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Browning a lock- questions

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I asked this in my own thread, need to ask it here to get a wider spectrum of answers.
OK, I am thinking of browning my lock since the barrel will be. The lock is case hardened. Will there be/can there be issues with how it turns out owing to pattern of the case hardening? If I were to remove the pattern, will it come off like blueing or does it have to be sanded off? Any and all relevant input would be appreciated.
 
A photograph of the lock as it currently looks might help. Personally, I would typically be inclined to leave a colored case hardened finish as is as I like the contrast, unless not appropriate for the gun.

Most any product or process that removes bluing will remove the coloring from case hardening. I would suggest not using something like a buffing wheel, as it would likely round off any sharp edges or corners. Also, the case hardened lock steel will likely brown up a bit different that the barrel.
 
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I tend to agree with @SDSmlf. Locks were often case hardened and supplied with a colored barrel Barrels were most often blued so, the contrast worked well. Browning the barrel and leaving it in a hot car will turn the browning almost black. That looks good with the case hardened lock.
 
The above is what I am worried about. Can't get a pic for now, but it is a Pedersoli Kentucky. Stripped and restained and finished the stock also. Just thought an unbrowned lock would stand out too much.
I like the like how a color case hardened lock stands out. Takes more effort than browning or bluing. Many of the modern manufacturers attempt to mimic color case ‘hardening’, but coloring is actually the result of a chemical process.
 
The best way to remove the case color hardening is to anneal the hammer and lock plate. This is an easy home project, disassemble the lock and place the hammer and plate in a large can. Fill the can with used charcoal and a small piece of paper. Make sure no part is touching the can and the can is closed as well as possible but not sealed. Place this closed can in a fire such as a charcoal grill or better yet a camp fire. Keep the can glowing for an hour then allow to cool. The parts will be a light gray and can be rubbed down with steel wool and can be treated as you see fit, brown or blue. This not only makes the parts easy to polish evenly by removing the hardness but ensures the new color will take well. On the other hand you’ll lose the wear resistance of the case.
 
Hi,
The case hardening will affect the browning by resisting rusting and slowing the process down. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Slower rusting means a smoother finer grained brown, faster rusting yields a coarse textured brown. Simply use steel wool, Scotch Bright abrasive pads, or 3-M bristle burs in a Dremel to quickly remove the case colors. No need to anneal anything.

dave
 
I went ahead and browned the components of my CVA Plains caplock. I left the lockplate in vinegar for about 30 mins and that made it white steel. It took longer and a few more applications of browning solution to get the desired effect. Going ahead with the Kentucky lock.
 
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