This stuff is GOLD. The discussion on screwdrivers and their proper fit applies to life in general because screws are ubiquitous, and screwed-up screws are just as prevalent. BRAVO, Mr. Novak.
For those who are working on cleaning up old buggered screws another way I've found to clean the slot is to use feeler gauges or shim stock wrapped tightly with 400 grit sandpaper. You can add or remove gauges to get the thickness of the slot right and get everything nice and square. As much as I've learned over time hobby gunsmithing and now moving into professional gunsmithing there's always little tricks and tips to learn from watching your videos. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge.
I resorted to using the spine of a very fine jigsaw blade sandwiched with 400 grit. I just cleaned up 2 banged up screws that came with my CMP 1911a1. 90% better. Thanks!
I'll tell you what... its EXTREMELY nerve racking to tear down a rather nice milsurp (the first rifle I've ever taken apart was my 1943 Type 99 Arisaka). But once you get the rifle torn apart and learn how it works and pay attention to all these little tricks Mark is talking about (again.. these aren't tutorials, I went into my Arisaka knowing damn well any mistake was my fault and my fault alone) you get a newfound respect for these old gats and boy.. that Arisaka came out BEAUTIFULLY.
GREAT INFORMATION....It gave my the confidence to tackle a Type 99 that my father brought back and gifted to my uncle in 1945. He let it sit in his attic in northern Maine until my cousin sold off his dad's house in 2015 and found the rifle. He returned it to me. Getting it apart was a bit of an adventure. Boiling the small parts several times before carding and kerosene produced a good result. Boiling the stripped barreled action in a DIY gutter tank on our kitchen gas stove. I made a Bubba lid for the tank with another section of gutter. This helped keep the water boiling vigorously. Thank you Mark and the rest of the Anvil crew!
I just finished conserving a model 37 Ithaca using steam. The gun was a mass of rust and pits. After some filing, polishing, and rust bluing, the old gal looks real good. Thanks Mark you showed me how to do this, and it all makes sense.
No the pleasure was watching you do your work....My hat is off you sir.....l have done some of this years ago l am 77 years old now......Thanks very much...!
Diesel #1 is kerosene. Diesel number 2 has more paraffin in it. They are used in big tucks. #2 in summer the parrafin lubricates the injectors and injection pump. #1 is used primarily in winter due to the tendency of the paraffin to clomp starting at about 27 degrees Fahrenheit and becoming more severe as the temperature drops way below zero. Fuel heaters are used on the trucks to help combat this.
I work with period furniture and the conservation end is interesting, especially in comparison to what you discuss here. For collectors "patina" is whatever it looks like as long as it has never been refinished. No matter how bad, how dirty, the finish is, if you do anything to it, it pretty much looses all value to collectors. Also museums will only allow repairs that can be undone, and are super obvious that they are repairs and not original. They want it done in such a way that the repair can be reverted back to the un-repaired state. This mostly comes up in upholstery where they will put an upholstered piece of hard foam on top just to make it look presentable but all the original stuff is underneath, all done without adding in any new tacks.
Well I have two 1944 dodges, a WC51 and a WC54, both were in Norway through the 1950's to 1960's, and the WC54 was rebuilt by the US in Germany in 1954. I have the day the chassis were built from the Chrysler Museum. I have owned them some 20 odd years and serviced them, they both run beatuifully. So what is original?
I've watched this video three times in the past 24 hours. Thanks for the hints. I just ordered myself a jewelers bench block and a good hammer to fix some buggered screws on an smle no1 mk3 I just picked up.
As a cabinetmaker my 2oz. and 4oz. ball pen hammers are polished for the very same reason. As well screw drivers have to have straight sides even in furniture work. There have been many a time that screw heads have been destroyed by V shaped screw drivers. Good conservation practices apply to a lot of different trades. Thank you for this episode on conservation.
I really like his videos. Super informative and I’m not sure if I’m just old school but how his shop is set up and the tone makes it feel old school. I like that. Reminds me of shows when I was a kid. Keep these vids just the way they are. Awesome. 👍👍👍
Seeing that Colt's come back from what amounted to "the brink" made me feel better about the future of the universe as we know it. I recall seeing .32-20s in NRA good/very good, excellent, and even like new conditions back in the 1970s when many Police Departments were dumping such revolvers on the market along with Smith & Wesson models in calibers ranging from .32 to .38. Many of those old guns had been locked away for decades in arms rooms and it was only when the departments wanted to purchase .357s for the "troops" that the old Colt's and S&Ws were used as "trading material". As a freshly commissioned LEO I passed on purchasing even one of those fine revolvers because they were "old and weak".....Now that I'm old, tired, wore out, weak, and retired I dearly wish I had purchased at least one of each when they were available for as little as $50.00 for a "good" to maybe $125.00 for an "excellent" to "like new" example. Excellent video as usual! Keep 'em comin'!!!
I was lucky enough to inherit 6 S&W K frames from my father, he bought them from the Kansas City PD years ago. It is kinda interesting, in the days of buying Thomsons from a catalog, when there were full auto shootouts regularly, a six shot revolver was a perfectly useable sidearm. But now Every podunk PD is armed with 18 shot "wonder nines" and they are still claiming they are "outgunned." I think today's LEOs could take a long lesson from John Henry Fitz Gerald, or Frank Hamer. I carry a Colt New Army modified into a modern interpretation of a "Fitz Special" (tuned, polished action, snub barrel, but I did leave the trigger guard intact) and with a speed loader in my pocket, I feel like I am ready for whatever comes my way in a dark alley. Shooting a wheelgun forces you to slow down and stop dumping ammo. These modern plastic pistols are the reason you read about officers firing 70 or 80 times at a suspect. Police officers firing that many times at a single target in an urban setting is inexcusable. If they are shooting that many times, they should have fallen back and grabbed a carbine so they could actually hit their target. But anyway...that rant aside, my father paid 200$ for all six of the S&Ws and could have bought 18 more at the time. To bad those days are over, I'm not sure what departments do with their unwanted firearms these days, but I don't think they have "garage sales" where they sell off old guns anymore.
@@jacktheaviator4938 they sell them off to dealers. You can find them all over the place online. Aimsurplus, jg sales, classic firearms, ect. At discount prices. Most of them are in .40 cal though. Some in 9mm, and every so often you'll see one in .45 come up.
