Old Dragoon
New member
For Tinker2,
1.dis-assemble pistol. Put all the little parts and screws in a box with a lid or in a baggy (Bag and Tag) (so you don't loose the trigger spring screw like I just did)
2. clean everything with Brake Kleen and dry.
3. apply several coats of Birchwood-Casey blue and rust remover and wipe with an old clean dry rag until the pistol and parts are in the white (bright steel). clean with Brake Kleen and dry.
4. If you want to remove the touch marks from the frame and bbl. Draw file the bbl and frame with a fine flat file. Stone the areas with a fine stone to remove file marks. I place all info on the grip frame inside on the flats that are covered by the grips so someday an unsuspecting new collector will not be duped into thinking this is an old original. Pietta puts a touch mark and other marks there also.If I am converting to cartridge, this is where I cut the loading port in the frame.
5. Hand polish all stripped parts with 0000 or 000000 steel wool or 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper, use flat blocks on the flats and wrap the sandbaper around the blocks. in the rounded area wrap the sandpaper around something round that approximates the dia you are sanding.
6. Use Birchwood-Casey Plum Brown and follow the direction on the bottle. I oil between each coat and card the rust off. Clean with Brake Kleen and repat intstruction until parts are dark brown, not red. If it is red you don't have enough coats applied. Oil after the final coat and let cure overnight. Card a final time to remove the flakey rust patches.
7. I oil again and use the 600 grit wet or dry sand paper to remove some of the brown to get that well worn look.
8. this is optional, while I have the pistol apart I smooth the action. Tha is a post unto itself.
Grip aging.
1. I use the Ivory-Like Grips from Grips.com (link in a previous post). They cost $33.50 including shipping. The grips are Lilly White when received.
2. Soak in lemon or lime juice (Real Lemon or Real Lime juices are good) and Apple Cider Vinegar overnight.
3. Dry
4.Heat with a propane torch to yellow. Carefully, as they will burn. They will crack also. A small (read light depth) stress crack or two adds class to the grips. Again proceed carefully as you can ruin the grips. Sand lightly with 600 grit w/d to your liking.
1.dis-assemble pistol. Put all the little parts and screws in a box with a lid or in a baggy (Bag and Tag) (so you don't loose the trigger spring screw like I just did)
2. clean everything with Brake Kleen and dry.
3. apply several coats of Birchwood-Casey blue and rust remover and wipe with an old clean dry rag until the pistol and parts are in the white (bright steel). clean with Brake Kleen and dry.
4. If you want to remove the touch marks from the frame and bbl. Draw file the bbl and frame with a fine flat file. Stone the areas with a fine stone to remove file marks. I place all info on the grip frame inside on the flats that are covered by the grips so someday an unsuspecting new collector will not be duped into thinking this is an old original. Pietta puts a touch mark and other marks there also.If I am converting to cartridge, this is where I cut the loading port in the frame.
5. Hand polish all stripped parts with 0000 or 000000 steel wool or 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper, use flat blocks on the flats and wrap the sandbaper around the blocks. in the rounded area wrap the sandpaper around something round that approximates the dia you are sanding.
6. Use Birchwood-Casey Plum Brown and follow the direction on the bottle. I oil between each coat and card the rust off. Clean with Brake Kleen and repat intstruction until parts are dark brown, not red. If it is red you don't have enough coats applied. Oil after the final coat and let cure overnight. Card a final time to remove the flakey rust patches.
7. I oil again and use the 600 grit wet or dry sand paper to remove some of the brown to get that well worn look.
8. this is optional, while I have the pistol apart I smooth the action. Tha is a post unto itself.
Grip aging.
1. I use the Ivory-Like Grips from Grips.com (link in a previous post). They cost $33.50 including shipping. The grips are Lilly White when received.
2. Soak in lemon or lime juice (Real Lemon or Real Lime juices are good) and Apple Cider Vinegar overnight.
3. Dry
4.Heat with a propane torch to yellow. Carefully, as they will burn. They will crack also. A small (read light depth) stress crack or two adds class to the grips. Again proceed carefully as you can ruin the grips. Sand lightly with 600 grit w/d to your liking.