Antique Weaponry
Even though the UK is not known for its weaponry, it is known for its history, with a full range of historic weapons from these events. With many of these weapons now popular collectible items, we understand that collectors want to keep the history of their pieces, so we take the approach to rarely restore weapons to new condition. Keeping the characteristics that make the story of the weapon, we would only restore the damage that is considered beneficial (such as increasing the value & making it functional) for the item while preserving the rest of the piece.
Made up of multiple components, antique firearms such as shotguns and rifles have become a favourite for many collectors.
When handling some of the antique guns we work on, one of our procedures is to identify the type of gun the piece is. Determining if the firearm is a muzzleloader or a cartridge-firing firearm. The difference in these terms is that muzzleloaders are loaded by the muzzle (open end of the barrel), while cartridge-firing firearms shoot ammunition bullets. Furthermore, as the muzzleloader design dates to the 1600s, it makes these guns more favourable to be displayed for their history over functionality. On the other hand, the antique cartridge-firing guns that can date back to the 1800s are made with the same mechanisms as today’s firearms. With the safer and more reliable design, collectors of these prefer to use them for shooting. Considering this, it would affect how we approach restoring and preserving these items.
Able to carry repairs such as faulty ejectors to complete refurbishment, we have the gunsmithing experience to restore your antique firearms.
For those who collect blades instead of firearms, we also offer a range of restoration services. Unlike the mechanism of a firearm, a sword or knife is a lot more simplistic and to keep one conditioned requires looking after the metal that makes the blade. Common restoration work for swords focusses on the finish of the metal, such as:
- Removing rust & grease strains
- Repairing handles for a sturdy grip
- Refinishing brass components that have aged
- Extract old varnish that has become tainted.
With a couple of these harvesting the potential to ruin a blade if ignored, we would recommend getting your sword checked out if showing signs. An example of this is rust, especial the red toned active rust we see in many antique swords. Left untreated it would corrode away at the metal, resulting in permanent damage to the sword. A scenario that is completely avoided if treated early.
The precision to keep the functionality & beautiful finish of swords is especially important when it comes to military swords. Still used today in various events such as Remembrance Day ceremonies & parades, these blades still have a service to fulfill.
If you have any further questions about our sword & knife restoration services you can get in touch on our contact us page.
Years of expertise have led us to develop specialist techniques, enabling us to undertake many different types of restoration
