Applying finish to lock

[ord sgt]

Just looking for a general idea on what type of finish to apply to a caplock pistol lock. L&R lock with a rough grey finish.
The m/l pistol has a walnut stock with brass furniture and I plan on a blue barrel.

Polish the lock bright or blue the lock or.....?
Decisions, decisions, decisions.

 

[Zonie]

That's a hard one for me to answer because I don't know what you want to end up with.

The as cast surface looks pretty good if it is browned. IMO, a browned lock and a blue barrel doesn't look at all bad. The two colors seen to compliment one another.

Then, sanding the rough texture off of the lock face using the wet/dry black silicone carbide sandpaper isn't difficult to do and the smooth surface can be blued by using either a good cold blue like Birchwood Casey Perma Blue or, if your rich, Brownells Oxpho-Blue.
(Both of these need the surface to be absolutely oil and wax free to work well.)

I don't recommend it for large parts like barrels but Birchwood Casey Plum Brown works well for browning parts like lock plates, steel butt plates and steel trigger guards.

It is a hot process so you will need an oven, gas stove or a propane torch to heat the metal to 280°F.

Then, I've built several guns and left the lock "in the white" after sanding and polishing the lockplate.

 

[jerrywh]

If you want to be pc, it depends on the kind of pistol and the era it is supposed to represent.

 

[ZUG]

Another choice to consider

 

[MSW]

Zug - thanks for the post ... gotta give that stuff a try!

:wink:

 

[Bradg]

Not trying to hijack the thread here, but you don't sand the lock plate before browning it? I'm working on my first build, a lancaster flintlock and thought you sanded the casting roughness out and then browned it.

 

[ZUG]

If you are referring to my lock in the picture the plate has been sanded on a belt sander front & back to get the heavy sand cast marks out but not to a polish. Then all parts were wired wheeled to give it texture then rust blued. You can do what appeals to you or agreed upon by the person paying for the labor :v . I'm flexible when it comes to giving the customer what they want - it's their rifle :thumbsup: .

 

[Bradg]

I was more referring to the first reply of browning over the cast marks, I am just trying to learn, I honestly don't know. I just assumed that the lock would be disassembled and sanded smooth prior to browning.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Yes, you want to remove the rough as cast surface from a cast lock. Not only do you want to take off the mold marks, but a smooth surface is more like the forged finish of an original lock.

Sand the surfaces to a finish of about 320 grit wet or dry paper. A highly polished surface will not properly take on a blue or brown finish. The brown will turn coppery and the burface.slue can be mottled. Just don't leave the lock in the as cast

 

[Bradg]

Thanks, that's what I thought. I must have misread the post.

 

[ord sgt]

Looks like I am going to try my hand at bluing the barrel and lock.
Done enough rifles in brown, time for a change.