1st attempt at brass

[Mike Lyons]

I'm a few days in on filing brass.  It's starting to take shape but I'm not happy with it yet. Do you see anything on the piece that I should be concentrating on?  As always, any advice is appreciated.

[hanshi]

I'm just a green novice but it looks okay to me.

[bob in the woods]

It looks to me as though you still need to file up the tabs used for pinning the hard to the stock. Or....cut off the rear tab and use a screw in that location.  It also looks like you could move on to emery paper..etc.  I like to use a scraper and then polish.  Also, I usually file a slight chamfer on the underside of the portions being inlet into the wood . It helps with getting a nice tight fit.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

It's coming along nicely.  I agree with BITW - file draft into the extensions that go into the wood.  And also, file the ends SQUARE WITH THE CENTRE AXIS of the guard.  Time to go to increasingly finer abrasive cloth or paper.  After about 400 you can burnish with 0000 steel woo, with the long axis - never across..

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks for all the advice.  I'm following the Mr. Brooks build tutorial and researching and asking questions all along the way.  In another 30 years,  I should be close to finished.

[Mauser06]

I despise cleaning up castings more than anything.  I was hoping someone had a super easy method that would be in this post! Lol

[Bill Raby]

I despise cleaning up castings more than anything.  I was hoping someone had a super easy method that would be in this post! Lol

A soak in cyanide works for gold investment castings. Might work for brass.

[Daryl]

I despise cleaning up castings more than anything.  I was hoping someone had a super easy method that would be in this post! Lol

I have Taylor do it, but he's expensive.

[Mike Lyons]

[Lucky R A]

Now coat it with brass black and rub it back with steel wool and you will have a slightly antique look...let the inside of the bow mostly dark...But then I saw a polished motorcycle in one of your photos, so perhaps you want your new gun nice and shinny...Ron :>}

[elk killer]

I have 8 to 10 brass guards and but plates to polish, I'm sending them all to you..😊

[Pukka Bundook]

You look to have done a really nice job!

Flats are nice and square.   all nice and even....Good work.   

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I agree with Pukka:  really credible job!  It is well polished without being buffed to a mirror shine which of course is totally inappropriate.  Nice work....satisfyin', ain't it?

[Mike Lyons]

Thanks for all the words of wisdom.  It was one of the most satisfying parts of the build so far.  Filing the thimble bands was a bear but the time put in it really makes a difference.  Thanks again for the advice.   

[deepcreekdale]

I think you need more practice, I am with elk killer, I am sending all mine to you to work on so you will be REALLY good at it. You did an excellent job on that one.

[WadePatton]

Good work. Makes me nearly almost want to do a gun with brass furnishings.   



  maybe later, yeah for sure later.  Still have too much cast steel for that.