My friend bought a 1940 Ithaca Model 37 with the intent of "restoring" it. I stopped him about halfway when he had stripped all the bluing off and he had told me that he planned on cold bluing it using that nasty brush on stuff. I need to get the materials so I can properly rust blue it and save it from being messed up. Watching these videos has been really informative and I hope one day to be a gunsmith in some capacity.
Thanks for showing me the light Mark. I've shared this video countless times on facebook when People ask how to clean up a rusty old gun. A scary amount of people suggest electrolysis, and steel or brass wool(without boiling first). I am here to help fight the good fight against time and lack of knowledge. Thank you for your service to historical preservation sir! Gonna download all your good conservation videos just incase one day youtube decides that this content is not fit for their platform
I hate to be the voice of doom. But that day is coming. In order to protect us from ourselves and to eliminate unsuitable content, any and all content concerning firearms is likely to be eliminated from all venues online. Truthfully, I can see the day coming where any material concerning firearms, in any format, is going to be banned and only military, law enforcement and state licensed individuals will be allowed to purchase or possess firearms related materials. It will all be deemed as Restricted Materials. We are headed down that path and MUST do everything in our power to prevent it NOW !!! The time to fight these things is now, not once the anti gun zealots have latched onto a particular topic and corrupted the discussion with falsehoods, lies, fear mongering, celebrity's and big money. The second amendment is heavily under attack and the time to counter this, and do so with radical ideas and approaches of our own is now. So once again the question posed is " If not now, when ? If not me, who? "
@@bobgarr6246 I agree with you 1000% sir! I try to inform everyone I can about firearms, gun safety, the attack on our Constitution and especially our 2nd Amendment. I try to answer any questions they may have with good, honest info with proof/sources if at all possible. I also invite all of them to a range trip to learn about and fire a gun if they are willing, or only for them to observe if they don't feel comfortable shooting for any reason. After giving them as much info and knowledge that I can, and hopefully some experience shooting if I'm real lucky, I lay the truth on them: There's ONLY ONE REAL REASON that any person, or group, would want/attempt to take law abiding citizens firearms (even if they claim to only want to take CERTAIN firearms, because we know they are never satisfied) or make it hard for law abiding citizens to purchase, carry, store, or use firearms and/or ammunition. And that reason is, because they wish and/or plan to do things, bad things, that they know will cause good, law abiding people to shoot them! Plain and simple, no way around it!
Too bad it can't really be used to conserve and own firearms in those 2 countries.....you know, because British and French subjects, I mean citizens, aren't trusted by their governments to own such dangerous killing machines, and they must be protected from themselves! Unless you're a criminal, then you can have as many guns as you wish and can illegally afford!
@@logancurl9526 tbh in Britain guns are rare even in the criminal's hands. In France hunting is common, so are shooting clubs. In our hamlet of 15 houses in rural France I think half have rifles /shotguns, not sure about pistols.
Using the wrong screwdriver not only buggers the screw slot but can produce a nasty scratch when it slips out under pressure and skitters across the surrounding metal or wood surface.
Mark, please do a video on the stock maintenance. How do I remove years of gun oil and mung without removing the original oil finish? Many have said lacquer thinner, mineral sprits, but I would like to hear your thoughts and maybe a possible video. Also how do you remove that polyurethane finish Bubba applied to your milsurp.
Been messing with guns about 45 years now but i learn something from Mark on every video. Id hop down to South Carolina and drop off an old LeFever Nitro Special 12 gauge double if it wasnt so much fun to try myself. The gutter tank tip is pure gold.
Great video Mark! Some of these techniques are what I would assume to be common sense but some people don’t think the way we do so very important to share this information in such an easy to understand way.
I used an old bolt together Craftsman table saw stand and mounted 3 lengths of 3/4" black pipe with "gas flame" holes drilled every 1/4" the length of it, then mounted 3 stainless steel Salmon cooking pots, one over each pipe, as a gun parts cooker. 1 is for boiling hot water rinse, 1 is for a hot degreaser solution, and the 3rd is for the parkerizing solution, each one individually set to run off one BBQ propane tank.
Bought a cop auction "Colt .38" Turned out to be a New Army, .38 Long. needed a new hand and spring (missing) and a broken trigger return spring. Replaced them both but having an issue finding ammo. it's loose as a goose, I assume it's been shot with Specials. I figure it'd be a good candidate for finish conservation. Tightening it back up is something for a smith I can't afford, I assume.
Shims may still be available and are actually quite cheap. You may need some other small parts which can also be cheap but if you do it all yourself you will have lots of “useless” left over bits. Maybe check out some community channels or trade sites as you may be able to pick up someone else’s leftovers which may complete you gun. (Hand fitting means that their gun was probably out of spec in a different way then yours so their left overs may be good for you.
I went crazy trying to find a Grobet 16.463 “4 Row” wheel, as mentioned in the video. There IS a 16.463 6 Row wheel. When I screen shot the video and zoomed in, the box label for the Grobet (39:31) actually says it is a “6 row” wheel. Whew! Now to order one!
Thank you very much for your insight, experience, and knowledge being provided to us for free! I am now in the process of removing years of "patina" from my great grandfather's serial numbers matching Stevens 335 12 gauge side by side using this boiling method. I am amazed that the barrels still ring like a bell! I am looking forward to seeing the end result and bringing my family's heirloom back from the dead. Thank you, Mr. Novak. Please keep up the amazing content.
Lamp Oil frequently has additives like fragrances in the US. I’m sure The UK and EU have something like our MSDS aka Material Safety Data Sheets that will tell you what a particular brand of lamp oil contains. Another comment on this video stated in the US winter formula Diesel /Heating Oil is Kerosene while summer formula includes paraffin to decrease engine wear. Jet A is jet engine fuel and should be available to purchase at smaller airfields that service business jet and turbo-props(jet connected to propeller). Good luck!
An excellent explanation of the need for , and the distinguishing characteristics of, the proper tools for working on guns. This is especially relevant on RUclips where many tasks are performed using roofing hammers and Walmart screwdrivers!
