slotting rear sight

[RichG]

was wondering what people are using to get a nice square notch in rear sight.

[rich pierce]

I have several slotting files but often a hacksaw works. Many hacksaw frames will mount 2 blades side by side if that width is needed.

[Scota4570]

I have used Dremill diamond disks and a milling machine.    Making precise rectangular slits and slots is difficult. To wide or to narrow is hard to figure out.  Lighting conditions demand different widths.   When you are done you can not see it anyway.  The rear sight is a blur. 

The last one I did with a 3-sided needle file.  The file has one safe side.    It was 10X easier to do right.  I like the triangular notch fine.  I do pair that with a wider front post shape. 

[Daryl]

I use Swiss Needle files but prefer a narrow V notch on my flinters, but a wide V on my moose rifle with a bead front sight.
  That one is easiest to see in poor light, especially with my failing eye sight.

[RichG]

I'm starting to have the blurry rear sight problem myself. Tried the wide shallow vee rear sight and it seems to work pretty well. A wide notch also seems to work. Getting the sides parallel and the bottom square is always a problem. Those slotting files are also quite expensive. Maybe I'll try saffing one side on a needle file. 

[Kansas Volunteer]

A shallow vee can be made using a file for sharpening Japanese saws. Also, a somewhat deeper vee can be cut with a cant saw file.

[mountainman]

I use a knife needle file.

[sdilts]

Hacksaw works for me.

[hudson]

I cheat I put barrel with site in the mill. With aging eyes I open the rear notch to 1/8 in. sometimes a bit more.

[Daryl]

When we were young, a pocket knife or belt knife and a hammer was used to make V notches.
Have to use wider files now.  It's easy to see the bead in the bottom of a wide V. Sight it in so the load (ball) strikes in the middle of the bead. Done.
With U notches or standard V's now, there is so much fuzz as to result in poor aiming, vertically and horizontally.  I've tried wide U notches and did not
like them any better than the narrow ones. With the wide notch, the sides were sharper in contrast, but with such a wide notch, it was hard to see if there
was equal light each side. I found aiming with them to be indistinct. Find wide V's better.
This is a single blade, wide V.



These work best with a bead. The diameter of the bead is adjusted to what is needed to see it.

[RichG]

I'm using a shallow v like Daryl shows, on my 58 trade rifle, but just a silver blade with a bevel for the front. I think I still shoot better with a blade and notch when I have enough light to see them. I find I need more light to see things properly.

[Leatherbark]

Pound the teeth of a hacksaw blade sideways with a hammer to flatten them some and it seems to make a squarer side. At least it does for me.

Bob

[RichG]

Bob-
I'll have to try that.

[kutter]

I usually cut the shape with a needle file.
The needle file cut slots I usually follow up with a tap of a steel 'drift' shaped with nice square sides and bottom.
That pushes the metal into final shape and removes any slight imperfections from the filing process.

Any metal pushed outward onto the face or back of the leaf from that process is removed with a fine file or usually I use one of
those Diamond Hone sticks. They keep things nice and flat.

FWIW,,I use those Diamond Hone sticks a lot. When they get about used up for metal polishing and bench use, don't throw them away.
Keep a couple of the 'worn out' ones in your range bag or coat. They will cut Flint like crazy and can reshape and sharpen a flint for you in seconds.
I touch up /resharpen the flint while it's still in the hammer jaws. Minimal removal of precious flint as opposed to knapping it to expose a new edge.

[Not English]

Kutter, that's a new one for me. I'll have to give it a try sometime,

[Daryl]

I've used the green wheel on my 8" bench grinder for dressing up humped flints. It does a great job, as long as you dont get the flint too hot. They will crack.