In good condition, these weapons are valuable antique collector’s items. Others that require a bit of work can often be cleaned and restored by hobbyists. Cast metal parts or wooden blanks, which can be shaped to replace damaged or missing stock, can be obtained from specialist vendors. Even old gunpowder explodes, so make sure any gun you’re repairing isn’t loaded. Insert the ramrod, or a piece of wood, into the barrel to check for any obstruction. If there is, remove it with a modern shotgun cleaning rod that has a screw tip, or use a regular steel screw welded to a stiff piece of wire. Screw the rod gently into the clog and pop it out like a cork. Wash the barrel with hot water and dry it.

To disassemble the pistol, first cock it halfway, then remove the screw holding the key (on flint rifle) or hammer (on percussion type) and slide it off. Unscrew the hub cap pivot and screw the fixing spring under the plate: remove the parts. Unscrew the retaining bolts or screws and remove the lock plate. Multiple screwdrivers may be required – the blade must fit exactly into each screw or bolt slot so as not to burr the screw or bolt. If they’re hard to remove, applying a bit of penetrating oil will do the trick. To disassemble a flintlock mechanism, loosen the four screws holding the mainspring, sear, sear, and flange. Compress the main spring (in a small vise), remove the spring screw, and remove the spring. The pin at the rear of the mainspring hooks into the lock plate and the other end of the spring hooks into the nose of the drum.

Remove rust with fine sandpaper or dust. Be sure to remove all abrasive dust after cleaning. Coat all parts with Vaseline and reassemble. Press the barrel down to the firing position so that the end of the mainspring passes over it. Position the key and pull it back to the half-cocked position so that the tip of the drum compresses the mainspring. Assemble the rest of the parts in the reverse order to disassembly.

To clean the barrel, first remove it from the stock. A metal extension of the barrel, the tang, is inserted into the stock. Remove the tang screws and any retaining bands or pins. The tubes of the trigger guard, stock cover and ramrod are screwed or nailed on and must be removed with great care. If the screws won’t give in to the penetrating oil, leave them alone; it will be a job for an antique restorer to drill them through. Barrels and other metal parts can be cleaned with a mixture of oil and paraffin. Re-polish all parts with progressively finer abrasives; finish with saffron paper or jeweler’s emery. Some barrels may have been bluing to prevent rust and a special bluing fluid can be purchased from a gunsmith. Try not to leave fingerprints on the barrel, as this causes oxidation.

Clean up the broth with steel wool and linseed oil. If the material is broken, repair it with epoxy resin mixed to a paste with stained-to-match sawdust. If the stock is beyond minor repair, a new stock can be made from a completely new piece of wood. The small teeth on the stock can be removed using hot steam from an iron. Place a cloth over the tooth and apply the hot iron.

Powder flasks were made in hundreds of designs and various materials. However, most ancient flasks were pear-shaped and made of pewter, brass, or Britannia metal. Metal flasks were usually made in two halves welded together. If the seam has split, find out what alloy the muffle is made of before attempting to re-weld it. A simple test is to put a few drops of water in a cup and add the same number of drops of nitric acid, which can be obtained from a chemist. Put a drop of the solution on the metal to reveal the color. Reddish brown indicates bronze; yellow and yellow-red, brass; dark grey, pewter; and shiny silver-grey, Britannia metal. To polish the antique hip flask, use the technique appropriate to the material from which it is made. Many powder jars have very fine detailed etching, embossing, or etching that gives them their unique look. An antique gun without its matching or specific powder flask loses its appeal when antique collectors look to add something to their collection.