I had to use one on a WW2 1903 Springfield by remington that at some point every metal part was chromed from muzzle too butt plate. And it was flaking off like crazy. now its getting cerakoting because no one near me knows how to parkeriz a gun
@@donmurrin5269 probably but have no solid proof of it the bid house said it was a Baltimore ravens parade rifle but that there word with no paperwork or raven logos on it what so ever
That "box o' parts" sequence was a trip down memory lane...
3 года назад+7
Excellent restoration class. I like to restore parts by hand, including a pressure carbine for sport shooting. There are some videos on my channel showing my process. I found the way it restored the screw heads and the way it eliminated the red corrosion spectacular. My greeting!👏👏👏👏
Woo boy. Glad I finally sat down and watched this. I'm trying to figure out how to stop the rust and pitting on my Martini-Henry (yes, pitting, it's one of those Nepalese Martini-Henry's). None of it is deeper than the rear sight dovetail and I'd like it to stay that way. And without destroying the finish that is decently present everywhere else. This video is immensely helpful.
I have the same issue on a mp40, I knew about using fine steel wool 0000 with vaseline oil, but not boiling the pieces with water before to convert the red oxyde into black oxyde much to learn before trying
I just tried this today on a buddies colt huntsman his dad gave him before he died. It turned out great. Thanks for the how to. You made my buds day. His dads birthday would have been yesterday so it was pretty cool.
It would be interesting to follow that ‘98 through its future movements. It would also be interesting to determine the effect a legitimate conservation has on the value of a collectible, all other things being equal.
I'm glad you reposted this one! I hope it reaches more people and can save at least one gun. On the screws, the hacksaw tech is pretty cool. I've never done them that way but a decent set of swedish needle files can be had for about 40 bucks and work well. You can buy cheaper sets but why have to buy a tool a half dozen times. I have a 5 digit serial number Mauser 98 that is mostly matching numbers. I've done some work on it but I'm at a point of making decisions. I have made it safely operational (it did function but had excess wear on the safety, making it dangerous). It is my rifle and I haven't decided where I'm going yet. The rear sight blade, I believe, was replaced at some point in it's life. It has a swastika on the underside that is about 35 years after the rifle was made, unless an old rifle had that added to it in the 30s. Great video! Take Care and be safe, John
Once you take the parts from the kerosene, do just wipe it down and reassemble? You said not to use gun oil. Not sure what process you follow after you remove from kerosene.
Wipe it down, blow out kerosene, oil with a non detergent (lawnmower) oil. Only necessary to use non detergent oil the first time, after a few days the finish will "harden up" and after that any gun oil will be just fine.
I took an old scuba pony tank, cut the top off and use it on the stove! I have a stove / range in my shop. The oven works great for larger cerakote. Big toaster ovens work good to for small stuff.
Search for a "bench can". The issue I've had is apparently a guy would have to make that cage that he uses to keep the dasher plate depressed to soak. I haven't found anything for that cage in my searching.
so I saw a guy mention practicing on old axe heads, & I think I'm gonna go down to the local antique store and buy some old broke tools to do some practice with. then it's on to the firearms... the cheap ones I bought on GB first. the heirlooms...I'll see how the rest go first 😅
Mark. when I was im boot camp our Company Commander showed us how to clean our rifles that we had to use for drill. They were old WW1 Springfield rifles. We would take a large rubber pencil eraser to clean out weapons with. When you were finished the rifle looked like a mirror finish was applied to the metal. Have you ever heard of doing that?
Brak-Kleen works great for *almost* everything except gutta-percha (hard rubber) grips, it'll suck the black color right out of it and turn it more of a tan rubber color. Additionally, I have seen it melt the soft rubber base pad on a .45 magazine.
Currently going through the process of conserving a sentimental H. Pieper side-by-side shotgun. Two questions: 1. Any viable alternative for Acraglas? It's currently out of stock. 2. Tips on carding out the bore? Current plan is to use #0000 steel wool and push it through like a bore brush. Thanks so much for the great information.
That’s how it used to be done. You got room and board and were free labour but you also got to learn under a master. Now you go into debt for 20 years at a school and learn about 1/2 of what you need to know and get paid just enough to keep the debt collectors at bay. And just for fun, school loans can’t receive bankruptcy protection.
I think neglect becomes "patina" when it is convenient as an excuse to hang expensive old stuff on the wall and not really caring about it as more than decoration.
Then again, to be fair, most of the items that have decay and neglect related damages over time began having those problems in a time before there was historical value associated with the item. How many crummy AR-15s do you guys think are currently rotting away in closets, or will be found by frustrated collectors fifty years from now? Probably more than we'd like to admit.
Jet-A is kerosene, purchase it at your local airport if you have problems finding kerosene. Or if you don’t want to pay $11 bucks a gallon for it at HomeDepot.
I have used diesel fuel in a pinch. But the smell is MUCH worse. I would recommend using it outside, or else your workspace will smell like a truck stop park lot for a couple weeks
I work at an airport and 200% they WILL NOT sell you kerosene. Not today anyway. You may be able to find kerosene in the form of Zippo lighter fluid maybe, worst case order it baby
@@marknovak8255 To me it seems like converting red oxide to black oxide is just rust bluing without adding the new layers of rust. To then say that conversion is NOT bluing seems disingenuous. That said, I am all for rebluing any rifle, I personally would not hesitate to reblue General Custer's .50 cal rifle from the little big horn, if I owned it. Looking at a historically correct turd is not my thing.
1905 hand ejector. The butt was so rusted. The layers of rust stacked against the wood grips and split one of the grip panels. The estuchions and screw had fused. The screw, torque/ twisted in two. However there are places the original bluing is present. The hammer spring actually was fractured in two. Replacing it , proved the action was operative. I've decided to treat this old gat with humility and respect. It is odd how the butt and side plate appear to have been torture tested. While the deep original bluing. In other areas. Are so rich and still elegant. I have need of escutcheons and screw. For the bone grips I'll fashion. To adorn what I find to be a historical gem. Certainly worthy of a little TLC. Thanks again Mark for your patient tutelage and candor. BravoZulu.
