Filing lock parts

[Tenmile]

I was taught to file and polish the surfaces of all lock parts to resist rusting. Do you do this?

 

[EC121]

I do it to remove the casting marks. Don't know about the rust. I polish them and either leave them white or smear on some cold blue(to let it wear off) A browned unfinished lock stuck in the wood is bush league.

 

[TDM]

I don’t use a file. If you had a large burr or casting mark then a small file or jewelers file wound be fine. I use various fine grit polish stones to work over the tumbler and sear. Same with the trigger group. If you don’t have stones, 600-1,000 grit sand paper backed by a file or wood stick will work too. I finish each piece off with a felt tip dremel tool and fine polishing rouge.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I don’t use a file. If you had a large burr or casting mark then a small file or jewelers file wound be fine.

Aren’t those still ‘files’? LOL!

 

[TDM]

Aren’t those still ‘files’? LOL!

Yes they are, but a small 6” fine tooth mill file is different than an even smaller jewelers file. At least in my opinion.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I file as needed then use stones to get true flat surfaces and curves. Then I case harden with colors and depending on application will remove the color. The case hardening resists rust and corrosion to a degree, oil and maintenance is still required.
IMG_0541 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
F9325B5A-89D9-4F61-8F35-63FF351A10D8 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
To be authentic, all cast lock plates, flintcocks, and frizzens should be filed and polished smooth to get rid of the bead blasted finish, which has no analog during the era of the flintlock. It also helps to polish the inside.

dave

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

After attending Jim Castile's (sp) workshop at Dixon's, I came home and took apart all of my flintlocks, polished every surface, oiled and reassembled. WOW.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[APG]

I was taught to file and polish the surfaces of all lock parts to resist rusting. Do you do this?

Wow, that looks much better. I need to do that to my L&R rpl lock I have. As you can see the surface of my lock looks just like the "before" picture of yours. What did you use to get it looking like that?

 

[The Appalachian]

I don't polish anything exterior but I do like a one direction grained finish that is or looks draw filed. All my metal parts get that exterior finish and I think it's more representative of the period, at least for us poor folk here in the south eastern mountains.
Cold blue knocked back to gray then waxed or greased makes it look 250 years old, which is what I'm after, especially when it starts growing patina later on.
Files get me there on the larger surfaces but worn 80 grit sandpaper does a nice job replicating a grained draw file finish on the small stuff or hard to do places.
I carefully stone and take due diligence with internal surfaces that matter.

 

[Tenmile]

Thanks for the responses. Those are really some pretty nice looking rifles.