Hawken metal finish

[ligonierbill]

Progressing on my TOTW late Hawken replica and thinking about finish for the metal. Previous projects have all been brass mounted flintlocks, and this is my first iron mounted rifle of any kind. When I say "late", I mean 1850 or later, as it has the slant breech. The lock plate is polished, but the other cast hardware has that typical grey oxide. I could just leave those parts as is, but I surely need some finish for the lock plate and the barrel. What have you folks used?

 

[reddogge]

Originals were browned. That would be appropriate for that rifle and period. You could do a worn brown effect too but brown, not gray.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Originals were blued barrel with color cased lock and breech. Here’s an original.
IMG_0758 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Over a long period of time, rust bluing can turn brown. Some of the better-known surviving Hawken rifles such as the Bridger rifle and Carson rifle were clearly rust blued and case colored. Some of the rifles I was able to see in Cody had rust blued barrels with traces of color case. The original Hawken owned by the late Don Stith had a rust blued barrel. At least the one I examined anyway back in 2015.

I personally feel that the Hawken Shop in St Louis would take individual orders and finish a rifle as the customer wanted. If he wanted an older style brown finish, he got it. If he wanted a rust blued barrel and case-colored parts, he got it. Money is money, in 1840 and 2024.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Also note the wood has a dark varnish finish.

 

[ligonierbill]

For certain. We all love that boiled linseed oil finish (me too), but varnish seems to be the choice back in the day. Re case hardening: I see you can buy relatively inexpensive heat treating furnaces and actually inexpensive bone charcoal. Like I need another toy. But I suppose a small furnace has other uses, and I was a metallurgist when I made an honest living.

 

[Mgbruch]

None of the metal parts should have the wax cast surface still on them. It's kind of a let down when I see an otherwise nice gun, with casting surfaces, and seams, on metal parts. Each part of a gun should be finished. Take a little more time. Use your files and sandpaper. Don't settle for "leaving those parts as is."

 

[reddogge]

Top one is original. I guess the blueing turned brown like a lot of my classic .22 rifles from the 40s and 50s..

 

[reddogge]

oops.

 

[ligonierbill]

OK, we will go rust blue on the barrel. I just need to rig up a container to boil a 36" barrel. Shouldn't be too hard. Now, case hardening. I am going to test some Steel F/X from Bill Worden in St. George. Anyone else used this? If that does not work, it's buy a small heat treat furnace, a couple crucibles, and some bone charcoal to do it for real. What say ye?

 

[Phil Coffins]

OK, we will go rust blue on the barrel. I just need to rig up a container to boil a 36" barrel. Shouldn't be too hard. Now, case hardening. I am going to test some Steel F/X from Bill Worden in St. George. Anyone else used this? If that does not work, it's buy a small heat treat furnace, a couple crucibles, and some bone charcoal to do it for real. What say ye?

Practice on random pieces of steel to gain some understanding of case hardening. It’s not hard but there is a learning curve.