Just beginning work on a Alex Henry style long range percussion rifle. Barrel has been contoured, Rigby flats filed in, under lug installed and front sight base fitted. The barrel was finished in a rush (medical issues) leaving some wrinkles and waves on the surface, then hot blued.
My first efforts will be to remove the barrel surface irregularities. I made a striking file several years ago it is used “the long way”, parallel with the barrel axis. In this case, because the barrel was blued it is fairly easy to locate the problem areas after a few strokes with one of the files. In the pictures you can see areas where the file did not cut,
These areas are the source of the waves and wrinkles. As work progresses, the file cuts a full path having lowered the high spots and blending into the acceptable part of the barrel exterior.
Once the barrel has been initially filed the long way, a hard 3 inch wide backer wrapped with crocus cloth is used with the lathe under back gear power. Goal here is to keep as much of the backer/paper on the barrel as possible and to keep it moving. When ALL the lengthwise striations have changed to circular striations around the barrel surface, it is time to go to another lengthwise sanding. This time use 180 paper and a backer to polish manually the long way again changing all the striations in that direction. Continue alternating the direction of work and abrasive paper thru 400 grit.
At this point, you should be able to hold the barrel up to a light at a shallow angle and pick up a reflection line that goes the entire barrel length and it will appear arrow straight with no variation AND no ripples/waves.
Tip, card or clean the files frequently and frequently use a little light oil wiped on with a paper towel when filing.
The striking file on the wooden handle is secured with a screw on each end. The ends of the file are eased and polished to prevent digging in. When using on a swamped barrel section, screws are loosened and a shim in the range of .005” is placed in the middle of the file. The screws tightened again causes a belly in the center of the file allowing access to the swamped area without galling or digging in.
Jim
