Can oil Hurt Gold Inlays?

L

Lone Star

New member
I'm thinking of ruining my budget and buying one of those repro Winchester M12's made in the last decade. Some were marked Browning; some Winchester.

The higher grade examples have some gold (?) line inlay and gold (?) game bird inlays. The work is very nicely done.

I assume it's unwise to actually wipe an oily rag over the inlays, and gold doesn't rust, anyway. BUT...will the oil I put on the surrounding blued areas seep through the pores of the steel, up under those inlays and loosen them or otherwise damage them? Break-Free CLP and other modern "oils" penetrate metal very well...

Does recoil (this will be a 20 ga.) ever loosen the inlays?

Thanks,

Lone Star
 
I won't rub the inlays; just lightly fondle them occasionally with my fingertips. But I will ogle them extensively. :D

High grade guns are a joy to behold, but I will use this one if I buy it, and not just set it on a shelf to impress visitors.

Lone Star
 
I'm not a metallurgist, nor do I play one on TV. Hey, I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn last night!

So my opinion probably doesn't count.

But I can't think of any reason that gold inlays would be bothered by oil. Steel isn't THAT porous!

YMMV, some restrictions apply, void where prohibited, see dealer for details.


Hey, maybe that last one is actually a good idea. How about calling a custom engraver? Doesn't even have to be someone that does guns.
 
Well, I am an engraver, but I don't do hand engraving.

Normally, gold inlay is done by engraving a groove in the steel with a larger bottom than top, think of a dovetail. The gold wire is then pounded into the groove and the dovetail holds it. I don't think oil under the inlay could possibly loosen the gold.
 
Only if you use 20w50, and only then if you gargle with it too often.








Sorry, I just couldn't resist that. ;)
 
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