Gallery gun applied finish?

[ptdunk]

Can any of our learned members tell me anything about the coating applied to my 1880’s/90’s Oscar Will Hebelspanner please?

It is not Nickel plated, the barrel and cylinder are blacked but the side lever, trigger guard and rear parts of the steel metalwork have the remains of what looks like a metallic laqcuer. When I first saw pictures of the rifle I thought these parts were brass.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]



And checking the pictures from when I took it apart to service it last year I noticed the inside surface of the metal also has a much more intact coating which has been scraped back by the cocking rod, which makes me think this was indeed an original finish that has worn away on the outside.

[IMG][/IMG]

It looks slightly metallic.
I’d love to know what it is, and during which period it was in general use, I believe this airgun was made between 1888-1898.

I did read somewhere that some early Gallery air rifles had an applied lacquer finish to some metal parts but for the life of me I can't find where I read it!

Any insight would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks,
Matt

[draitzer]

I expect it's nickel plating, deteriorated over time. This happens on old cast iron pretty often.

Don R.

[ptdunk]

I expect it's nickel plating, deteriorated over time. This happens on old cast iron pretty often.

Don R.

Ok... it is quite a brown/gold colour though, quite unlike nickel. I have a nickel plated Bugelspanner and the deteriorated patches on that are black, otherwise bright Nickel. It is about 40 years younger than this one though.

The cylinder on this has no trace of this finish by the way, just the rearward metal parts & trigger guard.

Thanks,
Matt

[slow_runner]

Hi Matt.
Boiled Linseed oil is an old method of metal protection rust prevention. I use it on some of my tools and that honey to brown color is the effect.
Could it be boiled Linseed oil?

I like its usefullness and effect.

[ptdunk]

Hi Matt.
Boiled Linseed oil is an old method of metal protection rust prevention. I use it on some of my tools and that honey to brown color is the effect.
Could it be boiled Linseed oil?

I like its usefullness and effect.

Thanks mate, that's a very good suggestion.

[IMG][/IMG]

Colour looks very good on the cast parts so maybe that's it...Brilliant.

Only reservation is in the close up pics the patches of finish look like a solid colour, and a bit metallic? But maybe that's just the clean, untarnished metal showing through the transparent coating.

To be honest I think you've sussed it!


That's great, many thanks,
Matt

[WebleyWombler]

Could it have been gilded? I know that would seem gaudy to us but tastes were different in the 19th century when opulence was king.

[trajectory]

I agree that the boiled linseed oil treatment looks a possibility,it could well be that.
There are all sorts of weird & wonderful formulas & concoctions for finishing metal that produce different finishes , one I can think of uses sodium bisulphate & copper sulphate solutions to plate steel/iron. From a manufacturers point of view it is quickish to do & produces a stable decorative finish in one go, ie. it doesn't need building up as some lacquer processes. It poduces a layer of copper on the surface of the underlying material as its an immersive process the inside/ non visible areas would be coated too. Not saying this is what was used on your example but maybe it's a contemporary process that could have been used in some similar applications.

[edbear2]

I agree that the boiled linseed oil treatment looks a possibility,it could well be that.
There are all sorts of weird & wonderful formulas & concoctions for finishing metal that produce different finishes , one I can think of uses sodium bisulphate & copper sulphate solutions to plate steel/iron. From a manufacturers point of view it is quickish to do & produces a stable decorative finish in one go, ie. it doesn't need building up as some lacquer processes. It poduces a layer of copper on the surface of the underlying material as its an immersive process the inside/ non visible areas would be coated too. Not saying this is what was used on your example but maybe it's a contemporary process that could have been used in some similar applications.

This is a great read if you can find one!........Had a copy years ago but long gone now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Firearm-Blu.../dp/B01GQSZOI2

ATB, ED

[slow_runner]

Thanks mate, that's a very good suggestion..That's great, many thanks, Matt

Once it has had time to harden off, it's a bugger to remove.

I have a part set of old engineering books in my library locker Matt. Now stuck behind other 'stuff'.
One of the books had a number of very old methods of metal protection and application effects.
I will see if I can access it over the next few days. If I remember correctly, a number of the chemicals are banned now?

[ptdunk]

Thanks for everyone’s help.

A few people have suggested Nickel, which would explain the metallic look.
On ccdjg’s suggestion I picked off a tiny speck of finish and checked if it’d stick to a magnet, which it did.
(Very hard to get off so it’s a strong bond)
So it seems it was originally coated in nickel or some other metal, and then hot treated with boiled linseed oil, which gave it it’s lovely golden colour.

I still can’t work out why the cylinder doesn’t have any on it, as I’m sure it would have been plated as well.

Maybe it started to come off and somebody took the rest off? But then why not do that to all of it?

Who knows, at least I now have a good idea what gives it it’s current pleasing appearance.

Many thanks,

Matt

[ptdunk]

Just re-read in Larry Hannusch’s brilliant book ‘Pneumatic reflections’ of a very similar O.Will Hebelspanner gallery gun that was:

‘...constructed with case coloured upper and lower “H” tangs which mount the stock to the cylinder.....the metalwork on both pieces is coated with original shellac, a popular American procedure to protect the metal against corrosion’

It doesn’t look as goldy metallic as mine so probably didn’t have any metal plating before the shellac.

I think this is where I first read the reference to an alternative metalwork finish.

A great book by the way.

Cheers,
Matt

[greenwayjames]

When this gun was made the outside finish of metal parts would be blued using a rusting method. This looks like the result of the insides and non visible parts not being polished or swabbed with the blueing solution often using mercury and other nasty chemicals. The part was then dumped in a bath of boiling water and the surfaces intended to be blued had the rust carded off. Unseen and unswabbed areas such as the inside of a lockplate take on this goldy colour and were coated with shellac to prevent any rusting when the gun was assembled. Just a guess but I knew someone who used this method and I saw similar results.