ruined two files

[hoochiepapa]

On a Deluxe siler frizzen. I'm trying to polish the lock on the first gun that I have converted from perc.
What do you fellers use to polish? The coarsest diamond stone I have is 250 grit, and it polishes nice, but takes forever!
Any help is appreciated.

 

I used sand paper on mine backed up with a 1/2"x1/4" piece of flat bar that I had laying around. You'd be surprised how fast and clean sandpaper will cut. I used windex as the lube.

BTW, what kind of files were they? I've had the best luck with Nicklson files.

 

[LRB]

Wet & dry automotive sand paper on blocks and or sticks, or you can anneal it. If you decide to anneal, a few sub non-magnetic heats in the low red/black range will get it to where you can file it. If annealed in the common/typical methods, you will weaken the grain structure.

 

[LRB]

Even a Nicholson file, blessed by the Pope, is going to do well on a good 1095 hardened frizzen.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Blademaker, they are Swiss jeweler's files.

 

[hoochiepapa]

I'd rather not get into annealing, these locks spark like there's no tomorrow. I'd just screw it up.I have some wet-or-dry, I'll give it a go. Thanks, both of you.

 

Give it a try, and I've found windex works great for lube, though some swear by WD40.

You've got good files, and from the sound of it the frizzen was left at a high hardness. I was curious as I've seen some pretty soft china files used before and people wondered why they wouldn't cut.

 

[rootsy]

Rubber wheel impregnated with abrasive in the dremel to quickly knock down the blasted surface. Wet and dry sandpaper lubricated after that.

 

[hoochiepapa]

The coarsest wet-or-dry I could find is 220. Seems like that would take an awful long time. I'll go to Ace tomorrow and see what they have. THis particular frizzen is pretty rough, like pin holes all over.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Rootsy, I have some of those I got from Sears, and I haven't tried them yet.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

The pin holes are un-fortunate, they could run deep.

I start out with 220 grit backed by files and go to 400 grit, once you get through the 220 ( does take some time ) the rest goes fairly quickly.

I dont mind a small amount of defect in the work, adds character.

 

[sc45-70]

Start with emery cloth wrapped around one of your "dull" files.

SC45-70

 

[wmaser]

Mike, Cut small disks out of emery cloth. Make them about 10 or 12 guage (I use my 10 ga. wad cutter). Put a nail hole in the center and screw it onto one of the little dremel tool arbors. Make a few of them because they dont last very long. Run on high speed on your dremel tool. They do a beautiful job.
Wild Bill, Double Eagle Forge.

 

[jerrywh]

You might as well learn to anneal the frizzens and reharden them. You have chosen to be an engraver Mike. You will need to do this in the furture many times if your going to engrave gun parts. More often than not the difference between the best and the average is having the nerve to dare to be better. What will you do when you are required to do a gold inlay on a frizzen??

 

[Birddog6]

The coarsest wet-or-dry I could find is 220. Seems like that would take an awful long time. I'll go to Ace tomorrow and see what they have. THis particular frizzen is pretty rough, like pin holes all over.

NAPA. Get the Black wet/dry autobody paper with red backing. Comes in allot of dif grits. I buy it in 50 sheet packages & that is all I use. I have it in 220, 320, 600, 1000, 1500, 2000 grit. The only regular sand paper I use is 80 & 120 grit.

Keith Lisle

 

[hoochiepapa]

I know you're right, Jerry, but I was hoping to avoid it at this time. I would like to get to the point where I can buy locks that have not been heat-treated, engrave them, and then harden the parts that need it. I have my hands full right now, taking care of mom and trying to get guns built.

 

[Stophel]

I use stones and sandpaper on mine, when I don't need to reharden them. :wink: