another " On the bench" thread..
 

Been a while since I have posted anything, not that I have been sleeping at all. This one was found in WWI in France in a haystack and brought back by the clients GGrand daddy. It was a wreck.. so I had my way with it. No makers marks. Only german proof marks.

Before..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562601.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562620.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562648.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562679.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562697.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562719.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562767.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562789.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562831.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562850.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562868.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562895.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562909.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562925.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377562939.jpg

after......

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563254.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563280.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563329.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563353.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563381.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563430.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563454.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563483.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563537.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563565.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377563590.jpg


Interesting seeing it in time compressed. Took about 6 weeks of work.

So not a 30 minute job with some WD40 and a paper towel.

There are times I wish that would be so...

Nicely done.

thank you..

you're going to leave your thumb out of this job, right?

WOW... Nice work. I like the level of natural age. It would be so easy to make the mistake of going to far.

How do you know when to stop?

(the barrel is especially beautiful)

Todd that accident did make me really gun shy. I haven't test fired anything in weeks.
Peter, you just have to look at it and know when to say when. These guns are art now and that being said, need to be presented with a certain amount of patina to tell their life story. Now a restoration on a vintage gun that would be used as a shooter would be different, it has to be perfect and as close to new as I can get without destroying some of it's character.

NICE Hostas!

The gun is pretty good too....(wink).

Good to hear from you David! :)

Another awesome job my friend.

David, first, I'm glad you're alright. You've not posted much in a while, and now I hear stories of thumb injuries! Be careful down there!

Second, I was really hoping that we were going to get to see the 'after' - in fact, I was just thinking about this very weapon the other day, and hoping for some progress! Thanks!

Third, ooh! La-La! She eez mos' beeootiful, no? It almost looks like you just wiped it down with three in one! We all know better, but therein lies the beauty of your level of craftsmanship!

As always, thanks so much for sharing!

yeah I was test firing SXS and carelessly had my thumb behind the top lever. The recoil set the lever back deep into my thumb. Six stitches, then a staph infection. It was ugly. I'm like to still have the thumb. It's almost healed now after 6 weeks. Still sensitive so I work with it bandaged still. Thank you for the high compliments. Look at my other post on the mystery German two barrel gun. It's stunning!

This to this, and a fragile inlay remains intact! Nice stuff!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1377570042.jpg

I thought of you when they were in full bloom surrounding the house.

Yeah it's good to be here...hell at my age it's good to be anywhere.

yeah I held my breath on all the gold wire stuff. Too bad I couldn't fix that area where it's worn off. Beyond my skill level.

Ha...copy that sir....:p