Hand Polishing Brass

[CavSoldier3ACR]

All,

I am a United States Soldier stationed in Central America.  I am building a Virginia style flintlock and I need some advice on polishing brass.  I was only able to bring my hand tools so I have been without the benefit of some of my electric tools at home, such as a drill press or polishing wheel on a grinder.  How would you suggest I polish brass and steel parts with only access to basic supplies.  I think I can get hold of some Emory cloth but not sure of anything else besides sand paper.  Any suggestions?

[Daryl]

Is it possible to obtain crocus cloth?  Via mail?  Someone here could/would mail you some, I'm sure.
tks for your service!

[mtlonghunter]

Do you have a burnisher?

[jerrywh]

 I never use anything but fine  sand paper and files.

[Bill Raby]

   Go to the finest sandpaper that you can get. If you can get get your hands on some polishing compound, rub it onto a rag and polish with that. If you cannot get polishing compound, try toothpaste.

[thecapgunkid]

What kinds of things could we send you and what kinds of things can't we send you?  If you have files, do you have a little cleaning board to keep 'em up?  Do you need the various grades of emery and sand paper?

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid
The Capgun Kid

[flehto]

Depends on the condition of the brass surfaces. If the surface is sandcast, use a file and then various grits of wet/dry paper. If the brass is w/o scratches, then use only the various grits of paper. I usually finish up w/ 000 steel wool.

Perhaps just install the brass parts and wait until you get stateside .....Fred

[bob in the woods]

I have never used anything but basic supplies. Files, emery cloth, burnisher.  I actually dislike the look of electric "buffed/polished"
brass. 

[thimble rig]

I use files sandpaper.You could use finger nail boards.Also if can get them use scrotch brite pads they work really good.God bless and thanks for youre service.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I don't know how finished your brass hardware is to start with, but use files to remove the flashing and rough surface. Assuming sandpaper may be the only abrasive available to you, start with 80 grit wet or dry paper. Dip the paper in water as you go.  Then do the same with 120, 240, and 400 grits.  Rather than using finer grit paper from there, I suggest maroon and grey Scotch-Brite pads, again dipped in water.  It will go much faster and you will do a better job, if you use water.  Finally, you can burnish the surfaces pretty well with a vigorous rubbing with 0000 steel wool.

dave

[Mark Elliott]

I use files to Swiss #2.  Then, emory cloth in 120 and 320 grit followed by 600 grit wet/dry paper.    I back my abrasives with wood blocks or a file.  I don't use a buffing wheel on gun work.   

[L. Akers]

Files, aluminum oxide paper starting with 240 grit then progressing through 320, 400, 600, 800 grits.  For a super polish, tripoli or rouge polish applied to a piece of leather.

[helwood]

Greetings CavSoldier3ACR---mtlonghunter I believe has the right answer for you, Burnish your brass parts.  It's a very period correct technique. I use it on most of my work mainly because you can keep your sharp edges and you get a shine that you wouldn't believe.  The only down side is that, I do believe it is where Elbow Grease came from.  This is really a physical process.  You need polished harden steel  and almost any oil.  I use olive or linseed oil.  I have several commercial burnishers I use but any rounded surface works.  Edge of a large screwdriver can work.  Once you start using it all sorts of other tools will come to light.  Good luck.   Hank

[smallpatch]

Burnishing only works after the parts are smoothed out.  All casting gates and major bl misses removed.
Right now, we don't even know what shape his brass is in.
It's a long way from sand casting RO burnishing.
Just a question..... why do we want our brass to shine like chrome?
I like to darken/antique mine.
Just a thought.

[davec2]

If you willing to take some advice from a Navy guy....  Saw off any gates with a hack saw.  File surfaces with coarse and then fine files.  (So far I have about 30 to 45 minutes invested in a butt or trigger guard at this point.)  Scrape with utility knife blade (but not with the edge - stone the two 45 degree edges to a sharp 90).  Scraping a large butt plate takes another 30 minutes.  See picture below.

Here I am scraping a butt plate with the angled edge of a box cutter blade.  It takes off brass more rapidly and more smoothly than a file and leaves a finish that does not take too much more work with fine abrasive paper.






