Recommendations needed before I order from GESSWEIN

[BrushCountryAg03]

Howdy everyone, I'll get to the point:  I already have a small assortment of various stones from my last order, however I'm convinced I'm going about things the wrong way.

So here's  the Million Dollar Question: Which stones (composition, grit, dimensions, etc), oil, abrasives, etc. do I need to order which will allow me to take a new Jim Chambers lock from start to finish(beautifully polished & smoothed) along with all of the usual iron and brass mountings?

[westbj2]

Before you get to the stones if there is any reshaping or surface cleanup needed a set of Grobet #4 or #6 cut needle files makes your time much more efficient in getting the surface prepared for stone polishing.  They are a bit pricy at Gesswein.  I have found some great deals on Ebay.  Search "Grobet files".
These stones in the 1/8 x 1/2 x 6" size work well.  I would start with the 220 or 320 grit and go on to 600 or 800.

http://www.gesswein.com/p-422-moldmaker-plus-stones.aspx?cpagenum=&sortfield=&sortdirection=&perpage=
Also consider the "Super Soft" stones which readily break away to conform to odd or irregular shapes.
As to the oil, simple kerosene works well.
To finish your work after stoning, Brownells sells a small carding hand brush used for rust bluing.  Use the brush to get the microscopic striations all going the same direction.  The result is a satin gloss finish and more controllable than 4/0 steel wool.
Jim Westberg

[Eric Smith]

Here is a link to a pretty good tutorial and shopping list.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=2585.0

[Acer Saccharum]

Filing is definitely faster than stoning. Do as much as you can with files before graduating to stones.

Consider that the shape of the lock makes a difference. For a round-faced lock, I'd pick a soft stone that conforms with the surface. But for a lock with hard edges, or bevels, you will want to maintain the crispness of those edges, therefore a harder medium is best.


I like the Gesswein oil-filled stones the best. They are medium structure, they hold up quite well on hard edges, flat surfaces, etc, yet break down slowly to fit themselves to a contoured surface.

The grey moldmaker stones are quite good for rough stock removal.

Stoning a hardened frizzen is the worst. Lately, I have taken to annealing the frizzens, then filing them, which is much faster.

[Jim Kibler]

The suggested needle files are a good place to start.  I've bought some Nicholson ones in the past and they work well, but don't last too long.  The Grobet are much better.  As to finishing after filing, you have some choices and it depends on your preference and the project.  For a plain or simple longrifle, it could be perfectly acceptable to leave a fine filed finish.  If some aging is to be done, this might be even more appropriate or acceptable.  If it is going to be finished further than filing, stones work well, but aren't a necessity.  Silicon carbide wet-dry paper wrapped around a file or piece of wood works as well.  This can be found in hardwares or auto parts stores.  I like to use a little light oil with it to keep it from clogging.  As far as stones go, I've bought them from Congress.  I like the Y-Oil type mostly for lock work.  I generally will start at around 220 after filing and then work up.  I just finished a round faced lock from Jim and I stopped at 320 grit followed by a hard scrubbing with red scotchbrite.  I plan on darkening / aging the metal some and this will be as fine as is necesary.  In fact, even if I weren't going to do any further metal treatment, I think this finish would be fine.  It looks good and I know what bad looks like!  If this were going on perhaps an English gun I might finish a little finer.  I'm not one who likes highly polished surfaces for most 18th century work.  I think the stone sizes I use are 1/8" square and 1/4" x 1/2".

[flehto]

FRrom my toolmaking days I've got 3 soft Gesswein stones that because they're self cleaning, really take the scratches off. They're 1/2" square by 6" long....don't know the grit, but the grits do differ from coarse to fairly fine....Fred

[Acer Saccharum]

dark gray is 'moldmaker'
white is 'ultra soft'
off-white is 'oil-filled'
red is 'India'

Gesswein has a poster with their stones in full color, labeled. They may have it on line. My experience with their website has been slooooooow screen refresh times.

[PPatch]

Being smack in the middle of polishing a lock I will say this. It is a long tedious process involving hour upon hour of detailed filing, cursing, more filing and then a steady progression of auto style wet/dry papers through the grits, beginning at 220 all backed by Plexiglas blocks and rods. I arrived in the 1000 grit range just lately. I have the hammer where I want it, finished it to 3000 then with lapping compound on felt pads. Through it all I managed somehow to maintain (fairly) crisp lines. I must be crazy.

But, I now have a plan for the next lock: Indentured slavery!  

Oh, if you are in need of an age check go into an auto parts store and ask for valve lapping compound – the youngsters posing as clerks will look and smirk at you as if you just stepped off the planet Tralfamadore. No worries, I looked the place over and found a kit for polishing plastic headlight covers - had the perfect liquid lapping compound in it.

Dave

[Acer Saccharum]

3000 is completely off the wall.

600 is a lot.

I polished injection molds for years, and can fall asleep after two minutes of polishing.

Hey, this is a great business opportunity for those who really like polishing! 

[eddillon]

I use files, wet or dry #320, #400.  I finish with 000 steel wool to which I have applied a paste made up of rotten stone and mineral oil.  Gives the surface that satin sheen that you look into and not at.  Pardon the dangling participles.   

[Jim Kibler]

Wonder what's the fascination with the mirror finished surfaces some seem to desire?  Looks out of place to me.  A suggestion...  Look at original work or good contemporary work by respected builders and use this as a guide.

[eddillon]

I agree.  That is why I said satin sheen and not mirror polish.  If you were referring to my reply.
Ed

[BrushCountryAg03]

Thank y'all for all of the input so far...I'm literally taking notes as I do so often on this forum. 

So what are everyone's feelings towards the more expensive CERAMIC STONES vs Oil Stones?