I have a Iver Johnson break-top in 38S&W. Ruff is an under statement. Someone had gouged their initials in the side plate and someone else had used an abrasive to try and remove the initials. The plan was to make it safe to shoot. But it has so abused over the years I want to clean up the worst but I'm not sure I can. I'm trying to remove a burr down in the the ejector that stops the the casings/star from extending and ejecting the casings. Thing 15 wrong with it. 😁 It has no historical or monetary value so a little of anything goes has creeped in. Is that a bad thing in this instance?
Thank you so much for these videos and the amount of time you put into them . I have my Gunsmithing certificate and on line courses compaired to real life there is nothing close to it. Showing a lot that they never really touched on . Thanks again
well, I boiled my SMLE metal parts in water for 45 minutes to an hour and followed Mark's instructions, and I am so blown away and HAPPY that I did. It is amazing to 1: see how much crud came off the pieces (dirt, oil, cosmoline, and RUST) and when I used 0000 bronze wool and gun oil, the rust came off, and 2: the finish came back out and the surface rust was gone. This baby is going to pass inspection from a platoon sergeant by golly! I am amazed. A bonus is I get to use my camp chef burner for something else besides tailgating at FB and Lacrosse games! Thanks Mark.
This is the most important video you have made. I have a question, though. You stress the importance of cleaning the oil out of your carding disk and the steel wool. If the metal has been cleaned and boiled and the next step would be to soak in kerosene, what is the danger of the oil in the carding material?
Thanks for the information on boiling/kerosene treatment to convert/stop rust. I'm trying to conserve my rare 1936 Yugo Model 1924 Mauser without damaging the War effects of the soldiers. (Rare because it was seized by Germans in 1941, sent back to Germany to equip troops and ended up as a war prize to an American GI on surrender.) The "tank" boiling looks tricky but I think I can do. How did you treat the stock on that Gewehr 98? I'm planning to wash with TSP, then oiling with Tung followed by 0000 steel wool with beeswax/orange oil. (Finish we use in restoring antique furniture.)
Informative, entertaining and interesting... Perfect combo. Thoroughly enjoying your videos after discovering for the first time today. All the best from the UK.
Careful with that harsh spray and old plastic/wood/horn grips, look how it cooked the COLT part on that grip. It probably buffed out but itll melt some materials with a quickness and definitely any kind of paint finish. Ask me how I know.
My trade was repairing brass woodwind instruments. My partner had bought a new fine jeweling Hamer for dent work on brass. Make a long story short, a git salesman takes it and used it to drive small finishing nails. Totally ruined the finely polished case hardened hammer face with pit marks. He couldn't understand why we were pissed off?!?!
Yes it is. The thing it is *not* is the stuff sold at hardware stores as 'lamp oil'. If you cannot find kerosene at the usual places, visit a home heating oil supplier. Kerosene is their stock in trade and they will fill your containers for a decent price.
This stuff is GOLD. The discussion on screwdrivers and their proper fit applies to life in general because screws are ubiquitous, and screwed-up screws are just as prevalent. BRAVO, Mr. Novak.
For those who are working on cleaning up old buggered screws another way I've found to clean the slot is to use feeler gauges or shim stock wrapped tightly with 400 grit sandpaper. You can add or remove gauges to get the thickness of the slot right and get everything nice and square. As much as I've learned over time hobby gunsmithing and now moving into professional gunsmithing there's always little tricks and tips to learn from watching your videos. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge.
Just tried this in the shop. Great idea, thanks
@@marknovak8255 glad you liked the idea. I can't count how many various uses I've gotten from 10 cent garage sale feeler gauge sets.
I resorted to using the spine of a very fine jigsaw blade sandwiched with 400 grit. I just cleaned up 2 banged up screws that came with my CMP 1911a1. 90% better. Thanks!
I've now done a couple rust conversions myself and boy is it satisfying when I go down to card and original blue is there to greet me.
I'll tell you what... its EXTREMELY nerve racking to tear down a rather nice milsurp (the first rifle I've ever taken apart was my 1943 Type 99 Arisaka). But once you get the rifle torn apart and learn how it works and pay attention to all these little tricks Mark is talking about (again.. these aren't tutorials, I went into my Arisaka knowing damn well any mistake was my fault and my fault alone) you get a newfound respect for these old gats and boy.. that Arisaka came out BEAUTIFULLY.
GREAT INFORMATION....It gave my the confidence to tackle a Type 99 that my father brought back and gifted to my uncle in 1945. He let it sit in his attic in northern Maine until my cousin sold off his dad's house in 2015 and found the rifle. He returned it to me. Getting it apart was a bit of an adventure. Boiling the small parts several times before carding and kerosene produced a good result. Boiling the stripped barreled action in a DIY gutter tank on our kitchen gas stove. I made a Bubba lid for the tank with another section of gutter. This helped keep the water boiling vigorously. Thank you Mark and the rest of the Anvil crew!
PBS should get Mr. Novak to do a series. I'd rather watch gunsmithing than golf or something.
New Yankee wood shop and Mark Novak would be all I watch
I agree, British TV is nothing but propaganda news and useless reality shows for stupid people, RUclips is where real entertainment is for me now
I listen to golf on TV while maintenancing my firearms works for me.
I just finished conserving a model 37 Ithaca using steam. The gun was a mass of rust and pits. After some filing, polishing, and rust bluing, the old gal looks real good. Thanks Mark you showed me how to do this, and it all makes sense.
GREAT
No the pleasure was watching you do your work....My hat is off you sir.....l have done some of this years ago l am 77 years old now......Thanks very much...!
Diesel #1 is kerosene. Diesel number 2 has more paraffin in it. They are used in big tucks. #2 in summer the parrafin lubricates the injectors and injection pump. #1 is used primarily in winter due to the tendency of the paraffin to clomp starting at about 27 degrees Fahrenheit and becoming more severe as the temperature drops way below zero. Fuel heaters are used on the trucks to help combat this.
I work with period furniture and the conservation end is interesting, especially in comparison to what you discuss here. For collectors "patina" is whatever it looks like as long as it has never been refinished. No matter how bad, how dirty, the finish is, if you do anything to it, it pretty much looses all value to collectors. Also museums will only allow repairs that can be undone, and are super obvious that they are repairs and not original. They want it done in such a way that the repair can be reverted back to the un-repaired state. This mostly comes up in upholstery where they will put an upholstered piece of hard foam on top just to make it look presentable but all the original stuff is underneath, all done without adding in any new tacks.
