Removing deep sanding scratches on barrel.

[guncobbler]

I am still working on my 75 ERA flint fowler. Just a couple of things to do before pinning it all together. One job is to work over the barrel with finer and finer sand paper to remove the 100 grit scratches left by the barrel builder. These scratches go around the barrel as the barrel must have been chucked in a lathe and sanded. Started off with 150 grit on a pad but that was really slow going. What really worked to get below those sctratches was a sanding block about 5 inches long and 1"x1". Held the block and paper across the barrel and sanded in the direction of the barrel length. This allowed me to put a lot of force on a small footprint and use the paper to best advantage. After working all scratches that I could see easily I wiped the barrel down good and went over it marking it with a marker every place I could see a deeper sanding scratch missed. Haven't figured out how I'll finish the barrel. Thinking of browning it. GC

 

[captgary]

Guncobbler,
In my limited experience browning with LMF I found that if I stop at 220 grit when sanding, the browning comes out real nice, all the small sanding marks will disappear once you start the browning process.

Gary

 

[Mike Brooks]

If you're going to brown it you've already went too far with the paper. I draw file and that's it. Paper never touches the barrel.
This picture is of a draw filed barrel that has been antiqued with LMF browning solution.

 

[DrTimboone]

:bow: Mike, How do you drawfile the round portion?? When I built my fowler with octagon to round barrel the octagon portion was easy...drawfile. but the round portion I sanded with paper in my hand...It antiqued fine with 44/40 and bleach but I wondered what you do to get a fine finish on a barrel to be left in the white or dark blued?? :hmm: