clarence said

Another forgiving finish is shellac.  When recoating or touching-up shellac, it behaves just as you described the lacquer.  Still, a newly applied coating is bound to have a different sheen, or reflectivity, than an older one.  

Shellac is one finish (of several) that I don’t have any experience in, so it may be harder for me to get good results…without a significant learning curve.  I might be more inclined to try the boiled linseed oil method than I would shellac.

I’ll come back here with some more info in another week or so, after I’ve had a chance to examine the gun again a little more closely.

Frank