Is the Galazan "Best London" Silvers pad solid? Can it be ground down? Galazan says it is 7/8" thick. I want to replace a thinner pad (crumbled with age) on a Lefever and would like a pad about 5/8" thick, possibly 3/4". Can I round the edges and grind it down to a thinner pad? Can it be antiqued to get rid of the bright orange? Any suggestions?
You may take some material off the Period Correct pad. However, a better alternative is the London Guns pad sold by Mark Beasland. It is thinner and has a curved face. Both grind well. Both will work. You will not get to 5/8" as the center hole in the Galazan pad will cause you problems. You are able to rou d the edges and there are many past posts on this forum about antiquing the pad.
Thanks very much for the suggestion.
OK, Richard, here it is, but only once. I need a favor so I am giving you everything you want. Griffin and Howe reproduction Silver pad, 56/64 thick at center. Hollow is about 24/64 deep. Real English Silver pad, 50/64 thick at center. Hollow is 24/64 deep. London Guns pad, 56/64 at center, but tapered to edge to about 42/64. Fortunately, the hollow is only 16/64 deep. The Griffin pad has 1/2 inch plugs. The original Silver pad has those ridiculous 44/64 plugs that mean only good on big guns. The London Guns pad has nice little 28/64 plugs, making it the most friendly for little guns. The London Guns pad also has a friendly 2 52/64 hole spacing. The Griffin and Silver pads have 3 1/4 spacing. Another good choice would be the NoShoc or Winchester 1922 pads which are identical except for the logos. They are absolutely solid and have small plugs and 3 1/8 hole spacing which makes them very friendly for small guns and cut guns. The logos can be ground off, the Winchester being easier to grind than the NoShoc. I have used them all and recommend them all for specific uses.
Richard, on rereading your post, this time I got your name right and recommend the Repro Winchester pad because it can be ground to any shape or thickness because it is solid.
You might consider the Pachmayr series of Old English. They come in 3 thicknesses, .6", .8" and 1.00". The radius is accomplished with mild heat. And they come in at least two colors. Black and brown.
I have an NOSHOK pad on one of my doubles missing the plugs. Any suggestions of what to make some replacement plugs with?
Thanks, Craig
Eightbore,
Good to know about the repro Winchester pad. Thanks.
Rich
Eightbore,
Do you have the measurements for the base plate thickness for each of these?
I am looking for one that more closely matches the original silvers which is on the order of 17/64ths thick, not the 3/16ths of the current manufacture.
Thanks, Fowlgunner.
Silver #3, 11/64. Griffin and Howe Repro Silver, 11/64. London Guns, 11/64. I do not own a Tony Repro to measure. On my Brown and Sharpe scale, one original Silver from 1917 measures 18/64. Good point. Why don't they make them like that? The old ones do look pretty elegant.
CraigF, I would look at a few old takeoff pads as a source of material and make the plus out of one of them. Color match my need a little touchup to get them to match but others have covered how to do that. Most gun shops have a box of old pads to rummage through. Also if you are patient I have found EBay is a good source for old pads, or parts in general, if you watch and wait. Now after I post this three member will find old pads and post them for free if you are lucky.
Craig: I think those pads are sort of a red/pink in color. You could cut a plug out of an eraser of the same color. You may need to use more than one thickness--use contact cement.
They still sell erasers at the office supply places. They are in the same dept. as the delete buttons. Gil
Craig, a while back I bought some plugs for these but cannot remember for sure where, probably Ebay. I think I bought extras, I'll check.
Does anybody know who stocks Silvers pads in the UK???