Metal Refinishing Question

[Pyzik]

I have an old Carcano I want to refinish, I am going to start on the stock here in a few days...

What can I do with the barrel and bolt assembly and what not?
Other than cold bluing.
The metal isn't pitted or anything, just rusted pretty good.

Also, has anyone ever used the torch method to add the tiger stipe look to the stock?

Thanks!

[mechredd]

I you can afford it the best thing for metal is to have it stripped and hard coated.

If you don't have the money, then buy a bottle of Kroil, wipe it on the gun and let is sit for a day or two. It will penetrate and eat the rust. You wipe it off and it your gun will look better. Steel wool will do a better job of removing the rust-Kroil goo that is left on your gun, but this will destroy the finish.

The Kroil method is more of a band-aid than a solution. To do things properly you will need to have the metal re blued or coated.

[Mike in Michigan]

Take a look at the spray on finishes available from Brownells. Some are spray and wait, others are spray and bake. I have used most of them with good results.

[RifleGuy]

Take a look at the spray on finishes available from Brownells. Some are spray and wait, others are spray and bake. I have used most of them with good results.
:thup: I too have used Brownell's spray finishes and have been pleased with the results. Just make sure you follow ALL the directions!!

[Pnab]

I have an old Carcano I want to refinish, I am going to start on the stock here in a few days...

What can I do with the barrel and bolt assembly and what not?
Other than cold bluing.
The metal isn't pitted or anything, just rusted pretty good.

Also, has anyone ever used the torch method to add the tiger stipe look to the stock?

Thanks!

I've never used the torch method on a stock, but I have done it on picture frames and a couple of projects.
It would look pretty sweet on a stock, I would only reccommend tracing out how you want the pattern. In addition practice on a peice of scrap just to get a fell of how long you want to burn the wood to get the desired effect.
When your done please post some pics.

[halik008]

I would question the effectiveness of being able to add a tiger stripes on old C&R stocks that came unvarnished from the aresenal. I'm not sure about Carcano's but I think their stocks were issues without any finish, so I'm suspecting the only thing that would happen to the stock when you put a torch to it is make the oil and cosmoline ooze out of the stock :lol:

That's how most people try to get the deep penetrating oil out, but they use heat gun instead of a torch.

[Pyzik]

The gun is dry as a bone... It sat in my parents garage for about 10-12 years. I don't think anything is going to come out of that stock. Someone painted the stock black before I got it (before my grandfather got it actually).

I don't know what I am going to do with the stock yet, I am defiantly going to strip the paint off, don't know after that though.

I will post before and after pics :thumbup: .

[Rugergirl]

If you decide to have the finish on the metal professionslly done you might want to contact one of the members here who does metal finishing:

http://www.customizedcreationz.com/

[Rootsy]

Manual tiger striping on maple dates to the Leman trade rifle era with sporatic examples before that. Those stripes were painted on. If you use a torch you will most likely burn the surface and cause pitting which will really show when the finish is applied over it.

Some have even tried string wrapped around the stock and touched on fire. Others have put chemicals on string and wrapped it around.

You may try using Aquafortis and brush it on in a striped pattern... Blush it with heat and the aquafortis coated areas will turn darker.

There is a discussion about this exact subject at the traditional muzzloading forum in the gun builders area...

Finishing the metal isn't the difficult part, it's the prep that is time consuming. Polishing, etc to get rid of pits, scratches, etc. Once the surface is blued, all of those imperfections will really stand out. The other option is to go with a matte finish, light bead blasting of the surface and then have it blued. If you don't mind a black (bit of a different process from hot salts bluing) you may find a local black oxide place... LAMPCO in Jackson will black oxide a gun for about $15...

[customizedcreationz]

Your correct on the prep work. Thats were all the hard work is. I also use Cerakote that is the latest and greatest in Ceramic finishes. You can browse the website for pictures. I havent had alot of time to be able to load rifle pictures yet. But I am getting to it.

The torch method is tricky and not something I do. Thought I ve played with it over the years on other projects. It never really turned out the way I hoped so I gave up LOL.

[Pyzik]

... LAMPCO in Jackson will black oxide a gun for about $15...

I love the sound of that! Thanks, I'll have to check it out.

