Restore, refinish, or leave it alone?

[TARNATION !!!]

Troy: Your gun can be made to look beautiful regardless of shootability. I think many here would not go to the expense to create a pretty wall hanger, as shooting these guns is a part of the pleasure they can provide. Have a look through the pictures in the "Parker Grades" tab on the opening page. The damascus barrels are truly beautiful when in original condition or restored to original. Should you go that route, those who have had this type of work done can provide their experiences. Same goes for the wood. There are skilled crafstmen out there who can do all of this for you for a price. Turn around time can be in the "months" when the gun is entrusted to those who know what they are doing.

If I were to expend the funds necessary to make wood and metal "pretty", I would also add the extra to make it a safe shooting gun. It could then grace the wall and; if, along the way, you or someone in the family wanted to give the gun some exercise, all would be good.

If you go the do-it-yourself route, there is much that can be done to "prettify" it but it's kind of like the old English saying "In for a penny, in for a pound" Once you start, there is no going back when things get difficult. Some of the craftsmen also fix up the DIY attempts - not to say DIY cannot be done, just that most of us are not set up with what is needed to ensure the desired outcome is achieved. This is where the "least harm" approach is useful. For example, in FAQ's there is a short entry regarding the use of nothing but Formby's Tung Oil rubbed on the damascus barrels with a soft lint free cloth. Time and patience may see a nice change in look without having done any harm whatsoever. The oil soaked stock head may benefit from acetone, but as Bruce said, the finish will need touch up, so the match to the rest of the wood becomes difficult. There is another process that has been discussed but I have not tried, so do not know what might occur with the finish. It involves dipping the stock head in alcohol and gently warming the wood and then gently dabbing/wiping to remove the liquid. The liquid will include oil brought to the surface with the alcohol that entered the wood grain along the same channels as the oil.

Good luck with your decision making.

Cheers,
Jack