Lock finish

[Tom A Hawk]

Santa has left a new Deluxe Siler under my tree. In the past I have always polished the lock plates on new locks. I'm wondering how the surface turns out when browning with the vapor honed condition as it comes from Chambers.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The Kibler I did I color cased the lock then rubbed the color off with a cratex stick. I like it a lot and it has the attributes of case hardened surface.

 

[LRB]

Imported18th c. locks, which nearly all were imported, came smoothed, and plain case hardened. Color case hardening came later.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Tom,
Personally, I hate to see locks on which the textured casting surface was just browned or blued. It does not look authentic and especially when the builder leaves the casting seams, it strikes me as amateur work.

dave

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Thanks. I will polish and brown as done previously. And I must agree that leaving visible parting lines from casting would look rather amateurish.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I like the finish I get when I polish the lock plate, then heat it, and spray it with a light oil while hot. This gives a nice blue/brown color.