How far do you go polishing metal parts?

[noahmercy]

I will be using LMF Brown on my GPR parts, so, from what I've read on the forum 320 is as fine a grit as I need to use. My question regards where I polish. Do I polish the inside of the trigger guard? How about the side of the escutcheons that goes against the stock? How far into the details should I go? I haven't done any research on the real old ones, so I don't know how thoroughly the 'smiths polished the parts. Any pointers will be appreciated, fellas! :thumbsup:

 

[rich pierce]

320 is good for browning metal. You don't need to go farther. There are different schools of thought on finishing rifles. Some builders now think that originals of the 1700's and early 1800s were not as finely finished as most folks are doing now. Some makers are now using more traditional finishing techniques on wood and metal- like scraping, burnishing, etc- even leaving some file marks in place, on "early" guns. But everyone should work to get the look they want. I figure they used worked to get a finish quality appropriate for the use of the gun. If it was made for Napolean, it was done one way. If made for a woodsrunner, or a soldier, probably different.

 

[CrackStock]

If yo upolish it too finely, it will not rust readily and your will struggle to get the brown finish.

Many are polishing more and then letting it age without going for the deep brown.

All in the look that you want.

YMHS,
CrackStock

 

[tg]

I usually do not file or polish or brown anything that does not show when the gun is completed