To file or not to file that is the question?

[David R. Pennington]

Getting ready to inlet my .45 x 13/16"x 48" barrel into blank. This barrel is dated 1973 and has never been drilled for touch hole. When I found it, it was inlet into a broken piece of stock blank. It has a 40 plus year patina brown on top half of barrel and I am tempted to leave it. Corners are somewhat soft like it was sanded?
It will be southern style with forged wrought iron mounts. Leave it as is or draw file and new finish?

[mountainman70]

Now David,we done fussed about thisn.If ye don't want to use that barl,I will gladly receive it.I have a L&R 900 on a SMR walnut project,and it was never on a gun til now,has great patina already,I am bein real careful not to skin it up.Missed you at sat shoot-I had ankle surgery Friday,and didn't feel up ta goin out.Have a goodun,bro   Dave F

[sweed]

Think Id build th gun, then see if ya got all that shinie covered. If it shows any where file it down slightly only on th aged part!   just my 2 ct. Free advise!..worth ever penny!  

[Pete G.]

No matter how good of an "antiquer" you are, you will never replicate years of real aging.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Draw file it - make it nice - then inlet it. Why work with something that is not quite right. If you use it as is then when you are done with the build you will say to yourself "I should have draw filed that barrel".

[Dale Campbell]

"It is also said, Never go to the Elves for advice, for they will say both yes and no." Frodo Baggins

[kaintuck]

I asked the kat......he said just leave it alone, and match the other metal parts to its aged colors......

Marc

[Acer Saccharum]

All the work of inletting, cutting in sights, etc, will certainly affect the old brown. Leave it alone, and see what you have in the end. Then you can decide to clean it up, or brown over top of the original finish.

I do not believe the nice brown will survive the build process unscathed.

[rich pierce]

"It is also said, Never go to the Elves for advice, for they will say both yes and no." Frodo Baggins

Best response ever!

[Curt Larsen]

You mentioned that it had patina brown on the top of the barrel.  Is this simply natural rusting from letting is sit around for years or actual browning?  If it is just from sitting around, I would draw file it and brown it to suit your own eyes.  I've had some barrels sitting around my shop for awhile and some developed surface discoloration (I live near salt water).  Paul Berkuta's and Acer's advice are what I might do.
Curt

[Kermit]

I guess my idea is to satisfy all the Elves by filing 3 flats and then deciding whether they go in the stock up or down. It's a non-answer, I suppose.

[David R. Pennington]

 The barrel was never finished, it had a good brown on exposed metal just from being exposed to WV humidity for 40 + years. After careful consideration and consultation with all the elves I draw filed the top 5 flats lightly leaving the corners alone and leaving a few small pits and streaks from original finishing. I didn't touch bottom 3 flats as I didn't want to obscure makers lightly inscribed signature.
Almost have inlet scraped enough to set barrel in. Wow its a long trip down that 48" groove with scraper, I have to take a walk each time back to start again.