"It'll turn your other eyebrow white." HOLY COW!🤣🤣

I know you are trying not to make this stuff look hard but man you sir are a master and it is a joy to watch you work. Possibly a little intimidating for the sheer attention to detail you have.

"Patina is deferred maintenance." Couldn't agree more

At 70 years old, I still want a model 71. Think they are simply an example of production excellence, by Winchester. The recoil pad would be a no no for me but you did a really great clean-up on a highly respected rifle. Thanks for all the schooling.

As a gun collector and avid shooter of antique guns, I completely agree with you. These tools were meant to be used. Do the maintenance and repairs if and when necessary to ensure that they continue to be used as intended. Thank you for doing these videos and sharing your knowledge, as gun smithing is a dieing art unfortunately.

Always a pleasure watching a craftsman at work.

It is a true art when to do a decide to do a" rustaration" vs. a total " brand new store restoration . Ahh the ubiquitous " can of gun" or bucket of gun , or box of gun.. Brings back memories from Gunsmithing school ( Colorado School of Trades).

Those 71 Winchesters are works of art....you are honoring those artists by doing that maintenance, re-setting the clock on the decay that is natural to walnut and steel, Mark. Your aircraft analogy really stuck with me, what IDIOT would let "Patina " grow on a P-51? NO WAY IN HELL! It's only new once, but that's no reason to let it DECAY, Fer God's sake! I am fully on your bandwagon for "Doing the maintenance"!! And screw the rust collectors, and their "patina"! "Hock, PATOOEY"!!

I loved your rant about the patina! For tools that need to be used, ya for sure; you’re absolutely correct! I guess for antiques and safe queens, some people prefer it; but I’m not some people. I love me some fully restored antiques that brings back the luster of when it was fresh out of the factory. Great video as always!

You're my favorite KZfaq gunsmith. Don't change anything. The comment section can go to hell...

As someone who knows his way around a hammer, I have to say that was good work on the screws. It reminded me of when I was in the army and had to rivet barrel locks on M3 and M3A1 submachine guns. Just tapping away on pairs of flat-head mild steel rivets with my 8 ounce ball peen hammer. The .348 Winchester case was the basis for the .50 Alaskan and .500 Linebaugh wildcat cartridges. Luckily, when then the .348 Winchester brass supply dried up, Starline started making .348 Winchester, .500 Linebaugh and .50 Alaskan brass. I always thought it would be cool to have some of the old caliber rifles like .348 Winchester and .401 Winchester Self-Loading.

Always a good day when we get a new anvil. Cheers from WA state! Keep up the good videos.

The beauty of watching a real craftsman is that another craftsman understands how much work goes into making it look easy.. For the rest of us, just enjoy the show. Great episode 👏 and Thanks! BTW.. "Now that all these Baby Boomers are dumping their collections..." truer words have never been spoken. And lucky is the firearm that finds a loving home in their own family..

You had one job- and you blue it !

Made my evening ...again

Model 71s are definitely an interesting disassembly and reassembly. "Sporting Rifle Take-Down and Reassembly Guide". Second Edition By J.B. Wood has a pretty detailed set of instructions, with pictures, for model 71.

I never tire of watching the colour changes while heat-blueing a screw - metallurgy is simply fascinating.

Very nice! Now, I'm not sure, but I think that Mark thinks it may be kinda important to disassemble and de-grease before bluing. 😁

I got my hands on a slightly neglected Browning made 71 that was made in the 80's. I used all your information and some information from some low density, high quality storage devices to undo what was left go. Thank you sir for taking the time to make these videos.

I love watching you old timers.

Thanks Mark. Through your vids I understand conservation vs restoration. I've tended to go overboard on old guns. Not anymore. Keep as much original finish as possible is the way.imho

What a beautiful gun and what a great job you've done. You are absolutely correct about the maintenance. A gun has never looked better than when it is in a brand new condition, or as close to new as it could be. Thank you for the video.

It has been a pleasure and thank you for the effort it takes to do these videos. I always, always, always learn something. I appreciate your view on refurbishing firearms.

Mark, really, you are the Bob Ross of the art of gunsmithing !!! Merci de nous partager votre savoir ❤

Thank You Mark. It is always very enjoyable watching a knowledgeable craftsman. Best Wishes to You, Your Family and Friends.