Finish up with these:

http://www.amazon.com/Lumberton-fine-Sanding-Sticks-Finishing/dp/B0039ZCQAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456807819&sr=8-1&keywords=sanding+sticks

As Smart Dog suggests, you should use oil or water (or spit) to lubricate and the belts last much longer.  30 to 45 minutes of increasingly finer sanding sticks each at 45 degrees to the previous pass.  And then the ScotchBright stuff.  If you want to burnish (which works well) I use one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/122345012154

These are available many places and come in various sizes and shapes.

Link to a brass barreled blunderbuss I completed not long ago....all of the metal (steel and brass) finished this way.   

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=38909.msg414998#msg414998

If you don't have access to any of this stuff and need anything, please let me know and I will send what you need.

Dave C

[CavSoldier3ACR]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for some very fine suggestions.  I am going to see if I can get some Emory cloth from the embassy motor pool.  Currently I have mostly smoothed my sand cast brass parts with files.  I am not trying to get a mirror finish, I just want it smooth so that it can get a nice patina over time.  Funny thing is, I am allowed to build the rifle, I just am not allowed to finish it, because once I drill the touch hole it is a firearm and we are not allowed to have personal firearms over here.  Until then, it's just art.  I argued the point with the embassy Regional Security Officer since it is two hundred year old technology.  He was sympathetic, but said that it looked bad on paper if I completed it.  That's the State Department for you.  Thanks again.
 

LTC Ed Palacios 

[thecapgunkid]

davec2...Here I am scraping a butt plate with the angled edge of a box cutter blade.  It takes off brass more rapidly and more smoothly than a file and leaves a finish that does not take too much more work with fine abrasive paper.

Hey, Squid...thanks for the good idea...was this a sand or wax cast part and does that make a difference on use of the scraper?

Thanks

Jarhead

[davec2]

Jarhead,

This was a wax cast butt plate but I have don both with a scraper.  Usually, on a sand cast part, I establish the shape and initially clean the surface with a really coarse file ...then start in with the scraper.

Semper Fi !

Dave C

[Jerry V Lape]

I second DaveC2.  I use files to get the flashing and major issues resolved.  After that it is a small steel scraper followed by some 320 sandpaper.  Thereafter purple scotchbrite pad for the finish.  I really don't care for highly polished brass on my rifles and follow up by getting a patina on the brass  with some bluing liquid.  The hunter and soldier  in me says flashy brass would be a detriment to camouflage.  Scrapers are very useful in shaping brass side plates and flats/bevels on pipes/trigger guards.

[SteveMal]

At risk of hijacking this thread, how do you polish the small parts as in the pipes/thimbles or the top of the butt plate that has very narrow and fine rings? Seems files and sandpaper would take 'em right off. I've been told not to use any machinery as in buffing wheels etc. BTW, I'm a newbie just getting ready to build my first rifle from a kit ( bundle O parts )!

[Ky-Flinter]

Hi Steve,

Welcome to ALR.  Glad to have you with us.  For shaping and removing casting lines in small parts, I use small needle files.  I have 2 sets with various shapes (triangle, knife, flat, round, etc.), one set for steel, one for brass.  Then I use sandpaper glued to popsicle sticks.  Shape the ends of the stick to suit the job.

-Ron

[Pukka Bundook]

If short of supplies, final finishing can be done with an old piece of leather, some grease and wood ashes.  An old belt will work.  It won't look buffing wheel bright, but you don't want that anyway. 

"Watch what you eat, and always travel in a pack".

Richard.

[SteveMal]

Thanks guys--- I'm so looking forward to this project! I'm getting the impression that the object with the brass castings is just make it smooth, not necessarily shiny. The aged patina will probably be more easily achieved without bright polishing as well. How fine a paper do you folks go to. I was thinking at least 600 grit.
Thanks much for the "Welcome" as well, this appears to be a great site for these firearms. I've been shooting percussion for quite some time and just got introduced to flintlock recently. Reading Eric Bye's book was the clincher! I'm going to be building Jim Chambers Issac Haines in 54 cal. Gotta lot of work ahead of me!

Thanks Again,
Steve