How would you remove this blemish?

Picked this Harper's Ferry up for a good price. I'm refinishing the wood, but uncertain as to how to clean the barrel up. I've tried polishing it out, without success.

I have an idea of how to...fill it over...but I'd love to hear recommendations from the forum.

Honestly.......live with it.

Buff the spot with 0000 steel wool. Most likely, the pitting goes into the barrel so there is not much can be done there. Refinish the wood and get to shooting it asap.

I did hit it with 0000, to essentially no effect.

Duracoat makes a product called Filler, which it says will fill it pitting. If I go that route, I'd have the barrel refinished with metallic Cerakote. That is around a $120 process, though, if I choose to do it.

One slightly nice thing, if I choose to go that route, is I could fill in the Pedersoli markings.

Clean it the best you can,and leave it, its called character.

appalichian hunter said:

Clean it the best you can,and leave it, its called character.

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Bingo!

Birddog1911 said:

Picked this Harper's Ferry up for a good price. I'm refinishing the wood, but uncertain as to how to clean the barrel up. I've tried polishing it out, without success.

I have an idea of how to...fill it over...but I'd love to hear recommendations from the forum.

Click to expand...

If it were mine! I would take a file and take some metal off. There are holes there, and you have to get to the bottom. Once the bottom is found I would then take my diamond impregnated stone, emery cloth, and polish it out. If it is too deep to correct without distorting the barrel shape I would take some out making the eye sore a little more palatable.
Larry

Larry (Omaha) said:

If it were mine! I would take a file and take some metal off. There are holes there, and you have to get to the bottom. Once the bottom is found I would then take my diamond impregnated stone, emery cloth, and polish it out. If it is too deep to correct without distorting the barrel shape I would take some out making the eye sore a little more palatable.
Larry

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Same here, but I have a small set of diamond files to use.

Larry (Omaha) said:

If it were mine! I would take a file and take some metal off. There are holes there, and you have to get to the bottom. Once the bottom is found I would then take my diamond impregnated stone, emery cloth, and polish it out. If it is too deep to correct without distorting the barrel shape I would take some out making the eye sore a little more palatable.
Larry

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That thought is a bit intimidating, since I've never done something like that. But I'll keep it in mind; maybe even get a diamond file if that's the better way to go.

Birddog1911 said:

That thought is a bit intimidating, since I've never done something like that. But I'll keep it in mind; maybe even get a diamond file if that's the better way to go.

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If you don't have a diamond stone, just use a file and then buff it out with finer grits of emery. No big deal. Just go easy and don't take off more than you need to.
Larry

I would burnish the area.

Its pitting. Otherwise known as corrosion which is the gradual destruction of materials by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment.

In other words, it doesn't get better with time or age. It needs to be removed, treated and conserved. Lots of good advice given on how to do that.

Progressive sanding with sandpaper to get to the bottom and polish up the barrel, 120 up to 1000

This and six bits will get you a cup of coffee
Remove no more metal
Use a chemical rust remover to get the rust totally out of the pits
Get a gunsmith to fill the area with silver solder
Then take the above suggested abrasives suggestions shape and finish to match

Or better yet consult a trained gunsmith before you do anything

As hunters we honor the quarry with quick clean harvest

As a front stuffer enthusiasts ..I think "preserve the history" I even look at firearms I own as being only the current protector ..and that I have an obligation to pass it on "intact" to the next protector

Just my values ..not to be imposed on others in any way nor to judge others in any way ..It would indeed be gratifying if my great grandson 4 times over could hold see and shoot the firearms I have ..and as I had them

Have a great week all
BEAR

Get a product called "Rub and Buff" a waxy type metallic paint. Comes in different shades. Rub it on filling the pits and then rub off excess. That's not perfect but better than the black spot. I filled in the rolled engraving on my 1100 with the Gold colored. Along with the added extra fancy figured stock and forearm (off EBAY) it looked like a high grade gun with gold inlays, it fooled a lot people so the Silver should help cover your problem area.

Some good points, Bear, but this isn't an original piece. It's a Pedersoli. If I could find a gunsmith in the area that could silver solder the barrel, I'd certainly ask, at least.

The rust has been removed. It's just a matter at this point of what to do to try and improve its appearance.

Try Nvr-Dull I swear by this stuff. It wont remove the scratches in the metal but it will clean it out of blems. Its a cotton material and it WILL NOT scratch even the softest metals or wood. Key to it is to keep rubbing it with pressure over the area. It removes a load of manure including surface rust on polished steel or chrome etc. Steel wool 0000 does work but can cause light scratches. You can find it in Lowes, Home Depot and aboout any Automotive shop like Advance Auto

It'll eat on you. Late at night. While driving a car. At the beach. You're gonna deal with it sooner or later.

Thanks to Larry's advice, I found an informative video showing the filing steps. That's not the only blemish, there's more. I can test my technique where the barrel will be in the stock, first.

Why is everyone filing and removing metal? Find a good MIG welder, fill it and file it to shape. It's not an original. If it was I'd say leave it alone after stabilizing the rust.