greetings, found this forum while doing some research.
my mentor would probably prefer i learn the de-mil work he mainly does these days, but i have always prefered the old guns.
other gun sites seem to favor "tactical" everything.
As this group seems to appreciate the same as I do, would like your opinion on these pics... is it worth my while to continue?
This was a pile of rust, buggered and paint crusted stock with no check left, and the bbls were bare and purple splotches when hot blue was attempted. (they are now rust blued)

Remember you asked for opinions on your "pics". So here goes: You will never make a living as a photographer. As an aside, you did a nice job on the stock and gun. Unless you are trying to sell it or find work refinishing guns why do you want to suffer anyone else's opinion of your work and gun? How's it shoot? What make is it? Best to you!

I couldn't tell what kind of gun it is. Looks OK.


Best,
Ted

Oh! Welcome to the forum! We do love our doubleguns here and are a diverse group even so. Thanks for croping the pics too!

If you can post a little clearer photos, particularly of the action and inscriptions on barrels and action flats I think you will get more help. I know I cannot tell what the gun is that you have worked on or even get a clear picture of the work. Please repost your photos if you can so we can fulfill your request. The wood work looks good. Just can't see the rest.

Whew! i was beginning to think i would get no comments.
first, yea i know my pics are bad, just cannot seem to get without glare or clear close-up. will try tomorrow to get better ones.
it may eventually be for sale, who knows...

second, it is one of the "hardware store" guns, a Crescent Firearms Peerless model

third, un-fortunately i havent had a chance to get it out to the range yet

i am slowly trying to get a small start refinishing at least locally, have had a website for a while mainly doing checkering, carving, grips and stock refinishing while doing some of the old sporting arms for a local smith that i (hopfully) am learning from
he is kept busy mainly with old de-milled stuff he reconstructs as semi-auto for collectors and plugged full autos for the re-enactment crowd
even with blanks it is cool to let loose with a sten or bren when he needs one test fired...

i just added slow rust and damascus blue to the site the other day to see if i got any inquiries
then while searching for chems, i ran accross this site, guys who are also into the old doubles and saw some of you posting about doing your own... where else to get at least a semi-informed opinion?

Keith,

I applaud your effort. I can see from your website some of your efforts:

http://oldemagics.com/slow_blue.htm

I would suggest you get a copy of RH Angier, Firearm Blueing and Browning.

You will find a good bit of discussion on this topic in the FAQ
http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=2&page=1

You can also check here:
http://www.damascus-barrels.com/Finish_Restore.html

You may want to call Buck Hamlin or Dale Edmonds. I know Dale is willing to help.

Finally, please on your website, do not refer to damascus as wires. It only gives credence to the old myths. If it were, the resulting tubes would be unshootable. You are referring to the pattern, of which there were many.

Pete

thanks pete, i spent a few hours reading in the faq pages
i appreciate any helpful comments as i am still finding out just how ignorant i am in a lot of areas
i will be reading here for a while trying to soak up info
i mainly posted the pics to find out what guys who actually have an interest in these guns thought of my progress, if i was on the right track or wasting my time

If you want to restore nicer guns than a Crescent, you will want to be aware of the edges and contours and engraving that must be preserved. You will also want to have the screws properly indexed. Some guns had different style case colors than others. That , too, is imporant. Checkering style on some older guns was not what we see today. Lots of nice older guns have been ruined with a modern checkering touch up.

I'm waiting for it............

I'm not an expert on doing bluing but I would want a little higher finish on my barrels. Might be the lighting for the photo but it looks too much like a factory finish for a cheaper pumpgun than a quality rust blue for a double. It is very uniform without ripple and that is a plus reflecting good metal prep and degreasing. Might want to workout a finer grain to the rust process for doublegun types.

Make a note about what PeteM and Daryl H. say. The first rule of restoration is "Remember what it is". Crescents are all sharp edges and crude machining. Preserve that next time.
Your efforts should be tuned to that concept.
Make every effort to "preserve the light", and keep your efforts to the same tone. If you don't, you end up with an assembly of parts, rather than a nicely refreshed item.
The barrels are finished to a different condition than the rest of the gun, and it is a mismatch to "what it is". It's OK to allow old things to look old.

