(Sheepishly: Yeah, i did it). I'm New to the forums & have been considering much about relative merits to originality. I duly appreciate originality in these (as in things like antique furnture or anything collectible), but there are limits and the grey lines in my head committed me to what you see in these pics. Here'r some before-after. I want to learn of and consider as many perspectives as possible on this because in the future I will surely face similar decisions.
As a new shooter & in having chosen & purchased 1927/28 field grade Ithaca NIDs, in 410,20,12, i decided to have the 20&12 reblacked/case hardened/wood refinished. The two receivers were, in my less-learned eyes, sorta kinda "in the white." They were also relatively very less expensive compared to the worn but very nice 410. Considering the 20&12 would be re-case colored i decided that I needed also to try to lift the wood back to better condition with refinish and recheckering (they seemed a bit rough, others might disagree, as in an earlier post where I pictured a pretty 'red' hued stock on the 20 and now shown below again). Refinish was w/ some Tru-Oil & my boiled linseed atop. Maybe I didn't need to have the wood done; I have seen some comments by others in regards to such that it would have been far better to have just left them alone. However i was determined to "match" the 20/12 to the nicer condition of the 410 (pictured as the bottom piece in the triplets shots). I know each shotgun ought be judged on its own merits and left to its own devices but as a personal "set" i just couldn't leave the two alone. Pics are unadulterated and w/out flash to be as natural as can be. Unfortunately, the 12 grew a top side cracking (from a craze) after patterning. Any suggestions on this are welcomed as well. Keep shooting and watch it, or get it stabilized asap?
I appreciate any thoughts particularly on if one decides to recolor/blue, if you should leave wood (described as 'okay') alone in order to keep its patina and time-wisened hue or must you go all the way?