Some better pics of one i posted erlier, someone attempt at a SA Marine i believe? unsure if Gaurds and fittings are plated or if it is discoloring from the heaps of laquer all over it? Was a pretty nice early Dagger before being messed with. Looking for any and all opionions on if this finish can be removed and if so, how? or am i better off just leaving it alone?
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Sa
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Sa
some moreComment
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Sa
last oneComment
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Hello,
If you are happy with it the way it is (and I suspect you are not otherwise you would not be asking about restoration) then I think you should leave it as it is. If not, then sell it.
Unless you are quite comfortable working with chemical strippers, wood, daggers in general and SA in particular, the chances of you doing more harm that good are sufficiently high as to warrant leaving it alone.
Regards,
StuComment
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Your dagger has been "bubba-ed" and several different procedures might have to be used just to get that high gloss finish off the grip and fittings. If it's polyurathane, a common material for a bubba to use, I'd try a good quality paint stripper on the dagger grip plus fittings after disassembly of course.
The scabbard is a different matter and you should try to preserve what's left of the "anodizing" beneath the current finish. I's try some 4/0 steel wool dipped in acetone and go very carefully.
It looks like this may be a decent dagger underneath all that goop.
Good luck!
JimComment
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I agree with Stu . Theres a good chance youll make matters worse by stripping the lacquer . JMOComment
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And please tell us how you can "make matters worse" by stripping this crap off?Originally posted by Craig H View Post
JimComment
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IF this was mine, I might take the challenge but, thats me. the chemical can possibly soak into the wood =swelling in some areas more than others = splitting the wood. then you'll have to buy another grip. really depends on what was used. plus dealing with this stuff on & around the eagle & sa logo.
might try a Q-tip with some acetone on it , rub lightly & see what ,if anything shows up on the q-tip.
if it softens up , use a wooden popsicle stick to scrape off
all in all , still a risk. jeffComment
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Sa
Ya, what a dilema, It is a really good Dagger underneath all that crap. And true, how much more could it really be hurt? i may just try a small area and see what happens.Comment
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Originally posted by james m View PostAnd please tell us how you can "make matters worse" by stripping this crap off?
Jim
Hello Jim,
I have some experience with this sort of thing and find that there are often unexpected consequences when using modern day strippers on older and often chemically/physically unstable items. Guards can discolor as can grips and grips can swell causing cracks just to give two examples. I'm not saying it will happen in all cases, just that there are certainly risks involved.
If I were going to try to refurbish this item I would first take it apart and see if there was an accessible edge to the mystery compound on one of the guards. Often one can use a toothpick to gently lift the applied substance off in small flakes. Much as one can chip off verdigris by getting under an edge and breaking it away from the underlying material.
Any sort of abrasive, such as steel wool, would be a last resort in my mind.
Regards,
StuComment
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Stu:Originally posted by Stu W View Post
I have 40+ years experience with the restoration of everything form 18th Century furniture, antique clocks,older firearms of every variety and all sorts of edged weapons.
IMO: That dagger is hideous in it's current condition and there's little that could be done to make it worse*. Modern chemical strippers are pretty safe to use on just about everything. You would have to get VERY agressive with stripper or acetone and 4/0 steel wool to further damage something like this dagger
The worse case would be if the current finish is actually a polyurthane which can be miserable to remove.
An alternative here is to fill a pan with acetone immerse the grip in itan cover the pan.This is the technique virtually everyone working with older double guns uses but it wil be problematic if this is polyurathane.
*The one thingI can't tell fom these pictures is if the grip has other damage hiden below that finish such as big chips filled with plastic wood.
JimComment
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