A Pyrate's Gun

[Jerry]

I was showing my black powder gun to my brother (it is a CVA kit) that I had just recently completed, all I did on the wood was sand it and stain it, no other finish. Here is my question. What type of finish did a pyrate's gun have? Did they just stain it, give a give an oil finish? Different types of finish for different time periods? What is best for modern conditions, meaning I rather be safe (not destroy the wood) then accurate. Thank you for your time.

Jerry

[MadMike]

Depends what type of weapon it is and what era. Early English arms (William III and Queen Anne era) had the barrel and stock japaned (painted black). Wasn't always the case, however.

Since you have a CVA piece, I'm assuming it's a pistol. Some pirate articles of regulation required them to keep their pieces clean and ready for action.

As an aside, "The Discriminating General" is still trying to pass off their "Walker doglock musket" as a "historically accurate replica". This is not true, the replica they are selling is NOT an accurate representation of the Walker original in the possession of Parks Canada, and the actual antique depicted in George C. Neumann's "The History of the Weapons of the American Revolution", page 64. Buyer beware.

Yours, Mike

Added- In all fairness, a "fusil de chasse" style doglock fowler was made by Cooksen. See the link for more details-

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/(553).htm

Also, there were several colonial fowlers with fusil de chasse style stocks (no doglock) used in the 1730's (see Neumann, American Rifleman, May 2005, "Hunting Guns in Colonial America".

[Hawkyns]

Unless you've got a fair bit of experience with traditional gun building techniques, you probably don't want to use a period finish. Most wood staining techniques used various iron oxides dissolved in nitric or other acids. Using them is finicky and a bit dangerous. It also involves heating the wood to change colours. Not stuff for the novice.

Other period techniques involved painting the entire gun with tar to protect from rust. Kit Ravenshear, probably the best of the gunsmiths specializing in reproductions, made up some period guns a few years ago. The stocks were cut from whatever wood he could find, the forgings were rough. He painted the barrels with thinned roofing tar, and the stocks with deck paint. All in all, one of the ugliest things I've seen, and every bit of it documented from primary sources. Now true, this was not all guns, but it was more common the earlier you go.

I'd recommend getting a good stock stain from someone like Vernon Davis, and following it up with a hand rubbed oil or wax finish.

For details on period finishes, see if you can find a copy of "Staining and Finishing for Muzzleloading Gun Builders- Methods and Materials from 1750-1850" Willaim A Knight and William R Mende The Alchemist Press, 1999.

http://mygunroom.com/vcdavis&co/

Hawkyns

[MadMike]

I've read that Ravenshear has passed on, sad news. Much of his research is featured on The Rifle Shoppe's website.

If one get's the chance, check out "The Gunsmith of Williamsburg" for a fascinating piece of history (produced in 1969). Wallace Gusler makes a flintlock longrifle basically from scratch using 18th century technology.

Yours, Mike

[Jerry]

Most excellent! Thanks mates.

Jerry