[customizedcreationz]

I would be very interested to see someone do it for $15. Though Black oxide will wear off really quick and isnt very protecting. It is very quick to do if your using cold black oxide.

I guess if you dumped off an entire gun in parts already stripped and all they had to do was drop them in a tank, that still an awesome price.

Post up if they do, heck at that price, I ll stop doing it myself and send it to them LOL.

Good Luck.

[Rootsy]

I would be very interested to see someone do it for $15. Though Black oxide will wear off really quick and isnt very protecting. It is very quick to do if your using cold black oxide.

I guess if you dumped off an entire gun in parts already stripped and all they had to do was drop them in a tank, that still an awesome price.

Post up if they do, heck at that price, I ll stop doing it myself and send it to them LOL.

Good Luck.

Yes you deliver a box of parts and he'll do em... hot black oxide... runs a production shop. $15 ea for 3 guns last year.... Just sent em over with our normal weekly work...

Like I stated, black oxide is a bit different of a compound that results than hot salts bluing... keep it oiled and or protected...

[customizedcreationz]

Well first and most important question would be .... Are they FFL holders ? If not , they are illegally operating and I wouldnt want to lose my parts or guns because of it ( which I do hot black oxide and I am an FFL holder also, so I am not worried about it, but just letting others know ). You need to be an FFL holder to work on guns or parts in a business manner.

(I1) Is a license needed to engage in the business of engraving, customizing, refinishing or repairing firearms? [Back]

Yes. A person conducting such activities as a business is considered to be a gunsmith within the definition of a dealer. See Item 16, “Federal Excise Tax” in the General Information section of this publication.

[27 CFR 478.11]

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#i5


But second, did you completely disassemble and strip the gun and send it in in pieces ? And when you said you sent it in with your weekly parts, do you think that would be the price for Joe average to walk in and drop off a few parts ?

Just curious because those are great prices. I cant match that price for disassembly and stripping , then hot black oxide and reassembly. But then again I am not setup to do production work either. Just detailed custom work.

[Rootsy]

FFL... donno.... 99.9% sure that they aren't. Yes I understand you must have an 01 in order to receive weapons... at least the S/N'd part in order to do any work on it.

I disassemble (and reassemble)... blast if it is going to be matte... or polish if it is going to be polished... if we have stuff going to black oxide i'll box it separately and send it or I'll drop it off myself. Either way I pay out of my pocket. Had an Ithica 87 featherlite done last summer and it ran $15... Depending upon how much stuff there is and if he knows you or not it may vary in price... that's between them and the customer.

I had Johnson's blue a custom 700 Rem I built a few years ago... I love the guys at Johnson's but $155 to run it through the tanks with the rest of the batch is highway robbery... They had to do absolutely nothing but cut the bubble wrap off of the barreled receiver, plug the bore and wire it up... Had to wait 7 weeks for them to get around to firing up the tanks too...

[customizedcreationz]

There is alot more work then just wiring a part and dropping it in a tank for hot blue ( assuming that is what you had them do hot blue ). Regardless if someone did all the work ahead of time, as a refinishing shop myself, I can say that its never what it needs to be to just drop in the tank and go.

And if they dont have the FFL , and get caught with your weapon. You ll never see it again and you ll never seem them again , well for probably 15 years or so ( but in this over crowded prison days it might be 3 years ).

Be careful sending them any other parts, I d hate to see you get zapped for it.

Just FYI

Todd

[Pyzik]

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Sounds like this scenario is no different.
Customizedcreationz, I might give you a call for a quote when I get around to that part.

So far today I stripped and sanded the stock.

Before... (Click to englarge)
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2594/rifleboltopenhm7.th.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rifleboltopenhm7.jpg)

After... (Click to enlarge)
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6159/dsc00780fh1.th.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00780fh1.jpg)

I was happy to find some markings under all that paint. Now I know all the numbers match! (Click to englarge)
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2272/dsc00782zo7.th.jpg (http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00782zo7.jpg)

Unfortunatly, the factory stamp on the but is too far gone, you can only barely see just a hair of it.

[Eric B]

Keep us posted if you try to tiger striping. I have a shotgun that I will be restoring and torching tiger stripes to add character to the stock is very intriguing.

[the collector]

this is what i use i buy on line from.... Caswell inc .... can change any metal fininsh to waht i want can chrome plate /metal oxide / check these guy out