How to age new Silvers pad?
 

I’m sure this has been discussed here before but I can’t find it.. wondering how to age a silvers pad?

I've seen it said to wipe it down liberally with Vaseline and hit it very judiciously with a blow torch but be careful...!! It can easily get away from you.

You might want to first take off any sharp edges and feathers with fine sandpaper like 400 grit.





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Use it. You would be surprised how quickly it will darken up and tone down.

Or Kevin KcCormack can tell you about a method that involves setting it on fire or something.

:rotf::rotf::rotf:
yeah - i was going to say take it duck hunting - nothing is new after it's first trip

Rubbing coffee grinds on it will help to darken it somewhat.

I think I'd try coffee grounds before a blow torch, but would probably just let it age gracefully

John:

I’d be happy to offer you a substantial discount on my Parker aging service.

What more?

The higher the grade of your Parker, the lower my fee.

But wait! There’s more!

For each additional year I provide you with my Parker aging service, I take an additional 50 percent off my fee.

Act now!

-Victor

I take a used barrel cleaning patch and rub it into the pad, it's basically carbon black and gives a nice as used appearance. Bottom pad is treated the top pad is a Silvers original to the gun circa 1925.

re: Silver's Pad
 

John, you can darken it a variety of ways. Personally I would just use it. Sometimes we wish we could do something to change the appearance of our treasures. Time and use are the only variables that are going to make that Silver pad age. When I purchased this 1887 LC I immediately ordered a brand new Silver's pad from across the pond. It's still in it's packaging. Your new pad may look similar to this one in 135 years, just in case you are late to the party. :rotf:

I add a few drops of used motor oil to my wife's coffee grinds and hand rub it into the pad. Then I leave it on a sun-drenched windowsill for at least a week. It'll get rid of that garish, Howard Johnson's orange and should be good for at least 3-5,000 miles!

Here are two identical silvers pads. One is newly fitted, the other has about 2 years of normal use.

Never done a Silvers but I have re-ground a few used pads and have found that just a few applications of any kind of light oil well rubbed in will blend the new and the old very nicely, so I imagine it would darken a new pad too.

Used crankcase oil works a bit faster than new oil, but both work if you give the new oil enough time. I just use the gun.

Thanks guys, I applied a few coats of vaseline and used an old barrel patch on it and it looks great. I didnt have the patience to just let it age naturally, it just looked "too new" on the gun.

This worked great, thank you.

We need pictures!

Make a slurry of blue mud, duck blood, bacon grease, tobacco juice (Mammoth Cave works best), a dash of Hoppes #9 for flavor, and just a pinch of black powder residue.

I heard that for a smallbore Parker you have to use grouse, woodcock, or quail blood in lieu of duck blood, but the rest of the recipe is spot on.

No Old Bay?