Proper luster of metal parts?

[VA Guy]

Found a little time to work on my Kibler Colonial kit. I'm working on finishing metal parts, and I'm trying to get a feel for the proper level of polish. I've looked at as many pictures as I can scare up, but no one takes pictures up close trying to show off a polishing job, just typically just the overview/finished product that's often been aged (naturally or artificially)

I'm also having trouble with the fact that from my research it seems that it's uncommon to go above 320 grit, but I feel that my level of polish with 320 grit is far too rough. I do think my trigger guard and butt plate are the proper level of polish, but I took both to 800 grit.

Regarding the barrel - from what I've read, it seems acceptable to leave draw filing marks because this seemed to be the level of finish used in original work, but I'm not sure.

Here's where I'm at on the various parts in the photos below:
Barrel: draw filed, sanded to 320 grit
Sights: sanded to 320 grit
Butt plate: Sanded to 800 grit, burnished with 0000 steel wool
Trigger guard: Same as butt plate, but with a coating of brass black knocked back with 0000 steel wool

Thoughts?

Thanks all!

 

[rchas]

It is really up to you, and whatever you want to achieve. I know some builders who are happy with 220. I prefer polishing up to 320 on steel or 400 on brass rubbed with 0000 steel wool. If I want a mirror finish I'll buff it on a fabric wheel with red rouge. 320 on steel gives a nice satin texture under rust blue or brown. Historical finishes I have read described as "high polish over scratches". When switching grits I have found it's important to sand at right angles to the previous grit--this will reveal spots where you didn't polish out the previous grits scratches.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Old guns that have been well cared for have 200 years of wear as well to smooth the finish. I like to do good work but would never go to extremes. Buffing would be to much and steel wool may be more then would of been seen in the day. Sharp clean lines always shows care in your work. Suit your self is what I'm saying.
IMG_0536 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Cattywompuss]

Unfortunately we have almost no knowledge of the original level of finish on guns. We know what they have looked like for about the last 60-100 years, but we have no idea what they actually looked and felt like 200-250 years ago. So... whatever floats your boat.

 

[Cattywompuss]

Old guns that have been well cared for have 200 years of wear as well to smooth the finish. I like to do good work but would never go to extremes. Buffing would be to much and steel wool may be more then would of been seen in the day. Suit your self is what I'm saying.
IMG_0536 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Took the words out of my mouth!

 

[Pete G]

Unfortunately we have almost no knowledge of the original level of finish on guns. We know what they have looked like for about the last 60-100 years, but we have no idea what they actually looked and felt like 200-250 years ago. So... whatever floats your boat.

We DO know that they did not use an electric buffer

 

[Cattywompuss]

We DO know that they did not use an electric buffer

Who knows? Ol Ben Franklin mighta sorted out a nice little kite powered system for his PA brethren making guns

 

[tenngun]

Didn’t get too popular, no thunderstorm no work.
For me it’s 220, rubbing compound and 0000 steel wool

 

[Cattywompuss]

Didn’t get too popular, no thunderstorm no work.
For me it’s 220, rubbing compound and 0000 steel wool

That's the perpetual complaint of Igor down in the laboratory as well

 

[ord sgt]

It depends on the finish of the steel parts. 220 grit on parts when you choose to brown. At least 320 or higher if you plan to blue the parts. Brass parts can go to a mirror finish.

 

[VA Guy]

Alright... since everyone pretty much told me to "do whatever I want" I did what I wanted...

And since the 800 grit burnished with steel wool felt right to me, I stayed with that but added a step of buffing with green Scotch Brite.

I've attached the results of my polishing and patina-ing. I originally wanted to leave everything bright, but since the gun will otherwise be pretty plain (and my wife like the experiments I did with the brass black) I thought I'd go that way. I'll treat the barrel with the brass black as well.

Any and all criticisms are welcome; it's just metal, it doesn't have feelings and polishing it again won't hurt.

My thoughts:
The trigger guard looks the best. The side plate doesn't want to stay oxidized; since it was machined I'm guessing it was a different flavor of brass.
The lock turned out OK, but the frizzen was harder than a coffin nail all the way through and not just on the face, so I'm going to have to live with the casting imperfections.

 

[oldwood]

I prefer the old look of original m/l barrel iron. Draw file w/ chalked file for smoothness. Touch up w/ 220 grit emery backed with wood stick. Just before the browning solution , dawn the clean cotton gloves. Now to degrease and lightly blend the surface , use a very fine wire brush on a 3200 RPM grinder , lightly , brush with the longitudinal direction of the barrel. No further degreasing is necessary. Again , don't touch the metal with anything but the gloves. Place the barrel in the damp box and apply cold brown solution with no runs and very sparingly with clean cotton cloth pledgett. Le perfection in 24 hrs.......................oldwood

 

[tenngun]

My brass

 

[oldwood]

Still amazes me how black brass turns when ya take her out and shoot her. It's almost magic......oldwood

 

[Vaino]

For a bbl that will be browned.....after draw filing, a light rub w/ 220 grit paper. A slight etch from the LMF covers well, so why spend time going any further than 220? Brass parts get a final papering w/ 320 grit and then 0000 steel wool. Usually use 44/40 cold blue and 0000 steel wool to age.......Fred

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Ended up putting a mirror finish on my lock and lock plate, and close to that on the back side of my frizzen. Ended up with a high luster on the brass.

 

[user 34300]

For contoured brass use these:
https://www.gesswein.com/p-369-gesswein-ultra-soft-stones.aspxFor wide open spaces I use Maroon Scotchbrite.

I copied these from Jim Kibler. I like how is guns look. They are neither over polished or crude. They are crisp and have a satin luster. He has a video on youtube showing how he does his metal.

 

[Cattywompuss]

Ended up putting a mirror finish on my lock and lock plate, and close to that on the back side of my frizzen. Ended up with a high luster on the brass.

Well done! You now have your gun ready to finish! Let us know how that goes! Regarding anyone's opinion of your "Nameless Hunter's Best" finish, bugger the lot of em! In 20 years, your gonne will still look good and not like some hoitoi poser made it look 200 years old.

 

[JonBishop]

Those brass finishes look really good. I’m going to have to rethink my “aged” brass finish on my build. Tenngun, what polishing compound do you use? I used white jeweler’s rouge on a felt dremel bit. It left a bit of blackened brass look to it.

Jon

 

[Shadowalker164]

I am following all threads about the Kibler Colonial. I have placed my order, extra fancy maple! Hope to have it by Christmas.

I think of my muzzleloaders as performance art. I use too much Tru Oil, the stocks just gleam! And I keep the brass as polished as I know how. I went over the barrels with 1500 grit wet or dry and water on a sanding block before blueing. They shine!

But with the Colonial, my thinking at present is to keep her in the white, glossy stock and blinding brass work! But I can see her with lock plate and barrel polished to the point they could be mistaken for chrome!

Like I said, art first, but with a bunch of performance!