doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com IS IT DANGEROUS TO SHOOT OLD ENGLISH GUNS?

Go away ed

"Da Edster" actually raises a fair to Midlands question here- let's all go back to HS Chem 101 and get 'fluxed"--

Acid and rosin based are the two main fluxing elements du jour-- We can eliminate rosin flux, it is for electronic. Acid based fluxes are the stronger flux, most contain H2SO4 acids-- but a paste variant also has traces of zinc chloride. This is good for "wetting' the areas to be soldered. But taces of the acid can often remain, trying to corrode the metal surfaces it was used to join. Flux acts as a "wetting agent" and causes flow of solder under applied heat and pressure.

"Wetting action" is a bit akin to dissolving-- like follows like in both chemistry and also metallurgy. Now to the question our "friend?" Eddie Da Torch raised- I do not know. I know my 90 year old American side-by-sides have their barrels still solid to the ribs and keels-just as I know that hot salts tank rebluing of soldered barrel assemblies is the "kiss of death"--

I've watched Holland and Holland join barrels with plain pine rosin which was kept in a plate at the soldering work area. The large chunks of rosin are cracked into a finer powder as needed and sprinkled on the joint as the soldering progresses. They are using pure rosin straight from the tree today, did they use something more elaborate 120 years ago? Pure rosin is the least acidic flux that can be used.

Well there you have it, plain and simple. We can go back to ignoring Ed- those clever Limeys figured out how to flux the solder w/o acid-- so his rhetorical question is therefore, asked and answered. Life is indeed good.

Assuming the old Edster was/is using an oxy-aceteylene torch to "Nuke" his for sale doubles, maybe his wings will be clipped a bit, as that fuel gas is in very short supply and the price has gone up to reflect that- In our shop, we use Miller lazer torches that use compressed air to cut metals, or abrashive chop saws for channel and fab steels- and we have a rosebud set-up with oxygen and propane for heating if needed.

fox: glad you are havin such a good time here. sounds like you need to let go more often...

This Thursday I am going to chase some Ruffed Grouse in lower Michigan with my 105 year old English gun. I expect the Grouse will think it is quite dangerous.

Well now thankee Ed-and went I want to really "let go" I head for Sully's, and forgo the Guinness, Killians and/or Bushmills- and order up a house specialty-- the famed "Messy-Bessie"-- Vodka and prune juice, shaken not stirred- works like a charm--

A few years back we re-did the bathrooms over Xmas Holidays for Sully- the Tavern isn't the oldest registered Irish pub in MI-- that would be Shiel's in Hubbardston- 1915, but this one was built in 1934-- older fixtures of course and 2-0 doors on both the gents and the Ladies rooms- While we were doing the tear-out, Sully took over the bar and grille, and mentioned at lunchtime that he'd like to see his servers- "more on their toes"- Ay, sure and that's an easy fix now, Sully" replied my friend Tommy- when we install the new urinals we'll raise them up 10" higher than the old ones were- that'll do the trick--

Keep on flamin' them parkers, Ed- 6000 degress F at the tip of a neutral flame, whether a welding tip, cutting attachment or the Rosebud- and please tell you use a made in the US of A Victor torch set- the Cadillac of torches--IMO!!!

fox: go boy go! let hit awl out....erin go bragh! i am wid you in sprit....

I wish this crowd would quit insulting the horse. after all it was the star of the TV series. i guess you could refer to the south end of a horse heeded north in goods case.

Actually there is a point here. I do a lot of stip and relays, it is surprising when you get the ribs off what the barrels are like in between . Most will have some rusting and pitting . It is not certain what was the original cause of this. It is also a fact that some comparatively modern guns have serious rust and pits. It is also a fact that some 100 plus year old guns have virtually no rust or pits at all. It has in my opinion to do with how well the ribs and barrels were tinned up before the ribs were soldered down and how long the ribs have been either loose or have had water get inside them ,as much as it has to do with the fluxes used in the actual soldering.
This runs true with guns of all makes and from different countries.
I think the point must be stressed that no gun maker built guns that were meant to last forever and the fact we are shooting guns that are 100 years old is testament to the skill and ability of those men.
But whether it is fair to say all old guns have rust pits under the ribs and are unsafe is a sweeping statement and is akin to saying all drivers are dangerous .