Project: pistol mod from a squirt gun

What's a lady of intrigue without an elegant firearm? The thing I love about this squirt gun is the ornate stock. Yes, it's supposed to be "pirate", but really - almost everything that we think we know about pirates was authored by the Victorians.


This squirt gun is available in several places on-line; I picked mine up at Reinke Brothers in Littleton. They were $5.99 each; no I didn't buy two for the photo-op. I really intend to mod the second one too. I understand that you can get a better one at Wal-Mart (and cheaper, too), but I'd already bought mine when I learned the last bit.


If you've had any experience with flintlocks, you might notice that the cock in the top (un-modded) squirt gun is sitting at a wonky angle - that is to say, cocked at an extreme and probably unnatural angle. Um, yeah. Luckily, that's screwed on. Oh, yes. I moved it. It's now in a post-firing position.


Here are my steps:
1. Unscrew anything that is attached to the squirt gun. Pop off the safety orange cap. Cut off the filling cap and plug.
2. Using a coarse file, start to knock down the mold marks. There is even an odd little panel on either side of the barrel that had to come off. Go all around the gun, making sure that every seam is flattened. Do the same with a smaller, finer file. Be sure to take off anything that says MADE IN CHINA. Finally, using fine-grit sandpaper, go all over it again. Making sure that it looks like cast metal and not painted plastic is important to making it look authentic. Warning: this part is messy. Do it somewhere that you won't regret. When you're done with the main body, do the little bits that you took off.
3. Using a flat black model spray paint, cover the gun and bits completely. I stuck disposable chopsticks up the gun barrel to give myself a "handle" to manipulate the gun for painting. The chopstick is also handy for drying; I propped mine up in a plant. Make sure that the spray paint is completely dry, especially in the nooks and crannies.
4. Rub N' Buff is your friend. Most of the time. Mine has been stored for a year or so hanging on a hook on my workbench. It has separated. Don't do what it says on the package, and knead the tube to mix it; the tube's not that tough. I tried to mix it with a wire through the nozzle with minimal success. I finally got the right consistency out of the tiny crack created in the tube during the aforementioned kneading exercise. You're looking for a paste. Use a tiny bit at a time, and rub it lightly over the barrel and highlights of the gun. If it gets too deep, you'll lose that deep, grimy, antique quality. If you hate it, re-paint it with the black spray-paint.
5. Hopefully you haven't lost those tiny screws; re-attach the parts - in this case, in the correct orientation.
6. There's this open hole on the top that needs some attention. This is going to take a trip to the hardware store for metal bits. But first:
7. Make a safety-orange cap for your weapon, one that you can remove as needed. This is for your safety, rather than anyone else's; it'd be best if the local constabulary isn't confused about the authenticity of your weapon. Use some day-glo orange Sculpey to make a plug. Use it when you have to take the prop out in public; take it out when you want the pictures to look perfect.

Now all Nigella needs is a steamy holster to go with it....