Which tools are best for working on Air guns?

[Gamocfx]

Hi Chaps,
A bit of a newbie question but what screwdrivers etc are best for working on air guns? Is there a brand from Machine Mart/Tool station to go for? I have the punches but have read that there are specific types of drivers to use? Also the hammer to impart shock? Up until now my tinkering such as it is has been very hit and miss just using what comes to hand.
Thanks for any suggestions.

[ashf9999]

Hi Chaps,
A bit of a newbie question but what screwdrivers etc are best for working on air guns? Is there a brand from Machine Mart/Tool station to go for? I have the punches but have read that there are specific types of drivers to use? Also the hammer to impart shock? Up until now my tinkering such as it is has been very hit and miss just using what comes to hand.
Thanks for any suggestions.

You can get nice expensive kits from the likes of Grace (american) from Henry Krank or online auction sites, but the best screwdriver bits are the hollow ground profile (so curved profile when looked at side on) hex type - I've found the Lidl sets excellent quality and their bits don't break easily and they are good value - a set is well under a tenner and will have pretty well all the sizes you'd ever need. This profile is less likely to slip and chew up screw heads.

Punches are best made from brass as steel risks damaging the gun parts.

In terms of mallet, a small brass or nylon/nylon & rawhide/copper & rawhide will do nicely. Thor are a good brand.

Most tool shops, machine mart, halfords, t'bay etc will have them.

[ashf9999]

also a gunsmith bench-block can be useful - saves driving pins into the table-top... (big lump of plastic with various holes in it you put the object on when hammering pins through - normally around a tenner)

[evert]

Get a lot of old worn screwdrivers, and grind them to fit the screws you are working on.

[Gamocfx]

Thanks for that advice Ash, never heard of a hollow ground screwdriver and so I googled it....first set was £137!!! So Lidl it is! Also I have never heard of the gunsmith bench block but that makes so much sense-I will continue the search this evening until I am all tooled up.
Thanks again for the help.

[aris]

Thanks for that advice Ash, never heard of a hollow ground screwdriver and so I googled it....first set was £137!!! So Lidl it is! Also I have never heard of the gunsmith bench block but that makes so much sense-I will continue the search this evening until I am all tooled up.
Thanks again for the help.

https://www.ant-supplies.uk/maintena...ch-blocks.html

Very handy.

Some brass punches are useful too. 312119211533 On the bay.

[Gamocfx]

Thanks for those links Aris, the brass punch set will be bought as will the bench block-the Ant supplies site is completely new to me.... I wasnt looking for storage tins but they are damned handy as well.

Thanks again for putting up the links

[45flint]

As a vintage collector the “tool” I use the most when I acquire a new airgun is the stainless steel pad below made for removing rust. When used with thin oil it is amazing at removing rust imperfections often to the point they are not noticeable. It doesn’t affect existing bluing. With some guns where the rust has not progressed too far, it can work miracles. After unboxing its the first thing I pick up cause rarely does blued metal come perfect.

[aris]

As a vintage collector the “tool” I use the most when I acquire a new airgun is the stainless steel pad below made for removing rust. When used with thin oil it is amazing at removing rust imperfections often to the point they are not noticeable. It doesn’t affect existing bluing. With some guns where the rust has not progressed too far, it can work miracles. After unboxing its the first thing I pick up cause rarely does blued metal come perfect.

You can also get copper pads like this too which would be even softer than the steel ones.

[aris]

Thanks for those links Aris, the brass punch set will be bought as will the bench block-the Ant supplies site is completely new to me.... I wasnt looking for storage tins but they are damned handy as well.

Thanks again for putting up the links

I have both those items and while I don't use them often, it is oh so nice to have the right tool for the job when you need it. They are not a lot of money either.

[PCPShooter]

https://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/wh...crewdriver-set

These kinda sets do most jobs, sold under various names over the years but proper gunsmith bits

[T 20]

https://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/wh...crewdriver-set

These kinda sets do most jobs, sold under various names over the years but proper gunsmith bits

I bought a set like that from Lidl for £4, and strangely they're a better quality than you'd expect for that sort of money.

[45flint]

You can also get copper pads like this too which would be even softer than the steel ones.

I’m not sure its soft that you want. The stainless steel seems to glide across the bluing and scrap off the rust? I don’t see the stainless steel harming the bluing at all? Its a bit counter intuitive?

[Gamocfx]

Thanks for the help again. Steel pads certainly just made my shopping list, looking forward to acquiring the screwdrivers etc

[Jerry Cornelius]

As a vintage collector the “tool” I use the most when I acquire a new airgun is the stainless steel pad below made for removing rust. When used with thin oil it is amazing at removing rust imperfections often to the point they are not noticeable. It doesn’t affect existing bluing. With some guns where the rust has not progressed too far, it can work miracles. After unboxing its the first thing I pick up cause rarely does blued metal come perfect.

😱

Really?

I’ve used 0000 wire wool and oil, carefully, but that looks terrifying