Buying A Used Heym Double Rifle - Any Advice?

[rookhawk]

Red alkanet?

Red Alkanet is completely correct. If you want more of a brown/red, soaking steel wool and iron shavings in a vial of vinegar for a month and then adding a bit of that to the oil is also very proper.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Thank you @Kevin Peacocke, etc. equally as beautiful .. I do like that shine a bit.

Where's Chris Sells???

I saw a small frame 450/400 in that shine with an elephant top lever. "Double Rifle Society" Facebook. Pretty wild ..

 

[Daniel Cary]

In prior times, I’ve had 88B best guns that had what I call “Italy’s worst” rather than London’s best finish. I immediately removed the pimp finish and put a London slacum and oil finish on them.

I now have an 88b deluxe (a mid grade gun) and it has a very mediocre matte finish. I’m going to build that one up to a London satin.

If you can use your gun stock as a signal mirror to call for help, it’s not a London finish.

I was under the impression the deluxe was quite an exquisite 88! I'm sure it is now, regardless ..

 

[Daniel Cary]

"Just a Heym, Enthusiast" equally as beautiful to the individual .. however, curious at least how its done.

"Their are two oil finishes available: gloss & matte. The former is more coats of the same oil(s) built up and polished to a gloss/shiny finish."

Cost: " Yes, more labor in the high-gloss finish."

 

[LimbNoMo]

Sad they defiled a nice .577ne with that buffalo engraving.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Sad they defiled a nice .577ne with that buffalo engraving.

"defiled"

I'm glad you brought that up. I kinda questioned it myself & really don't know much about engravings ..

 

[Daniel Cary]

"defiled"

I'm glad you brought that up. I kinda questioned it myself & really don't know much about engravings ..

If animals were more of a draw, this just looks like a good engraving.

 

[rookhawk]

"Just a Heym, Enthusiast" equally as beautiful to the individual .. however, curious at least how its done.

"Their are two oil finishes available: gloss & matte. The former is more coats of the same oil(s) built up and polished to a gloss/shiny finish."

Cost: " Yes, more labor in the high-gloss finish."

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In defense of the horrible bullino engraving, it’s actually way better than it appears. Someone wiped down the gun with an oil or solvent that rubbed away all the India ink. 30 seconds with ink and the Buffalo would look like a black and white photograph rather than like scratches.

 

[KJE81]

This on the other hand is probably not going to look any better even with new ink, guess it is some kind of etching rather than real engraving

 

[rookhawk]

This on the other hand is probably not going to look any better even with new ink, guess it is some kind of etching rather than real engraving

View attachment 679998

Electro pencil. Awful. I don’t understand why the Italians make such trash? Rather than terrible pseudo engraving, I think there guns would look a lot better if they’d go with the understated approach.

The 1980s Orvis O/Us built by Beretta (687 action type) are a good example where less is way more:

 

[Daniel Cary]

In defense of the horrible bullino engraving, it’s actually way better than it appears. Someone wiped down the gun with an oil or solvent that rubbed away all the India ink. 30 seconds with ink and the Buffalo would look like a black and white photograph rather than like scratches.

This is really interesting .. @rookhawk, there was an ink on that 89 that literally wiped off?

 

[rookhawk]

This is really interesting .. @rookhawk, there was an ink on that 89 that literally wiped off?

Any engraving that has depth has been inked. That’s how you get the detail. It’s easily wiped off by accident. It’s easy to reapply.

 

[Daniel Cary]

That seems ridiculous, that you can't wipe your gun down without rubbing off India Ink.

I know artists that like working with India Ink, fine outlines, nice colors, real thin, etc. May be different for engraving.

 

[rookhawk]

That seems ridiculous, that you can't wipe your gun down without rubbing off India Ink.

I know artists that like working with India Ink, fine outlines, nice colors, real thin, etc. May be different for engraving.

Best guns use India ink, junk guns use paint.

Junk guns may cost $20,000, but still junk.

Remember when new, vintage guns were case colored and the engraving protruded at a microscopic level and darkened, thus a contrast with the case colors.

When those guns faded out, people would ink the “worn bright” finish with ink to give it contrast yet again.

In modern times, people thought coin finish was a good thing or an authentic thing and it’s become a trend. A trend that is goofy? Yeah, because we’re making new guns that look like worn out guns, but that’s what it is.

Thus, they use India Ink to contrast the engraving. If you look at the buffalo photo closely above you’ll see the right ear and horn still have a touch of ink on them. I’d have the contrast back in ten minutes with ink. Naturally, certain gun oils dissolve India ink more than others and with continued wiping with an oily cloth all the ink is gone once more.

Don’t hate the messenger, just telling you how it was and how it is.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Best guns use India ink, junk guns use paint.

Junk guns may cost $20,000, but still junk.

Remember when new, vintage guns were case colored and the engraving protruded at a microscopic level and darkened, thus a contrast with the case colors.

When those guns faded out, people would ink the “worn bright” finish with ink to give it contrast yet again.

In modern times, people thought coin finish was a good thing or an authentic thing and it’s become a trend. A trend that is goofy? Yeah, because we’re making new guns that look like worn out guns, but that’s what it is.

Thus, they use India Ink to contrast the engraving. If you look at the buffalo photo closely above you’ll see the right ear and horn still have a touch of ink on them. I’d have the contrast back in ten minutes with ink. Naturally, certain gun oils dissolve India ink more than others and with continued wiping with an oily cloth all the ink is gone once more.

Don’t hate the messenger, just telling you how it was and how it is.

.. I did not know that! Really Interesting.

After reading, I shared this with a friend. It prompt us to look again at Jim Corbett's story.