doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Silver's pad color?

I'm getting ready to put a Silver's pad on an 1895 W & C Scott and could use some help getting the right color pad. The look that I think I'm after is something like this:



I ordered this one from Galazan:



Here's their side image of the same pad, which clearly looks orange to me.



But what I got, looks more like this:



and anyone would be hard pressed to see an orange in it. Galazan also offers this one, which they call the Silver's #3 Red:



Colors are tough to sort out on the web, but the one they sent me is much darker than that. All of Galazan's pads are claimed to be the proper pre-war color, regardless of which color they show. What is the pre-war color? I may have to order directly from Silver's. Can anyone sort these color issues out for me? What should the Best London Orange pad look like? Is that the right pad for a late 19th century gun?

Thanks,
Mike

Orange if I remember correctly.

English finisher David Sinnerton tells me the original color/composition of the Silver's Pad has changed in recent years. You may be out of luck ...but good luck anyhow. Maybe Salopian or Diggory can offer more advice.

It's hard to judge colors on a computer screen, but the pad you are trying to match looks like it has aged a bit, and that will darken the color. Tony once told me that the best way to mellow the color of a new orange Silvers or repro pad is to coat it with Vaseline and then buff on a cotton wheel. Some guys use varnish or motor oil to get the look.

If I remember correctly, there are a couple of different colors S.W. Silvers offers, one is "brick red" and that looks like what you have, the other color being "London Orange". I think the Griffen and Howe repro pad is pretty close to the original "London Orange". The other advice is right on too, smear it with vaseline, use it...smear more vaseline, use it somemore and you'll have that shiny look and texture along with that dirty orange color everyone seems to enjoy.

Dustin

The Griffin and Howe pad looks pretty orange when new but ages nicely into a brick red when used or artificially aged with dirty motor oil. I have not had to artificially age mine to get the look. I started using that pad in 1986 and still prefer it to all others except the original Silver. The original Silver has enormous plugs and is not preferred for small guns. Tony's #3 pictured looks suspiciously like the G&H pad, color and all.

Thanks guys, this is very helpful. Yes, that dirty orange color is what I want. I'll use those tricks for getting there.

Vic, if the colors have changed in recent years, that would go a long way in explaining the variations I've seen.

Thanks for the Griffin and Howe suggestions. I was not aware of that version. Is the Griffin and Howe pad predrilled? They have drawing, but I couldn't find a picture. One benefit of the original Silver's pad for me is that the screw holes aren't pre-drilled. I would like to use my guns original screw holes, which are 3" apart. Now that you mention it, the plugs do look smaller on the #3 pad Tony offers.

Has anyone ordered a London Orange pad directly through Kynoch recently?

-Mike

Mike
I have two older Silvers Pads still in the bags. I could send you some pics of them if you want one.

They are quite hard though.

Regards, Gordon

Hi Gordon, Sure, send me the pics. You have my e-mail. I'm okay with the hardness. Thanks for the offer.

-Mike