I had given up looking for one of these W.Bartram type Capper decapper's then this very poor specimen nearly polished to within an inch of its existence appeared on eBay last week for not a lot of money. I could have made a good copy many years ago but machining Brass does not have the same colour as cast brass, cast has more Zinc, so it would stand out like a sore thumb with the other tools in the case. These cappers are extremely compact and very often found in top makers gun cases from the early to mid nineteenth centaury. Knowing that it is probably better to scrap the thing never the less I parted with the money for something that looks as if it had been used as a ball in a soccer match played on concrete. I do intend to restore it not rebuild it, even though the faults are near as dam it terminal. The Ebony handle is missing as well as its tang, the base plate is distorted also the threads in the plate are practically non existent so nothing will stay screwed in tightly, and as for the dents you can see for your self from the other photographs.







Given its condition I will put some effort to bring it back from the brink and make it fit for purpose once again. Though it is never going to be a thing of beauty, only a thing of worth.

The only lessons in my life I truly did learn from where the ones I paid for!