How to care for a teppo

[Caracal]

Hello,

How to care for a teppo. Should I oil the parts for longer durability or should I leave it where it is.
Want answers on how to take care of a old Japanese teppo.

 

// Robert

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi Robert. 
The answer will depend on the state of your teppo. 
Does the lock work? Does the Bisen breech screw move? Has the inside of the barrel been cleaned?
Ideally it will have entered a long phase of dormancy, in which case it will be best to let sleeping dogs lie. Some owners like to polish the metalwork but others might object.
If there are areas of active red rust, then you will need to take some action to lock that down.

Normally people do not oil their teppo, except after cleaning, after actual use with blackpowder. 
 

All of this is theory though, as we have not seen your teppo! 
 

[Caracal]

Hi Piers,

 

I am thinking especially of the Stock which is made of wood and can crack if you do not oil it.

Other things when it comes to the barrel, it probably manages without rust, but I'm interested in how you other collectors think about how to care for your Teppo.

Of course depending on condition. I have not changed polished or oiled my teppo, I do not think you can touch the Bisen breech screw due to rust, have never tried to unscrew it and the barrel is never cleaned.

 

All suggestions are gratefully received.

// Robert

[Viper6924]

Solid-looking matchlocks, Robert. The first sports some Tabuse-school features and the other one Inoue-school.

When it comes to preserving the stock, I use Renaissance Wax for every matchlock in my collection. It gives the stock a pleasant shine and brings out the woodgrain in a nice way. 
Plus, you only need to use this wax one time. 
I put some wax on my fingertips and make sure to coat the stock. You only need to apply a thin layer. Then I wait a few minutes so the wax dry properly. As a finishing touch I use a piece of clean cloth with which I polish the stock. The harder you polish the more shine you get.

I live in a modern house with central heating. The wax seems to protect the stocks from cracks, so no need to use oil.

Good luck!

 

 Jan 

[Bugyotsuji]

It’s difficult to see whether you already have cracks developing on your stocks, Robert. If you do, it’s because the wood is very slowly shrinking onto the metal barrel. The cracks always tend to start in the same places and follow the grain of the wood.

As an extra emergency measure I have sometimes applied oil to the inside of a crack in a stock; the inner surface tends not to be lacquered and looks as if it will absorb oil more easily. 
Try your intuitive measure on a hidden area and see how it looks, and then work slowly and gently from there.

[Caracal]

Thanks Jan and Piers

I order it at once. What should I do with the barrel?

The Bisen breech screw,i  have never tried to unscrew it due to rust (5-56 OIL? or)

And the barrel have never been cleaned. What to do?

 

// Robert

[Bugyotsuji]

Forgive me. We have discussed this here on NMB several times already, so I have been reluctant to write it all up again, covering all possibilities. 

There is a page on the NMB describing how to open/release the barrel of a Tanegashima without damaging anything.

 

You can actually swab out a barrel with or without opening the Bisen, although opening it makes the job easier. (Very) hot water is usually sufficient though some will add a drop of soap. The residual heat will help dry the barrel as rust starts to form almost immediately. Clean around and inside the  vent. I have a large collection of cleaning rods and brushes.

Please try unscrewing your Bisen and tell us how it went. Some seem to be stuck forever, but others will eventually give way to an increasing series of less gentle ‘persuasions’.

 

Good luck.

 

PS Yes, 5-56 oil (or similar) is nice to use after everything has dried thoroughly. I use the old oily rags to wipe down the barrel and it usually settles down to a nice black colour.

 

 

[Caracal]

Thanks for the information I will try to unscrew my Bisen, and oil in the barrel.

//Robert

[Yamazakura Fr]

Hi

For the stock you can use the same method as to maintain the walnut stocks of western weapons

1- degrease the stock with acetone

2- prepare one mixture with 3/4 therebentine and 1/4 linseed oil

3- with a brush put this mixture on the stock

4- polish with a cloth to remove the mixture excess

Result the stock is semi-matt with the grain of the wood that stands out

Regards

[Alex A]

Late to the party here but curious to ask a question.

 

Used Ren wax a lot but i find it makes everything dull, even though it protects.

 

Anyways, my question is.

 

What do folks use on Bronze barrels with nice old dark brown patina?. This just a job for Ren wax?

[Bugyotsuji]

Alex, most Tanegashima woodwork is coated with a thin layer of (clear) lacquer, unless it’s been lost with use, or stripped off by someone after shipping overseas.
 