Well I have two 1944 dodges, a WC51 and a WC54, both were in Norway through the 1950's to 1960's, and the WC54 was rebuilt by the US in Germany in 1954. I have the day the chassis were built from the Chrysler Museum. I have owned them some 20 odd years and serviced them, they both run beatuifully. So what is original?
YES. So glad to have found this channel and that this guy exhists in the world today. Thank you.
For a amateur gunsmith these videos are gold!
I've watched this video three times in the past 24 hours. Thanks for the hints. I just ordered myself a jewelers bench block and a good hammer to fix some buggered screws on an smle no1 mk3 I just picked up.
I can relate. Have fun
Ditto
Added to my list
Thanks Mark. That was a pleasure. I now own a carding wheel and brush from Brownell's.
As a cabinetmaker my 2oz. and 4oz. ball pen hammers are polished for the very same reason. As well screw drivers have to have straight sides even in furniture work. There have been many a time that screw heads have been destroyed by V shaped screw drivers. Good conservation practices apply to a lot of different trades. Thank you for this episode on conservation.
My favourite cooking show. Thank you sir.
I really like his videos. Super informative and I’m not sure if I’m just old school but how his shop is set up and the tone makes it feel old school. I like that. Reminds me of shows when I was a kid. Keep these vids just the way they are. Awesome. 👍👍👍
Folks must be getting older when they look at the shop as an organized, well equipped place... and other folks are referring to it as 'old school'...
John Doe never said the shop was organized or disorganized. The meaning was it has the feel of an old school program. I think it’s awesome.
@@notjoecheez1 I gathered the same from your observations from the outset. Very tranquil and easy environment!
Seeing that Colt's come back from what amounted to "the brink" made me feel better about the future of the universe as we know it. I recall seeing .32-20s in NRA good/very good, excellent, and even like new conditions back in the 1970s when many Police Departments were dumping such revolvers on the market along with Smith & Wesson models in calibers ranging from .32 to .38. Many of those old guns had been locked away for decades in arms rooms and it was only when the departments wanted to purchase .357s for the "troops" that the old Colt's and S&Ws were used as "trading material". As a freshly commissioned LEO I passed on purchasing even one of those fine revolvers because they were "old and weak".....Now that I'm old, tired, wore out, weak, and retired I dearly wish I had purchased at least one of each when they were available for as little as $50.00 for a "good" to maybe $125.00 for an "excellent" to "like new" example. Excellent video as usual! Keep 'em comin'!!!
I was lucky enough to inherit 6 S&W K frames from my father, he bought them from the Kansas City PD years ago. It is kinda interesting, in the days of buying Thomsons from a catalog, when there were full auto shootouts regularly, a six shot revolver was a perfectly useable sidearm. But now Every podunk PD is armed with 18 shot "wonder nines" and they are still claiming they are "outgunned." I think today's LEOs could take a long lesson from John Henry Fitz Gerald, or Frank Hamer. I carry a Colt New Army modified into a modern interpretation of a "Fitz Special" (tuned, polished action, snub barrel, but I did leave the trigger guard intact) and with a speed loader in my pocket, I feel like I am ready for whatever comes my way in a dark alley. Shooting a wheelgun forces you to slow down and stop dumping ammo. These modern plastic pistols are the reason you read about officers firing 70 or 80 times at a suspect. Police officers firing that many times at a single target in an urban setting is inexcusable. If they are shooting that many times, they should have fallen back and grabbed a carbine so they could actually hit their target. But anyway...that rant aside, my father paid 200$ for all six of the S&Ws and could have bought 18 more at the time. To bad those days are over, I'm not sure what departments do with their unwanted firearms these days, but I don't think they have "garage sales" where they sell off old guns anymore.
@@jacktheaviator4938 they sell them off to dealers. You can find them all over the place online. Aimsurplus, jg sales, classic firearms, ect. At discount prices. Most of them are in .40 cal though. Some in 9mm, and every so often you'll see one in .45 come up.
My friend bought a 1940 Ithaca Model 37 with the intent of "restoring" it. I stopped him about halfway when he had stripped all the bluing off and he had told me that he planned on cold bluing it using that nasty brush on stuff. I need to get the materials so I can properly rust blue it and save it from being messed up. Watching these videos has been really informative and I hope one day to be a gunsmith in some capacity.
Thanks for showing me the light Mark. I've shared this video countless times on facebook when People ask how to clean up a rusty old gun. A scary amount of people suggest electrolysis, and steel or brass wool(without boiling first). I am here to help fight the good fight against time and lack of knowledge. Thank you for your service to historical preservation sir! Gonna download all your good conservation videos just incase one day youtube decides that this content is not fit for their platform
I hate to be the voice of doom. But that day is coming. In order to protect us from ourselves and to eliminate unsuitable content, any and all content concerning firearms is likely to be eliminated from all venues online. Truthfully, I can see the day coming where any material concerning firearms, in any format, is going to be banned and only military, law enforcement and state licensed individuals will be allowed to purchase or possess firearms related materials. It will all be deemed as Restricted Materials. We are headed down that path and MUST do everything in our power to prevent it NOW !!! The time to fight these things is now, not once the anti gun zealots have latched onto a particular topic and corrupted the discussion with falsehoods, lies, fear mongering, celebrity's and big money. The second amendment is heavily under attack and the time to counter this, and do so with radical ideas and approaches of our own is now. So once again the question posed is " If not now, when ? If not me, who? "
@@bobgarr6246 I agree with you 1000% sir! I try to inform everyone I can about firearms, gun safety, the attack on our Constitution and especially our 2nd Amendment. I try to answer any questions they may have with good, honest info with proof/sources if at all possible. I also invite all of them to a range trip to learn about and fire a gun if they are willing, or only for them to observe if they don't feel comfortable shooting for any reason. After giving them as much info and knowledge that I can, and hopefully some experience shooting if I'm real lucky, I lay the truth on them: There's ONLY ONE REAL REASON that any person, or group, would want/attempt to take law abiding citizens firearms (even if they claim to only want to take CERTAIN firearms, because we know they are never satisfied) or make it hard for law abiding citizens to purchase, carry, store, or use firearms and/or ammunition. And that reason is, because they wish and/or plan to do things, bad things, that they know will cause good, law abiding people to shoot them! Plain and simple, no way around it!
do you happen to know which anvil episode it was that had a list near the end of the video of all the videos that disuss conversion process
@@crazychicken7125 i screenshotted it, 013, 035, 036, 049, 055, 064
@@MrJerry160 thanks
In England kerosene is called paraffin, in France is combustible fuel, ie for a small heater.
