Buttplate color
 

I notice many Parkers from the 1880s-1890s have brown colored buttplates and grip caps. Where they built that way or have they faded over the years?

Thats what aged gutta percha looks like Bruce...the old timey hard rubber used for buttplates and grip caps,you can clean them up to look black again with super fine steel wool.

A modest buff with 0000 steel wool will help. A very very thin wipe of stock finish will enhance the "black" if palmed in with the hand.

Just an interesting note. I refitted a used Lefever buttplate to a stock, and I had to bend it some for the different stock. I boiled it and it turned a mustard gelled color on the surface when boiled. It took a bit to get it black again.

Play on words??? :corn:


..... Oh, nevermind :banghead:

Had that happen to me as well, it's almost like the oxidation got thicker and tougher during boiling.

I have read somewhere that a very light coat of black shoe polish rubbed in will recolor a butt plate but I have never tried it myself.

I'll let you know :)

I used Formsby's to clean the old finish of a stock before steaming out the dents. I had left the butt plate on and the edges of it where the stripper touched it turned brown.

my plan was to try one of those liquid scuff polish applicators on it to restore the black.

I've actually used toothpaste to restore a Lefever buttplate. Toothpaste is technically a mild abrasive. I found this idea from a vintage automotive restoration shop when they want to restore the bakelite knobs, etc. Took a lot of "thumb grease" to get it black but I think I'd use Orange hand cleaner next time. A little more grit.

I used toothpaste to take wiper scratches of of the windshield way back when I redid a Healey. Got the idea from my brother who was part of a group building a telescope for a small college observatory, they used it on the mirror surfaces.