Military Bright Finish Resources

[FlinterNick]

Hi I’m looking for resources on military bright finishing methods by the USA, Britain and France. Book, or web pages

 

[Cruzatte]

I just did a Google search and found nothing. Could you elaborate a little more on your question, please? Are you looking for polishing techniques? Preservation techniques and procedures?

 

[tenngun]

I’m thinking brits were issued brick dust, and Americans rotten stone. And were expected to polish gun regularly

 

[Cruzatte]

I’m thinking brits were issued brick dust, and Americans rotten stone. And were expected to polish gun regularly

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too.

 

[TGJaeger]

If that is the finish you’re looking for, a very non-HC version can be produced with a DreMel tool and their polishing kit and dyna-tek bore coat. After the polish, coat with the dyna-tek and bake (honestly, in an oven like a cake) at about 300* for an hour. Did this to a Chambers ESR lock about 10-12 years ago and never a speck of rust.

 

[Doc Ivory]

I would think rottenstone, just a hint of water, a rag or two should do it.

-Doc

 

[Grenadier1758]

Armory bright wasn't shiny like a mirror bright but a softer matte finish. Brick dust or rotten stone will do that.

 

[Enfield58]

I have a reproduction of the "Rules for the Management and Cleaning of the Rifle Musket, Model 1863 for the Use of Soldiers with Descriptive Plates."

Starting on page 19 instructions are given for the disassembly and cleaning of the musket. Remember that the Civil War Muskets of US manufacture were left in the white from the arsenal.

Anyway, the instructions are what we would expect to clean the rifle. On page 20, 5th paragraph the last sentence states; "Fine flour of emery cloth is the best article to clean the exterior of the barrel."

That's exactly what I used to keep my barrel shiny. Hope that helps.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It should be insisted on, that a Soldier at all times keeps his arms in such a state of perfection, as never to be ashamed to shew them ; by having the inside of the lock well oiled, the outside of it (even to the smallest screw-pin) with the barrel, brasses and bayonet, not only clean and bright, but highly polished ; the ramrod also must feel the attention of the Soldier, ..
Cuthbertson, System for The Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry 1776

The question then was how? I'd suggest that one try a drop or two of olive oil on a rag around the end of a finger and Pumice power rather than Rottenstone. Rottenstone these days is rather fine and I think it may give you too much of a shine, even if Cuthbertson wants the musket "highly polished"...I note that he doesn't give the reader a standard to measure that by. Nothing like, "... so that one might see one's face reflected in the metal" nor, "..., so that the sunlight reflected off the steel should be found uncomfortable to gaze upon" or something such.

Brick Dust in the 18th century was that, BUT the bricks were much softer by comparison to modern bricks, so DO NOT use dust from a modern brick to polish one's musket as it is far too abrasive. If one can find a crumbling 18th century brick, or even older, then you might convert it to dust.

Musket Hack: IF one uses the YELLOW scrubbie that are found at the local warehouse home improvement store, in the section for ceramic topped stoves, for the removal of carbon deposits, THESE usually give a fine, "gunmetal" polish to the both the lock and the barrel of the musket. Similar to a "green scrubbie" used for washing dishes, and Do Not use a green scrubbie for the exterior of the musket as that tends to be too abrasive.

LD

 

[FlinterNick]

It should be insisted on, that a Soldier at all times keeps his arms in such a state of perfection, as never to be ashamed to shew them ; by having the inside of the lock well oiled, the outside of it (even to the smallest screw-pin) with the barrel, brasses and bayonet, not only clean and bright, but highly polished ; the ramrod also must feel the attention of the Soldier, ..
Cuthbertson, System for The Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry 1776

The question then was how? I'd suggest that one try a drop or two of olive oil on a rag around the end of a finger and Pumice power rather than Rottenstone. Rottenstone these days is rather fine and I think it may give you too much of a shine, even if Cuthbertson wants the musket "highly polished"...I note that he doesn't give the reader a standard to measure that by. Nothing like, "... so that one might see one's face reflected in the metal" nor, "..., so that the sunlight reflected off the steel should be found uncomfortable to gaze upon" or something such.

Brick Dust in the 18th century was that, BUT the bricks were much softer by comparison to modern bricks, so DO NOT use dust from a modern brick to polish one's musket as it is far too abrasive. If one can find a crumbling 18th century brick, or even older, then you might convert it to dust.

Musket Hack: IF one uses the YELLOW scrubbie that are found at the local warehouse home improvement store, in the section for ceramic topped stoves, for the removal of carbon deposits, THESE usually give a fine, "gunmetal" polish to the both the lock and the barrel of the musket. Similar to a "green scrubbie" used for washing dishes, and Do Not use a green scrubbie for the exterior of the musket as that tends to be too abrasive.

View attachment 55548

LD

A knife builder online gave me a interesting idea with ebony buffing compound.

He melts the compound onto a leather welding mitt and hand polishes his knives to the original 18th century satin finishes.

According to him, the best they could have done is 1,000 grit satin finish with pumice or rotten stone.

Buffing wheels were around but of course RPMS were not as high as today’s bench top units.