What is paraffin wax called in england? Or does adding 'wax' at the end differentiate it enough?
@@TheCheesyBanana you've answered the question!
Too bad it can't really be used to conserve and own firearms in those 2 countries.....you know, because British and French subjects, I mean citizens, aren't trusted by their governments to own such dangerous killing machines, and they must be protected from themselves! Unless you're a criminal, then you can have as many guns as you wish and can illegally afford!
@@logancurl9526 tbh in Britain guns are rare even in the criminal's hands. In France hunting is common, so are shooting clubs. In our hamlet of 15 houses in rural France I think half have rifles /shotguns, not sure about pistols.
Using the wrong screwdriver not only buggers the screw slot but can produce a nasty scratch when it slips out under pressure and skitters across the surrounding metal or wood surface.
Mark, please do a video on the stock maintenance. How do I remove years of gun oil and mung without removing the original oil finish? Many have said lacquer thinner, mineral sprits, but I would like to hear your thoughts and maybe a possible video. Also how do you remove that polyurethane finish Bubba applied to your milsurp.
I Also would like to know the answers to such questions!
Yeah, I DO need to do that one. Arrrggghhh
Remove polyurethane with paint stripper made for polyurethane. Takes off the urethane without damaging the wood.
Been messing with guns about 45 years now but i learn something from Mark on every video. Id hop down to South Carolina and drop off an old LeFever Nitro Special 12 gauge double if it wasnt so much fun to try myself. The gutter tank tip is pure gold.
Great video Mark! Some of these techniques are what I would assume to be common sense but some people don’t think the way we do so very important to share this information in such an easy to understand way.
Dude you could teach a gunsmith class and this would be graduate school level knowledge, thanks for showing us for free. Happy thanksgiving
Mark I absolutely love your channel! I cannot thank you enough for sharing your thoughts and knowledge!!! You Sir are an American 🇺🇸 Classic!!!
You are a hero for saving the Guns you work on, and helping others do the same. 🇸🇪🤝🇺🇸
I used an old bolt together Craftsman table saw stand and mounted 3 lengths of 3/4" black pipe with "gas flame" holes drilled every 1/4" the length of it, then mounted 3 stainless steel Salmon cooking pots, one over each pipe, as a gun parts cooker.
1 is for boiling hot water rinse, 1 is for a hot degreaser solution, and the 3rd is for the parkerizing solution, each one individually set to run off one BBQ propane tank.
Bought a cop auction "Colt .38" Turned out to be a New Army, .38 Long. needed a new hand and spring (missing) and a broken trigger return spring. Replaced them both but having an issue finding ammo. it's loose as a goose, I assume it's been shot with Specials. I figure it'd be a good candidate for finish conservation. Tightening it back up is something for a smith I can't afford, I assume.
Shims may still be available and are actually quite cheap. You may need some other small parts which can also be cheap but if you do it all yourself you will have lots of “useless” left over bits. Maybe check out some community channels or trade sites as you may be able to pick up someone else’s leftovers which may complete you gun. (Hand fitting means that their gun was probably out of spec in a different way then yours so their left overs may be good for you.
I went crazy trying to find a Grobet 16.463 “4 Row” wheel, as mentioned in the video. There IS a 16.463 6 Row wheel. When I screen shot the video and zoomed in, the box label for the Grobet (39:31) actually says it is a “6 row” wheel. Whew! Now to order one!
I like how you refurbished the little screws , i learn something every time i watch your program .Thanks !
Thankyou kindly for the info Mr Carbon lifeform.
Thank you very much for your insight, experience, and knowledge being provided to us for free!
I am now in the process of removing years of "patina" from my great grandfather's serial numbers matching Stevens 335 12 gauge side by side using this boiling method. I am amazed that the barrels still ring like a bell! I am looking forward to seeing the end result and bringing my family's heirloom back from the dead.
Thank you, Mr. Novak. Please keep up the amazing content.
What a delight that was to watch! Thanks very much Mark Novak. For any other Brits watching kerosene is paraffin/lamp oil.
Lamp Oil frequently has additives like fragrances in the US. I’m sure The UK and EU have something like our MSDS aka Material Safety Data Sheets that will tell you what a particular brand of lamp oil contains.
Another comment on this video stated in the US winter formula Diesel /Heating Oil is Kerosene while summer formula includes paraffin to decrease engine wear.
Jet A is jet engine fuel and should be available to purchase at smaller airfields that service business jet and turbo-props(jet connected to propeller).
Good luck!
An excellent explanation of the need for , and the distinguishing characteristics of, the proper tools for working on guns. This is especially relevant on RUclips where many tasks are performed using roofing hammers and Walmart screwdrivers!
This is probably the most important episode for the novel enthusiast.
A lack of maintenance becomes "patina" when you are selling a rusty gun!
So glad I have never worked on anything with collector value.... Looks nervously at the bead blaster.
I had to use one on a WW2 1903 Springfield by remington that at some point every metal part was chromed from muzzle too butt plate. And it was flaking off like crazy. now its getting cerakoting because no one near me knows how to parkeriz a gun
That must have been a parade rifle
@@donmurrin5269 probably but have no solid proof of it the bid house said it was a Baltimore ravens parade rifle but that there word with no paperwork or raven logos on it what so ever
That "box o' parts" sequence was a trip down memory lane...
Excellent restoration class. I like to restore parts by hand, including a pressure carbine for sport shooting. There are some videos on my channel showing my process.
I found the way it restored the screw heads and the way it eliminated the red corrosion spectacular.
My greeting!👏👏👏👏
Thank You
@@marknovak8255 One more subscriber.
Love watching you 55min long awesome keep it up Mark. Learning a lot from you ...