Just my two cents. I know you worked hard on it. As your eye develops, you will help things return to what they "are".

thanks for the comments guys
had no idea at all what the finish was on this one, everything was crusted/rusted with only small spots that hinted to what might have been there
i know a few old timers and collectors have told me the slightly rough finished barrels (a bit like parkerized) were considered field grade for cheaper guns, is this mis-leading me?
it doesnt show in my lousy pics, but i did leave the rough milling around the reciever.

forgot to ask so had to edit, anyone have specifics on a "chicago Long Range Wonder"
the owner gave me a "real challenge", solid rust (had a hell of a time breaking it, it was on the "junk" pile for 20-30 years) nothing works, stock is crap, splinter is missing, wil have to find hardware and make a new one and try to match it up...
but it is a 30" damascus double, he will (if i do good) put it in the office to try to sell and i gt the largest portion of price, in the meentime it will be free advertising for me to get more refinish work.

I'm wondering about those case color's......I'm a bit suprised nobody has picked up on it...all the same it take's gut's to put yourself out there with these fella's ,I think sometime's people in the know forget we all have start somewhere.

You mentioned the bbls were hot blued and then cold blued....hot bluing old sxs bbls could be dangerous....please make sure their integrity is intact before firing that gun.

That was a Sears catalog gun. Not one of their better efforts by the way. It was around for some time. They have almost no value today.

Keith, I know you are just starting down this line. I hope you view the comments so far attempts to educate.

One of the things you will learn is when to advise a customer to forget it. Few established in the trade would mess with a Crescent or a Long Range Wonder. It is good practice, I understand that. Everyone starts some where.

Don't consider it as advertising. The audience for these services is national. Do keep up the good effort. Learn as you go. There is no one way of refinishing every receiver or barrel. Make contacts with others in the trade. Many are willing to give advise.


Pete

The Chicago Long Range Wonder was pre-A.J. Aubrey and likely Andrew Fyrberg & Sons manufactured

considering the shape this one is in, i cannot tell if bluing is just completely gone or ifit may have been nickled at some point
any idea what it was new?

PeteM
i call it advertising for want of a better phrase, at one time, the boss was THE guy for stock work, checkering, making parts for nearly any gun (former machinist) but never slow rust or damascus.
but with the exception of hot blue, he has been staying away from refinish work because
1. his eyes are going fast to do fine work
2. being retired he is content to re-build the de-milled stuff that for the time investment pays better
we finally met after i drove by for years without noticing the sign... long story short a repair on one of my old .22s he told me how to do it, lied that work and asked if i ever considered bluing it, told him i would but couldnt afford it
"you do the prep/polish ill run it through for $20"
he thought i did pretty good on that too, and i have been doing small things as he has them since, getting more involved as i learn... so at this point i do whatever i can get my hands on either free or real cheap (still un-employed since Jul) for the experience and learn something new...
this gun will be there to show that re-finish is again available and an example


Newf
you caught that!
yes i had to cheat and use a torch... searching for either a heat element for the oven i got, or find a belt for my forge so i can use the crucible


ClapperZapper
sorry if i came off being wise-ass about leaving the rough milling, and thanks for poiinting out "Make a note about what PeteM and Daryl H. say."
i "know" only a small handfull of guns, but seem to be listening to too many different people trying to sort out what is right as i go...
pheeew, i usually dont type this much at a time!

Your website e-mail will not work for me because of my security software. Where are you located in PA and what is your e-mail address? Thanks

Ben,am located just N of Reading in Berks Co
e-mail is: oldemagics@hotmail.com

Old, You are young. There are craftsmen here that were working on doubles before WWll. Heed their remarks.
There are few shortcuts. Most repairs and freshenings require the same hand skills today as when the item was produced. Learn those and have a happy career. Cheat on those, and be called a butcher.

Plus, it's fun.

thanks clap 'specially for the "young" comment my docs would find that real amusing
i grew up working in pops garage since wiping tools in 2 grade
i became a "gun nut" around the age of 7 with my first .22 shot
grew up loving guns and art, pencil/oil from grade school then carving and airbrush work on cars and the big van craze of the '70s (made more $$ than a kid that age should have had after hours at the garage= trouble)
but untill about 10 yrs ago never even thought i could combine mechanical background, art and guns into 1 past-time, and even on occassion make a couple bucks to help pay for the tools!
most jobs i have had were heavy and fast paced with short deadlines... so sitting taking slow and carful figuring out just how it should go/work became my therapy
if i never make any money from it, so what
at the least i know if i see a candidate for tlc, i can take it home and make it nice again for my own collection
and the handfull of people i have had for customers so far really appreciate the time taken to make it the way they hoped it would be without mortgaging the ranch

I like the soft case colors! Nice job.

Sadly, I think we've lost most of our craftsmen who were working on doubles before WWII, which started 70 years ago. I came along at the very end of the war, but when I was a kid, I remember WWII vets as young guys--and served with quite a few when I first enlisted. Lot of water under the bridge since then.