Glad to see you are still out here kicking ass Mr. Novak!

Oh my goodness Mr Novak “ it will turn your other eyebrow white “ that was funny Sir. I remember asking you about that before. And you didn’t take it defensively at all whatsoever. Man I am glad your still making content. Between Johnnys reloading bench and Elvis ammo a few others quitting KZfaq. It’s been slim pickings out here for good content.

Saturday morning with Mr Novak great start to the day.

As the owner of a 1938 Model 71, this series is invaluable. Thank you!

It's always a pleasure watching your videos! Nothing is better than watching a master at work taking apart a piece of kit that should have been maintained, but through use and work has become unusable, and brought back to life through maintenance and love. Thank you for your effort!! It's beyond commendable that you restore to working order these older weapons to functioning conditions! You Sir, are a weaponsmith, and a Scholar!

For those with only one white eyebrow - you have been warned! Thanks as always sir. I sure enjoy the content you produce.

Words to live by, "Do The Maintenance". Great stuff Mr Novak.

Mark , watching yourself and Bruno shoulder and shoot that Win Model 71 surely shows that Winchester obtained their goals in a fine fitting point and shoot hunting rifle. Probably the best fit I've ever seen on you ! It's been said that Col. Townsend Whelen was involved in the development of this beauty. Enjoying your videos and really hope that everyone watches to the very end. You have much wisdom to offer.

I love it! Less than 2 minutes in - Crystal Lye - "about as caustic as they come!" 100% Lye = 100% NaOH. NaOH is caustic. Mike the Chemist

Mark I bought a DOM 1937 long tang that a friend gunsmith did a fire blue as good as Fords...no pitting. Like all large frame winchesters great rifles from a bygone era. I paid $43.00 for Winchester 180 gr 20 years ago...today expect to pay $100.00 for 20. Thanks for the video.

I’m in the oil field and we use a lye solution for certain things. The stuff is INSANE! I also deal with hydrochloric acid and as a general rule I’d prefer to be around it than lye. They are polar opposites on the PH scale. Here’s a tip any time you need to deal with lye. Always keep on hand a 2 liter bottle of Coke. Coke will neutralize the lye.

Looking foward to the next video on this 71

Thanks Mark and crew!! Everyone have a great weekend!!

Another gun back on action with a little maintenance, and it looks real nice too. Your video's are inspiring, especially the ones on the Winchester lever action restorations. When it comes to tang screw removal, I've worked on one screw so damaged it had to be removed with a punch and hammer.

Just stumbled upon you videos. So happy I did. You really know your stuff! Thanks! That screw tip was a great help

U certainly don't look or sound like Bob Ross, but the work you do is just as mesmerizing. A little blue, a little silver and just a couple happy brass over your shoulder. God Bless

Now, this was an interesting as well as entertaining video! I really appreciate the little tips and tricks I learn from your vids and I soak 'em up like a dry sponge. 🤝🏻👍🏻

Great tricks on fixing screws!

I just came into possession of a beautiful 1896 Spanish Mauser...im excited to use all the tips Mark's videos have shown me to get it looking right. Good stuff as usual

Great video Mark, looking forward to the next video.

Always our pleasure Mr. Novak!

work with the screws , heat and oil was mesmerising.

You, sir, are no Bob Ross. But you definitely are a fine artist. Amazing work.

Always a pleasure to watch your videos. Thanks

Always a pleasure to get to spend some time in the shop with Mark!

Bob Ross was the Mark Novak of painters.

Would love to be able to work with you on a few of my antique rifles, would be a great experience. I enjoy watching you put your outstanding skills, knowledge and abilities into these guns.

You make learning interesting.

I've been waiting for this one!

Great job brother sailor

great work Regards Doug

This is one of the best examples at 9 minutes the amazing difference a jeweler's block and polished hammer can fix a screw without having to match and replace it. I'm no professional but I've done what I call the "poor man's lathe" with a drill and file to make low tolerance pins and clean fasteners with paper and files.