Woo boy. Glad I finally sat down and watched this. I'm trying to figure out how to stop the rust and pitting on my Martini-Henry (yes, pitting, it's one of those Nepalese Martini-Henry's). None of it is deeper than the rear sight dovetail and I'd like it to stay that way.
And without destroying the finish that is decently present everywhere else.
This video is immensely helpful.
I have the same issue on a mp40, I knew about using fine steel wool 0000 with vaseline oil, but not boiling the pieces with water before to convert the red oxyde into black oxyde
much to learn before trying
Mark, Thank You - Stay Safe, Stay Strong - God Bless
I saw this video back when it first posted, but I'm watching again just to hear Mark say 'patina' with disgust and malice
Completely strip the slide, boil, then card with 0000 steel wool. Cure in non detergent motor oil, reassemble.
I love videos like this. Thanks Mark.
I actually enjoy fixing boogered up screw heads.
I just tried this today on a buddies colt huntsman his dad gave him before he died. It turned out great. Thanks for the how to. You made my buds day. His dads birthday would have been yesterday so it was pretty cool.
Mark Novak @33:50 "Don't use one o' your mom's pots..."
Some time later: "Why does this spaghetti sauce taste like Hoppe's No. 9?"
Fun fact. The Gewehr 98 mark did in this video was sold on gunbroker for just over 1900.
(Sold around November to December 2019)
It would be interesting to follow that ‘98 through its future movements. It would also be interesting to determine the effect a legitimate conservation has on the value of a collectible, all other things being equal.
Who knows how many guns have been saved by this and other tutorials you have provided. Ave Mark, the Restorether!
I'm glad you reposted this one! I hope it reaches more people and can save at least one gun.
On the screws, the hacksaw tech is pretty cool. I've never done them that way but a decent set of swedish needle files can be had for about 40 bucks and work well. You can buy cheaper sets but why have to buy a tool a half dozen times.
I have a 5 digit serial number Mauser 98 that is mostly matching numbers. I've done some work on it but I'm at a point of making decisions. I have made it safely operational (it did function but had excess wear on the safety, making it dangerous). It is my rifle and I haven't decided where I'm going yet. The rear sight blade, I believe, was replaced at some point in it's life. It has a swastika on the underside that is about 35 years after the rifle was made, unless an old rifle had that added to it in the 30s.
Great video! Take Care and be safe, John
This video has just prevented me ruining a very old air pistol Well made & edited
The first time I watched this I noticed you bump the shaft on the buffer at 43:00. I caught it this time too, outstanding!
If forgotten weapons is the antique roadshow of guns, Mark’s got to be the bob ross.
I’d say he’s more like Bob Villa, but the show would be “This Old Gun”
This was awesome. I do this for peaple but with about an 1/8 of your knowledge and skills. Thanks for your generosity.
Once you take the parts from the kerosene, do just wipe it down and reassemble? You said not to use gun oil. Not sure what process you follow after you remove from kerosene.
Wipe it down, blow out kerosene, oil with a non detergent (lawnmower) oil. Only necessary to use non detergent oil the first time, after a few days the finish will "harden up" and after that any gun oil will be just fine.
Has a fully equipped shop, presumably with a chop or band saw. Cuts metal gutter with shears in longer time than changing a blade would take... :)
"Harry Homeowner store" Someone has been to Hechingers before. I worked there out of high school and not heard that in a few decades.
I took an old scuba pony tank, cut the top off and use it on the stove! I have a stove / range in my shop. The oven works great for larger cerakote. Big toaster ovens work good to for small stuff.
that is very cool, I welded two old C02 tanks together to the same effect and just run on a modified propane burner.
Mark, what's that brand of that neat little spring-loaded pot you've got? Is it something still for sale, somewhere?
I too would like one!
Im wondering that too. Currently still trying to find it.
Search for a "bench can". The issue I've had is apparently a guy would have to make that cage that he uses to keep the dasher plate depressed to soak. I haven't found anything for that cage in my searching.
Just a Colt revolver… as I appreciate my Ruger Single Six lol. Thank you for the incredible wisdom and awesome inspiration.
so I saw a guy mention practicing on old axe heads, & I think I'm gonna go down to the local antique store and buy some old broke tools to do some practice with. then it's on to the firearms... the cheap ones I bought on GB first. the heirlooms...I'll see how the rest go first 😅
Mark. when I was im boot camp our Company Commander showed us how to clean our rifles that we had to use for drill. They were old WW1 Springfield rifles. We would take a large rubber pencil eraser to clean out weapons with. When you were finished the rifle looked like a mirror finish was applied to the metal. Have you ever heard of doing that?
Brak-Kleen works great for *almost* everything except gutta-percha (hard rubber) grips, it'll suck the black color right out of it and turn it more of a tan rubber color. Additionally, I have seen it melt the soft rubber base pad on a .45 magazine.
Wow... a krap ton of knowledge here
I just got a diamondback, circa 1968, and I'm trying to figure out which way to go. Thanks for showing me another way.
Amazing video. Just what I needed. It's a pleasure to learn from a master of their craft.
Having trouble obtaining all the relevant equipment. There's NO way I can afford those cigars!
Life IS too short for cheap booze or cigars for sure
Currently going through the process of conserving a sentimental H. Pieper side-by-side shotgun. Two questions: 1. Any viable alternative for Acraglas? It's currently out of stock. 2. Tips on carding out the bore? Current plan is to use #0000 steel wool and push it through like a bore brush. Thanks so much for the great information.
I'm in the same acraglass bind as you are. Resin shortage, commy byproduct I guess. 0000 on brush, or just the brush, both work
Man I would work free just to learn from Mark..
That’s how it used to be done. You got room and board and were free labour but you also got to learn under a master. Now you go into debt for 20 years at a school and learn about 1/2 of what you need to know and get paid just enough to keep the debt collectors at bay. And just for fun, school loans can’t receive bankruptcy protection.
I think neglect becomes "patina" when it is convenient as an excuse to hang expensive old stuff on the wall and not really caring about it as more than decoration.
Then again, to be fair, most of the items that have decay and neglect related damages over time began having those problems in a time before there was historical value associated with the item. How many crummy AR-15s do you guys think are currently rotting away in closets, or will be found by frustrated collectors fifty years from now? Probably more than we'd like to admit.
Many thanks from France ! your videos are such great !
