1880 Gurley Railroad Compass

I don't know where, but since Surveyors Instruments has closed its doors, you might contact "Uncle Miltie" (Milton Hanks) at Bayshore Surveying Instruments in Deer Park, TX.

He has contacts I don't even have time to think about.

http://www.bayshoresurveying.net/

2822 Kingsdale Drive
Deer Park, Texas, 77536

bsic@airmail.net
Phone: (281) 479-3537
Fax: (281) 479-5513

First off, whatever you do don't let anyone polish it!!!!!!

Also, Brasso is the biggest sin that you could impose on it. DO NOT USE IT!

If you want it disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, and possible some silver plating done, I would be happy to talk to you about it.

I'd suggest you send me a couple of pictures and let me share some thoughts with you.

Dave

ingram@cfw.com

Antique Instrument DOs & DON'Ts

I understand that polishing an old instrument will affect its resale value to collectors.

What if you don't care what the resale value of an instrument is, and you want something to look "nice and shiny" because you like "nice and shiny?" After you're dead, why care what someone else is going to get for it?

Remember what Bill Cosby said about insurance ... "I don't believe in life insurance because when I die, I want people to be SAD!"

I think a lot of people want old surveying instruments because they want to look at them, to display them, and do not care about the "investment value."

Cliff

I pretty much agree with you.

I have a Winchester Model 1886 (45/70) that my father acquired from his uncle (or great-uncle) back in the late 1940s. Being a HUNTER, not a collector, he refinished the stock, and had it professionally re-blued (it had led a fairly hard life up to that point). His plan was to HUNT with it (which he did for a number of years), not “look” at it, or worry about it's “resale value.”

I still shoot it from time to time, but found that it is just too heavy to haul around the mountains (I know, I tried it a few times back in my 20s).

It is NOT worth anywhere near what an original condition 1886 would be worth, but I don't care, and neither will my grandson when he gets it.

Loyal

Cliff

My 86 was purchased by my grandad while running a horse ranch out of Camloops, because bears were killing the colts. It was the rifle version in 40-82. Sometime in it's history the end of the barrel was bulged, so we never fired it. Cousin wanted to shoot it so with Grandads permission shipped it off to P.O. Ackley. Ackley cut the barrel back to carbine length, re bored the barrel and cut lands and groves for a 45 caliber bullet then cut the chamber for a 45-70, the action feeds the 45-70 fine. The barrel is the original and the original stampings remain, showing it to be a 40-82, which could create a problem for someone who did not know the history or did not check the chamber. It is now a shooter but not original, the history of the rifle is known which may add to the value of a rifle. I will do my best to keep in the family, now thinking about which of the next generation will feel the same, haven't settled on one yet. Family heritage seems to be low on the priority lists of today.
jud

Kris

would love to recommend Uncle Miltie , and would for most things surveying, BUT you heard from the best, so let Dave Ingram have it for any maintenance. It would be cheap at half the price he might charge.

Yes, it would look 'Pretty" but take his advices and forget any kind of polishing of that piece of history.

> First off, whatever you do don't let anyone polish it!!!!!!
>
> Also, Brasso is the biggest sin that you could impose on it. DO NOT USE IT!
>

I believe that surveying instruments are the exception to this general rule. What you think is the original finish probably is not. These instruments were regularly "brassoed" and re-lacquered during their working lifetime. During the winter months they were disassembled and thoroughly cleaned, many were sent back to Gurley for re-lacquering/adjustment. This hang up on original finish is bull. If an instrument was brought back from the field in this condition that guy would have been out of a job.

A surveying instrument should be restored as closely as possible to it's working appearance for the time period it was used.

See this thread for more pics http://beerleg.com/index.php?mode=thread&id=56032#p56455

Gurley offered two finish types: bright and darkened so it is important to finish to one of those. A 100 years of neglect is neither

With the above said there is the rare exception of an instrument owned by a famous person such as this Rittenhouse owned by G. Washington as there might be an outside chance that Mr. Washington might have actually touched this finish.

Respectfully,
Jim Vianna