Mixing Metals

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Flintlocks in question didn't have any wood. IIRC, they were silver stocked with iron or steel barrels...

Presumably the stocks were wood covered with silver sheets? I suggest this because of the problems in casting items the size of even a small pistol stock. In addition to weight, porosity created in the casting process makes it almost impossible to end up with a smooth finish. I suppose the stocks could have been made out of sheet silver, formed over a mandrel in much the same manner Scottish steel pistols were made, but given that silver is very soft (compared to iron) and extremely malleable, I would not imagine this to be a desirable method of construction.

A few more details, please?

[Strings]

I wish I could provide more details: only saw them once, ages ago. They were in a museum collection, stocks were claimed to be solid silver (made for a prince of some kind, IIRC), and the problem of galvanic corrosion was pointed out as an issue...

Although it would take a great deal of work, casting solid silver stocks, then fitting them to steel barrels, IS possible. Would be a pain, but for the right price, it COULD be done.

Probably take me a year to get one finished, assuming I had the cash to cast the stocks in the first place (silver ain't cheap).

The softness of the metal wouldn't prove a problem for a matchlock: much less stress on the stocks from a black powder gun than from smokeless. Still wouldn't want to fire it too often...

And I think that's enough digression, in the open forum! ;)

[Schiehallion]

My opinion: Mixing metals is ok when they are highlights, one on the other of a single item. eg Gold on silver ..to accentuate the design....

But for me, no way would I mix different metals on different accessories. It's a question of being stylish. So I have pewter with pewter: Silver with silver. I also would never use chrome with silver or pewter. Even though they are both 'white metals' the colour is so very different! I don't as yet have any brass or gilt but for the same reason I would not put together different 'yellow metals'

Likewise brown sporran with brown belt and shoes. Black with black etc.

[OC Richard]

OK here's a photo of the Pipe Major of the Black Watch showing the gilt sporran cantle, sgian, and dirk, and gold lace, insignia, and buttons on his doublet, but silver waistbelt and crossbelt hardware and plaid brooch.
Note that his pipes are silver mounted but his bagcover has gold fringe.
Seems that in the military the idea of matching metals doesn't exist, at least in the dress of pipers.

[jordanjm]

I like the look of several of those buckles.

[OC Richard]

I usually look to the traditions in the Scottish Highland regiments as a guide or as a "reality check" and in those the mixing of metals is nearly universal.

For example let's take the uniform of the Pipe Major of the Black Watch.

The crossbelt and waistbelt hardware are silver, the braid on the doublet, the cantle of the sporran, the sgian dubh, and the dirk are all gold/gilt.

The only Pipe Major's uniform to have all the metallic elements in one matching colour is that of the Scots Guards where everything is silver (though the dirk has brass regimental badges upon the silver hardware).

The other regiments are in between these extremes, with all or most of the actual metal things being silver, but the braid on the doublet being gold.

[auld argonian]

I heard a woman on a radio show who fondly remembered her grandfather telling her, "Don't be so obsessed with the way you look...nobody else is as concerned as you are because they're all busy obsessing about they way that they look." It'll be fine...

Best

AA