Jet-A is kerosene, purchase it at your local airport if you have problems finding kerosene. Or if you don’t want to pay $11 bucks a gallon for it at HomeDepot.
I have used diesel fuel in a pinch. But the smell is MUCH worse. I would recommend using it outside, or else your workspace will smell like a truck stop park lot for a couple weeks
I work at an airport and 200% they WILL NOT sell you kerosene. Not today anyway.
You may be able to find kerosene in the form of Zippo lighter fluid maybe, worst case order it baby
@@xxIONBOMBxx I’ve never been to an airport that was not happy to overcharge me for any fuel.
Well I just learned a bunch of stuff I didn't know and can go and fix a lot of things I've done wrong. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the info, following your method, I was able to fully conserve my 1917 Colt 1911
Outstanding. Keep doing that.........
@@marknovak8255 To me it seems like converting red oxide to black oxide is just rust bluing without adding the new layers of rust. To then say that conversion is NOT bluing seems disingenuous. That said, I am all for rebluing any rifle, I personally would not hesitate to reblue General Custer's .50 cal rifle from the little big horn, if I owned it. Looking at a historically correct turd is not my thing.
@@hardr0ck68 ok, bubba
1905 hand ejector. The butt was so rusted. The layers of rust stacked against the wood grips and split one of the grip panels. The estuchions and screw had fused. The screw,
torque/ twisted in two. However there are places the original bluing is present.
The hammer spring actually was fractured in two. Replacing it , proved the action was operative. I've decided to treat this old gat with humility and respect. It is odd how the butt and side plate appear to have been torture tested.
While the deep original bluing. In other areas. Are so rich and still elegant.
I have need of escutcheons and screw.
For the bone grips I'll fashion. To adorn
what I find to be a historical gem.
Certainly worthy of a little TLC.
Thanks again Mark for your patient tutelage and candor. BravoZulu.
I have a Iver Johnson break-top in 38S&W. Ruff is an under statement. Someone had gouged their initials in the side plate and someone else had used an abrasive to try and remove the initials. The plan was to make it safe to shoot. But it has so abused over the years I want to clean up the worst but I'm not sure I can. I'm trying to remove a burr down in the the ejector that stops the the casings/star from extending and ejecting the casings. Thing 15 wrong with it. 😁
It has no historical or monetary value so a little of anything goes has creeped in. Is that a bad thing in this instance?
Thank you so much for these videos and the amount of time you put into them . I have my Gunsmithing certificate and on line courses compaired to real life there is nothing close to it. Showing a lot that they never really touched on . Thanks again
I am blown away by the boiling technique. Gonna try that on my SMLE! Thanks Mark.
well, I boiled my SMLE metal parts in water for 45 minutes to an hour and followed Mark's instructions, and I am so blown away and HAPPY that I did. It is amazing to 1: see how much crud came off the pieces (dirt, oil, cosmoline, and RUST) and when I used 0000 bronze wool and gun oil, the rust came off, and 2: the finish came back out and the surface rust was gone. This baby is going to pass inspection from a platoon sergeant by golly! I am amazed. A bonus is I get to use my camp chef burner for something else besides tailgating at FB and Lacrosse games! Thanks Mark.
@@wolfpack4694 Good report, will be following up on my milsurp
You are very informative and a huge educator, love the content and the learning value of your vids! One of my favorite channels, glad I found you.
Found this just in time. Got a Colt .32 police positive that needs some serious maintenance. Thanks!
Mark, thank you for this!
This is the most important video you have made. I have a question, though. You stress the importance of cleaning the oil out of your carding disk and the steel wool. If the metal has been cleaned and boiled and the next step would be to soak in kerosene, what is the danger of the oil in the carding material?
Card first, kero next
Thanks for the information on boiling/kerosene treatment to convert/stop rust. I'm trying to conserve my rare 1936 Yugo Model 1924 Mauser without damaging the War effects of the soldiers. (Rare because it was seized by Germans in 1941, sent back to Germany to equip troops and ended up as a war prize to an American GI on surrender.) The "tank" boiling looks tricky but I think I can do. How did you treat the stock on that Gewehr 98? I'm planning to wash with TSP, then oiling with Tung followed by 0000 steel wool with beeswax/orange oil. (Finish we use in restoring antique furniture.)
7:20 Oh man, I've been looking for a good PMOOGIIDD for ages now. That stuff is expensive as hell.
Extremely instructive. Thank you
mark . thank you so much for putting this out there and taking the time for us to learn from you :)
@Mark Novak What's the next step after kerosene, if not going any further?
Regular gun oil, resume regular maintenance
@@marknovak8255 Thanks!
Informative, entertaining and interesting... Perfect combo. Thoroughly enjoying your videos after discovering for the first time today. All the best from the UK.
Careful with that harsh spray and old plastic/wood/horn grips, look how it cooked the COLT part on that grip. It probably buffed out but itll melt some materials with a quickness and definitely any kind of paint finish. Ask me how I know.
Yeahhhhh, that's the good stuff. Keep it coming Mark!!
My trade was repairing brass woodwind instruments. My partner had bought a new fine jeweling Hamer for dent work on brass. Make a long story short, a git salesman takes it and used it to drive small finishing nails. Totally ruined the finely polished case hardened hammer face with pit marks. He couldn't understand why we were pissed off?!?!
A good way to describe that Brownell's parallel sided screwdriver bit would be "hollow ground."
Damn that’s a good episode Mr. Novak! Thanks!
Just want to say Kudos to you and your team Mark!!! Great topics and great firearms!!Keep those videos coming!!! Huge Fan!!!👍👍👍👍👍
Dumb question but the kerosene you're using is the same stuff you use in old lamps?
Yes it is. The thing it is *not* is the stuff sold at hardware stores as 'lamp oil'. If you cannot find kerosene at the usual places, visit a home heating oil supplier. Kerosene is their stock in trade and they will fill your containers for a decent price.
thank you for your knowledge, I will be conserving my .32 FN1910 this winter
The man knows his shit. Cheers all around sir.
I have a SMLE that i will be conserving soon. The stock has oil saturation could you do an anvil on how to deal with it. Its walnut but it looks black
I just love your videos. I am learning so much.
Excellent video Mark. Thanks for your efforts to educate us on these important points.