Paint, dirt, and stuck screws - Removal thereof.

[Whig]

I use the Howard's Wax all the time on my Krags and other mil surp firearms. Works great and helps restore moisture to the dry aged wood.

Post pictures when you can. Good job!

[butlersrangers]

'Whig' - Is your 'Howard's Wax' a different product than 'Howard's Wax & Feed'?

BTW - Some Gun Stocks glow nicely after a rub down with PLEDGE furniture polish.


FWIW - On some gun forums, a few contributors go positively Ballistic at the mention of Wax & Feed or furniture polish.

The more they rant the less I think they know. I am given the impression that some highly vocal guys have not seen a wide array of well preserved antique guns.

I don't regard repairing neglect, removing paint and modern finishes, or stabilizing corrosion, as destroying an arm's history.

[Whig]

Same thing - I just didn't feel like typing the whole thing. I love Beeswax because we used to have honey bees when I was a kid and I have always loved the smell of pure bees wax and the benefits it gives for wood care. I have used it for years and it really moisturizes and brings a nice sheen to the wood. So much wood is overly dry and cracks so easily that something like Howard's stuff helps a ton. You have to shake it well to make sure it mixes or you don't get the full benefit of all of it.

[olderthansome]

I haven't ignored your requests for photos. I have some taken, but when I finally stumbled in to a way to post them, the message said that the files were too large. Now I have to see what's involved with reducing the size of each photo, but my IT person is in the garden working on her world of joy. Our agreement has been this last 54 years that I don't criticize her time in the plants and she doesn't criticize my time in my world.

[olderthansome]

I have posted the first photos of my project and as I look at them, it makes me wonder what I was thinking. Actually, I have tried the turpentine as you suggested and the first go around seemed promising. Most of the paint is gone, but the dirt and is still pretty strong. I guess I'll just keep at it a while and find some patience. In addition to the cartouche, I did find what looks like the remains of a Circle P proof which I didn't expect to see.

I'll post some more "before pictures" later if you'd like.

[Dick Hosmer]

If you do not mind, what is the serial number of your (I assume) early 1873 carbine? I MIGHT have some info on it in my files. Thanks.

[olderthansome]

Dick,

l wish I could reply with an answer, this piece, as you might surmise from the overall condition, is very short on numbers. I'll post a photo of the receiver so you can see, but the details may be unknowable unless you know of some recovery method.
What I know is that this has the 2 position tumbler, the plain butt, the early knurling on the hammer, the first markings on the trapdoor and the long wrist stock. What it doesn't have is an early barrel. The current one has the proofs from the later years and a rifle sight. And the bore is better than you would expect for the amount of wear on the carbine.
The "feel" of the piece is what makes me think it had belonged to an Indian at some point. The saddle ring and bar have been simply removed with no interest shown in 'prettying it up'. The best I can tell you is that part of the number seems to 6980 or _6980, or 6880.

[Whig]

From a slight distance, I see 6980 pretty clearly. Just my observation, though. Lots of honest wear. What a history that Springfield could tell!

[Dick Hosmer]

I can see 6980 as well.

FWIW, that is not a highly-populated carbine range. Closest I could find in Dick Branum's HUGE card file (bigger than SRS) was 6832. There were a number of closer entries, including 6950, but all were shown as rifles. That MIGHT explain the later barrel. They ALL have stories, and it would surely be interesting to know that one.

Thanks for sharing.

[olderthansome]

Some more photos. The barrel is a carbine barrel from a later period than the carbine itself. The carbine looks like it was outdoors for most of its life and the wrist looks like it the chief method of carry by sweaty hands. The only actual rifle part is the rear sight which is a first model. I wonder if the carbine was being repaired rather than maintained, if the then current owner knew or cared about the difference in the sight.

So far, the cleaning is encouraging. I know this will never look like a fine museum piece, but it looks like it has served a useful life for someone.