.

Rustoleum Flat Black.

You'll have to figure out the rest for yourself!

[t.caster]

I handled a rifle from an estate a few yrs. back that I initially thought was 210 years old! Upon closer inspection I saw some inlays that were typical of a contemporary builder I knew of.
I won't mention his name. The inlays were done so they stuck out from the wood like they had popped up from age, and the whole rifle was deliberately coated with tar and dirt and maybe paint. Tar and dirt was jammed into all the cracks and crevices.
It looked like an attempt to pass it off as an original. I had a polite conversation with the builder and got him to buy it back from the estate, and clean it up for resale. Don't know if he did or not.

Tar and dirt, maybe pumice, will add some instant aging if done in moderation.
Oh, but you will need Orange Goop every time you handle it though!

[bob in the woods]

Edges are softened over time with handling etc, wood/finish wears, and you can also have shrinkage, finish and wood checks . You really need to look at an original. Much like "stone washed jeans" vs the jeans with actual wear, the look is not quite the same .  Aging or rather artificial aging is an art in itself.

[Frank]

Thanks again guys.  I brought it to Dixons this year to show to Mr. Martin.  He convinced me to enter it in the judging..... got a first place in the apprentice division, along with two full pages of critique.  Very helpful.

Even I couldn't come up with two pages of critiques for that rifle.......

Those guys would have a 2 page critique on an original Beck Rifle.