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Post by hawkeyes on Sept 17, 2020 6:27:39 GMT -7
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Post by spence on Sept 18, 2020 17:36:02 GMT -7
That's impressive work. It must be very satisfying to be able to bring that kind of skill to the job, and it must have taken a long time to acquire it. Finding work would have been easy for you in the day.
"The Pennsylvania Gazette
March 6, 1776
EXTRAORDINARY Wages will be given to two or three Journeymen Gunsmiths, who are skilled in Stocking of Muskets and Rifles. Likewise good Encouragement will be given to a Gunlock Filer, that can make Musket Locks. --- Apply to THOMAS PALMER, the North Side of Market street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, Philadelphia.
N.B. Any person that has Skill to accomplish either of the aforesaid Branches, may, if they choose, work Piece work, and receive their Cash every Saturday Afternoon; or a Sum of Money will be advanced to them, by giving Security for the Delivery of their Work."
Spence
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Post by hawkeyes on Sept 18, 2020 20:02:10 GMT -7
That's impressive work. It must be very satisfying to be able to bring that kind of skill to the job, and it must have taken a long time to acquire it. Finding work would have been easy for you in the day. "The Pennsylvania Gazette March 6, 1776 EXTRAORDINARY Wages will be given to two or three Journeymen Gunsmiths, who are skilled in Stocking of Muskets and Rifles. Likewise good Encouragement will be given to a Gunlock Filer, that can make Musket Locks. --- Apply to THOMAS PALMER, the North Side of Market street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, Philadelphia. N.B. Any person that has Skill to accomplish either of the aforesaid Branches, may, if they choose, work Piece work, and receive their Cash every Saturday Afternoon; or a Sum of Money will be advanced to them, by giving Security for the Delivery of their Work." Spence Thank you for the kind words, excellent passages, definitely saving those examples! |
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Post by johnhalf on Sept 19, 2020 6:25:30 GMT -7
While I have not came across many references to the exact detail of the subject, the finishing of the rifle mountings is of the utmost importance in reproducing a quality piece. Many books and manuals detail the process of the old makers and those are certainly worth investigating. For this particular reason I'm focusing on my method using the common tools available that were in use by every builder of the period. The most single important tool available is light to illuminate good clarity and cast shadows on a piece from multiple angles. Besides light the file without a doubt was a staple of success and something that one cannot be found without. The importance of quality files cannot be understood until the use of lesser tools are used against those of superior quality. If anyone plans to build a rifle, GOOD files are an absolute must for every step. Parting lines and gates removed with a medium cut bastard file, the process continues with finer cut files until the desired finish is achieved. For my personal liking a finish of 400 grit is where I stop with a rotten stone slury mixed with mineral oil. I have expiremented with brick dust and the results are promising. However I find modern bricks to inconsistent in their material makeup, some work great while others do not once processed. No emery paper is used during the finishing, file and polish work by hand and eye. There is nothing better than quality hand finishing. Nice work Hawkeyes! Finding a good file to add to my collection always makes me happy. I have never thought of brick dust, excellent idea. |
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Post by brokennock on Sept 19, 2020 11:42:25 GMT -7
I saved the dust from filing the humps off a bunch of flints thinking it should work as well or better than brick dust.
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Post by artificer on Sept 19, 2020 17:27:19 GMT -7
I saved the dust from filing the humps off a bunch of flints thinking it should work as well or better than brick dust.
I would be very careful to ensure any pieces of flint are not left in the dust, as they might cause scratches that are deeper than what you want, especially in brass. The dust should not be a problem, though, and please let us know how it works for you.
Gus
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Post by artificer on Sept 19, 2020 18:57:23 GMT -7
Hi Hawkeyes,
I very much agree that is GOOD filing/finishing and if it means anything, I used to teach hand filing to apprentices.
Modern bricks are often not good for making brick dust because the kilns they use nowadays give "First Quality" Bricks for the entire batch of bricks and are fired too "hard" for brick dust.
Actually in the 18th century, there were three grades of bricks, as I came to learn from a book on trades from Colonial Williamsburg. I had purchased the book for information on other trades and didn't bother reading the chapter on brick making UNTIL a couple decades ago when I was investigating the use of brick dust. Their Brick Kilns were large hollow mounds and the walls were made from clay and dirt. The fire was in the center and the bricks were laid out in rings with some distance between the rings, so the heated air could get around each ring. The rings closest to the fire were First Quality and were used in fire places and for architectural support. The next rings away from the fire were 2nd Quality and used inside the thick period walls and sometimes on the outer surfaces of out buildings and walls. The final rings of bricks were too soft for those purposes, so they were used almost exclusively as "fill" bricks in really thick brick walls inside and especially on outside walls.
OK, so armed with that information, I decided to try to do some experimental archeology because I knew a guy who supplied bricks all over Virginia. I asked him if they ever did repair work on 18th century brick homes/buildings and he said they did them quite often. I asked him if he could get me some of the broken/old/replaced bricks from the interior of outside walls and or other bricks that had crumbled. He said sure he could, but then I had to explain why I wanted "bad" bricks? He actually enjoyed learning how they made bricks during the 18th century and did not know of the different qualities the manufacturing process gave. He used that knowledge afterwards and chuckled about how it lent a whole new air of professionalism when they bid/worked on historic preservations, but it was information that was very useful in bidding on a job like that.
OK, now I actually had REAL Original 18th century bricks with which to make brick dust. Most of the brick pieces he gave me were Third Quality and give a rather fine polish. A few pieces of Second Quality pieces were in the mix, so I use them similar to a course emery powder, followed by the brick dust of the low quality bricks something like a finer emery powder is used after the course powder and of course if I want that fine of a polish. I have used the courser brick dust on
steel or brass pieces/parts of guns that were not kept polished and turned color, then followed with the finer brick dust for a high polish. Oh, if one wishes to polish buttons with brick dust, it is best to stick with the poorest "Third Quality" of bricks.
Now I understand not everyone lives in a Commonwealth or State that has a lot of or even any 18th century bricks, so in those states, look for bricks that have crumbled to make brick dust as they will probably be your best bet.
During the period another thing they commonly did was SCRAPE Iron and Brass Parts with steel Scrapers as they worked it down to finish it. I have not tried that, but I'm under the impression it was done as the final finish on many items, including the brass parts of military firearms. I'm thinking of trying this technique by using old cabinet scrapers.
OH, FWIW, some to many brass pieces on modern repo guns and even castings of trigger guards and buttplates are commonly cast out of a HARDER brass alloy than was common in the 18th century. I have forgotten who still has the correct softer brass castings, but many are too hard for some of the period finishing techniques.
Gus
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