Taking care of the old guns

[smylee grouch]

Just looked at another post of an old rifle in need. Made me wonder what do the curators in the museums do to clean and preserve the old guns? What do they use and how they go about it.       Gary

[flintriflesmith]

That varies tremendously from museum to museum. Some small local museums still use techniques and chemicals that would give a modern professionally trained conservator nightmares. (Curators research and manage collections while conservators do the preservation work on the objects themselves.)

I touched on the issue on this page in my web site and included a link to the professional web page for the American Institute for Conservation. http://www.flintriflesmith.com/restor_and_conserv.htm

Gary

[smokinbuck]

Gary,
Most often when I get an "attic" condition rifle, or pistol, that is covered in grime I use a light rubbing of D&L hand cleaner. Do not rub as if you are scrubbing the floor, More like you are fondling a piece of art. It will remove the grime, leave what there may be of original finish and put a little oil, and life, back in the wood.
Mark

[The other DWS]

As mentioned it varies a LOT from museum to museum.  Factors include the age of the collection, museum budget and size, age, training and mindset of museum staff.

There are some very large very eclectic gun collections in small local museums that were put together in the early years of the 20th century by wealthy local industrialists.  some have gotten great care--some absolutely none.   while there are core standards and practices taught in the conservation schools most small museums do not have the budgets to afford that level of professional staffs


  I have visited and researched in museums where the management actively disliked the arms in their collection and refused to do anything at all.  others  depended on well meaning (mostly) gun nut volunteers to care for them with the full range of results you can imagine, form superlative near professional conservation care to abuse and theft.  a minority few had staffs that were interested and sensitive and did their best to do right for the collections.  however, domestic artifacts and clothing tended to get more attention than firearms and tools

  Generally the larger well funded institution are more likely to care for their collections with current professional conservation standards and practices.   (the American Association of State and Local History {ASSLH} provides a lot of grass roots training material to the small museums, including basic conservation of metal and wood objects---The American Museum Association {AMA} does the same for the larger more well funded institutions)  though that is not always the case.