The Firearms Forum banner

Need help with identification

1K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  Lou T 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and need some help. I just recieved what I think is a Tabatiere, but cant't find
anything with the same breech block.
Also, it looks like the gun has been varnished a while back. Should I try to remove it?
Wood Product Brown Gun White
Wood Brown Product Wood stain Hardwood
Tan Hardwood Shotgun Metal Trigger
Shotgun Tan Iron Metal Wood stain

I'm new to this, and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Lou T.
 
See less See more
4
#2 ·
Lou, I'm not familiar with "Tabatiere". That rifle looks like a variation on the Snider to me.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Looks like a brass breechblock Tabatiere? There was a bit of variation to them.
I'm not finding pictures of one with the latch on the left side--but I did find reference
to "the breechblock had no lock, but latches were added to some after 1868"
NOT a snider--they were sidelock, not backlock.

Neat webpage that has most of the efforts to convert frontstuffers to cartridge:

http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/Single Shot Cartridge Rifles/Muzzleload to Cartridge Conversion Methods/Muzzleload to Cartridge Conversion Methods.html
 
#7 ·
Bill, that's a pretty cool web site!!! I see now what you're talking about. Thanks for posting it and I bookmarked it.
 
#8 ·
Per your question on the varnish--I'd leave it. It doesn't appear to have been sanded and the only way I know of to remove it without using abrasives is with a stripper, which will leach the patina from the wood, and I'm not sure what it would do to the metal. It may have been coated with linseed oil, which has the appearance of varnish when it dries--that could probably be removed with some paint thinner on a soft cloth but, again, that may do more damage than good.
 
#9 ·
I can't tell if it was varnished...but it does look pretty good. If you can definitely determine it has been and you want to strip it off use Citristrip. We use it in restoration of bamboo fly rods and if it doesn't hurt those old hide glues it won't hurt the metal or strip anything other than the varnish off the stock.

I would suspect more what Buffalo said, linseed oil. If that is the case just clean it up with some 4/0 steel wool. That's what I use to cut back the previous application when I'm finishing a hand rubbed linseed oil stock. Just don't go after it like you're killin' snakes.
 
#10 ·
If it is dried linseed oil, Sharps4590 is right about the 4/0 steel wool. But as old and dried as it is, you'll probably need to dissolve it. A 4/0 steel wool pad dipped in equal parts turpentine, linseed oil, and vinegar will soften the old finish without harming the wood and will actually nurish it a bit. A former curator of the Natural History Museum gave me that formula decades ago to clean antique furniture without destroying the patina. Of course, his Citristrip would probably work just as well.
 
#11 ·
Wow, thanks for all the responses. The gun was definitely varnished some years ago. I got it from my father in law, who said he did it to prevent corrosion. Some of it has chipped off, and the barrel is silver underneath. The one thing that was confusing me was the lock on the breechblock, but BillM seems to have found the answer.

Thanks all.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top