Ren wax does not work too well for me on lacquer for a number of reasons.  Since I use my guns, they seem to become ‘sticky’, leave fingerprints, and even attract mold in humid conditions. 

 

And, are you asking about bronze (砲金Hōkin) barrels on Japanese matchlocks, or Western guns? 

[Alex A]

Hi Piers, 

 

Antique western cannon, i know you have the Japanese bronze cannons and was wondering what folks use on them.

[Bugyotsuji]

You get folks who value the patina, (the more untouched the better), and those who like the golden shine of a polished barrel. Both have their merits and demerits.

 

As with silver, though, repeated polishings can erase or make hallmarks, proof marks etc. indistinct.

 

Personally speaking I have not touched the barrels. The option to polish them brightly will always be there, (who doesn’t love a shiny blunderbuss?), but remember that you cannot really backpedal once the aged surface is gone. You have to keep polishing.
 

There are chemicals that darken bronze but you learn to spot evidence of their use.

 

Ultimately it is up to your philosophy as to how you treat historic artefacts but I would advise being in no rush to polish. All things in good time. 

[Alex A]

Hi Piers, yes, i agree about folks removing patina from gun barrels. I hate it, personally wont consider buying anything that has been polished.

 

I will explain. Bought a little antique signal cannon and by the looks of it, it has been sat in a shed or attic for a hundred years or so.

 

Its not Japanese, but the same would apply as im just talking about caring for antique Bronze gun barrels

 

The owner said there is green on the barrel, im assuming she is talking about Verdigris.

 

Anyways, i plans on sympathetically restoring it back to life, will add some more pics in the arms thread.

 

Will look up how to clean antique Bronze without removing patina. After that im assuming places like museums may well just use Ren-wax and leave well alone. I need see the "verdigris", may be something and nothing, just don't want it getting worse. 

[Alex A]

Pulled this off the internet.............

 

Experts recommend cleaning antique bronze using the gentlest approach possible. This might be dusting, wiping with soapy water or – at the most – minimal polishing with a mild abrasive. You should also finish with a layer of clear paste wax to keep antique bronze looking its best. Use whichever of these options best retains the natural patina.

Verdigris, which is easily identified by its turquoise color, is a natural occurrence when bronze is exposed to moisture. You'll recognize it from the facade of the Statue of Liberty or markings on some old pennies. In some cases, the color is desirable, but more often, cleaning verdigris from antique bronze is essential. Doing so is possible using DIY methods, but if your antique bronze item is especially valuable or you care about its resale value, it's best to consult a professional before tackling verdigris removal.

[Bugyotsuji]

Great information, thanks. Now I need to reassess and look more carefully at things.

 

Is that your cannon above, Alex? Very nice indeed. How big is it?

[Alex A]

Barrels 10.5 inches (if seller has measure it right) .

 

Each one i buy gets bigger, working my way up lol

[Bugyotsuji]

10 minutes ago, Alex A said:

Barrels 10.5 inches (if seller has measure it right) .

 

Each one i buy gets bigger, working my way up lol

No critical eye at home complaining yet?

[Alex A]

A video about cleaning and polishing bronze.

 

Ok, we are not talking staues but it gives an idea

 

He mentions a few types of wax, thinking i will stay with the Ren-wax.

Would research further before using any other type, just being cautious.

 

 

[Alex A]

I will leave this here for anyone that has antique bronze barrels.

 

Cannon turned up today, jeez bronze is heavy for its size. Kind of relieved it didn't turn out to be brass lol.

 

Anyways, did have some light Verdigris around the end of the barrel. A tip off the internet was to brush with a soft bristle tooth brush and tooth paste. Went super light, checking i didn't remove patina whilst at it. It worked, up to others whether to do this or not.

 

Finished off with Ren-wax. Took before and after pics in daylight. Looks beautiful back on the carriage in the house. Dark chocolate patina with a shine . Video helped a lot.

[Matsunoki]

Alex, really nice item - excellent cleanup result! BUT don’t pay too much attention to what David Harper says!!!

I saw him take a beautiful silver and mixed metal box (shakudo, copper, shibuichi etc) with all the original patina intact (it was a landscape) and polish the sh*t out of it with silver polish so that the whole thing looks like a set of Christmas tree lights. He was well pleased with his efforts….arghhhhhhhh!

…..another TV “expert”

[Alex A]

I didn't know he would be known, just thought it was some geezer on the Youtube

 

Luckily, his vids for me finish with cleaning and polishing bronze.