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Posted: 4/25/2014 5:21:24 PM EDT
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I've decided to restore my dads old Ithaca model 37 featherlight, made in 1952. as the picture shows, it is horribly rusted and discolored. I've given up trying to save any bluing as there is little to none. could anybody recommend me a way to remove all the rust/finish and then a way to re-blue the whole gun? I've seen a few videos on YouTube from midwayusa that seem do-able.
Thanks [http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy334/dunnsguns18/20140425_162321_zpsu3cj2z24.jpg http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy334/dunnsguns18/20140425_162350_zpsnaucmjtb.jpg http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy334/dunnsguns18/20140418_230521_zps3lpqd3er.jpg |
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I'm an Ithaca lover. I have a few.
No disrespect met, But I have to ask. How did it get so bad? Just asking!!! Also I would go with the parkerize finish! One I have an old Louisiana State Police that is parkerize. Correction My wife has said shotgun. It was a Christmas gift many years ago. Nice shooter! Keep the hive posted ( I sure want to see what you do with it) 
With step by step pictures, Please!!! Is this the only Ithaca you have? Good luck! PITA45 
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Well here is the whole story, It was my grandpas gun, and after he died in 1995 ( when i was born), it sat in a soft case for ten or so years before that and until 2006 ish when i got into guns.( so 20+ years in a soft case in basement) I used it once and a while and never paid much attention to it, but my dad never had any interest in it. This year we are doing a trap league and he wants to use it, so my plan is to refinish it and give it to him for father's day to use this summer.
It's the only Ithaca i have and i definitely will keep you updated! |
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Naval Jelly to get EVERYTHING off (rust, bluing, etc.)
I have one that was in pretty rough shape too. Naval Jelly takes everything off so you can get the thing down to bare metal to see what you’re working with. Then decide if you want to go with parkerizing or if the metal is still good enough to blue. Don't use gun paint, that just seems sinful. I neglected to take any "before pics" so these first four are from the gunbroker auction 
The rust on the barrel in front of the receiver wound up being the worst of it 
This is about the third or fourth time the Naval Jelly was applied
Looks nasty after its sat for a while. From here I just scrub it all off with some Hoppe's No. 9 and a bronze brush. 
Getting there. Once you get all the rust and finish off, you can get a lot better idea of the condition of the metal and which direction to take the project. 
Couple other pics… 
This (the lower gun) is just a "mock up" with a real trench gun. The project has just kinda stalled out a bit (I’ve lost a bit of interest, life happens, etc.) All the parts are cleaned off and in the white. I'm still missing a few parts then need to find someone to parkerize (no gun paint) the whole mess. Should just get the needed parts and move on I suppose. 
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I am in the middle of refinishing a Stevens 620a right now and I used Navel Jelly.
One method that worked well for the smaller parts was to get near boiling water is a glass jar and add the Navel Jelly. Place the parts in and give it a swirl and let it sit. The heat really helped and being diluted with water made it thinner than the jelly so it got in deeper to the cracks and crevices. Then just rinse off and oil the parts. I'm still deciding what finish to go with, either parkerize or a teflon coat. The place I will have do it will charge the same for either one. It will be a camp/hike/hunt gun so durability and maintenance means more than looks to me. |
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