Its appreciated that you have an understanding of how that piece of history has been worn. I am a Kiwi (New Zealand) I have a 375 winchester big bore I picked up on a online auction and has a lot of wear, been protected but things are loose. I'd love to restore it and as NZ does not have the history of lever rifles I find myself trapped as the 375 is definitely a highly rare breed. I have 7 rounds remaining from purchase and cannot get anymore ordered. Such a nice long, slim , light, nostalgic rifle

Just like the saying "you can't sanitise something that isn't clean". All you do is sanitise the top of the dirt, but the dirt is still there with grease, bacteria, etc contained within.

Have to say --- thanks again ;)

Love, and fully agree with, your rant. Jim Bell (Australia)

Don't mind the trolls, sir. You're amazing.

Thinking of getting screws and small arts heat blued, @Clickspring has a nifty way of ding that by using a little container filled with bras shavings. Just put the part in on top of the shavings and heat from underneath so the heat will transfer though slowly so you run less of a risk of blowing right past the ideal blue. Since all the screws are in a open top trough, you can do multiple screws at once to get them all ore or less the same color at the same time. Doing that may or may not be something you'd want to do, but for some of those small bits, it may be just the thing.

Very cool, I'm getting ready to do a dbl bbl 16ga. Thats enlightening about the oil, thanks. That's a great screw lathe😊 my drill is usually not ware I'm at. I usualy use my drillpress. Since I collect military guns, I strip them down completely when I get them. The M1941 Johnson was a real pain😊

You're an artist, Mark! I love watching you bring these things back to life. And I fully understand the need to "do the maintenance", as you say. But the more I watch you do it, the more I realize that I'm not qualified! You even mentioned, at about 25:59, that, "...this particular owner is doing the maintenance on this particular gun." Well, NO, he's not. He's paying YOU to do it! LOL! And that's what I would have to do, because I don't even know what to do, much less how to do it! I've got a 1911, that was born in 1913, that really needs one of your conservation treatments. But there are just not enough of you to go around, sir! Most of the local "gunsmiths" around here can piece together an AR, or screw a barrel onto a Remington M700 action, but that's about it. Don't even ask them if they can rebarrel a rifle that has a controlled-round-feed-type extractor!! About 25:25 you mention, "...if you do the maintenance the right way...". Well, I know that there is maintenance that needs to be done on some of my firearms. But I don't know how to "do it the right way". And there are no local 'smiths that I trust to do it. So, are you taking any new business? :-)

I want more Anvil behind the scenes, please!

71 is a closet classic. Can't wait to see the rust blue video.

I love that screw head restoration.

I bought a small ball peen hammer and keep it polished just to clean up screw heads because of these videos 😅

Awesome video sir very interesting six stars sir thank you for sharing this

I winced when the stogie fell 🫡

Beautiful Rifle

Absolutely love mine inherited it from my great grandpa who bought it new in 1942. It has killed everything in North America short of polar bear. He guided for many years with it up here in Alaska aswell.

I compleaty agree about taking the rust patina off. It's just metal cancer, it doesn't get better with time. My method doesn't take the orig finish off, just the roughness so it's smooth😊

Thanks Mark well done.

Still want you to do an episode doing a refresh on my Browning Sweet 16. We grew up being show that 3 in 1 oil on everything was good. so the wood is oil soaked and metal is browned

It was a pleasure, Thanks Mark.

Lookin' good Mark!

Beautiful firearm thanks for sharing

Oh no! The cigar!

bluing sounds similar to titanium anodizing, a huge part of the process is in prep work and decontaminating the surface. We use Whink drain cleaner to strip ti down and multi etch to do colors.

Outstanding

Another great video Thanks

Great video !!

Nice work!

As always a Pleasure Chief. Do the Maintenance!!

OUTSTANDING!

It's always fun learning gun's.

Thanks Mark.

Feed the alligator rhythm

Great Stuff, again

We love you man!

I Love your Videos man

Uncle passed a couple months ago he was a diesel mechanic, i always talk about looking for the tiny 2oz ball peen, my cousin was going through his things and gave me his 4oz ball peen he had found in his stuff. Had to take the ugly makeup off the face of it but shes always at hand now!

I'm with you , do the maintenance.

Nice gun

Thanks for the video

Mark, you are selling yourself short IMHO that you are a Bob Ross at firearms.

I think the ~4 minutes after the credits need to be a stand alone video.

Thanks brother. ✌🇦🇺