Questions on period metal finishes in the 18th century

[Artificer]

1.  Was it common to leave the case hardening "finish" on the lock after the parts were hardened or was it more common to polish the lock and or blue and brown it?

2.  Was it more common on an early English rifle of say the 1740 period to have a blued or browned barrel - or maybe a "bright" barrel?  What would have been the common finish on the lock of that period English rifle?

3.  Was real rust bluing about as durable as browning? 

I'd very much appreciate your thoughts.
Gus

[Dphariss]

1.  Was it common to leave the case hardening "finish" on the lock after the parts were hardened or was it more common to polish the lock and or blue and brown it?

2.  Was it more common on an early English rifle of say the 1740 period to have a blued or browned barrel - or maybe a "bright" barrel?  What would have been the common finish on the lock of that period English rifle?

3.  Was real rust bluing about as durable as browning? 

I'd very much appreciate your thoughts.
Gus

Rust bluing is tougher than brown and better looking.
Remember that browning often referred to rust bluing as well.

Dan

[Artificer]

Thanks Dan,
That is very helpful.
Gus

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Who can answer #2?  I have been thinking about asking that question for a week.......

[California Kid]

#2. As to the lock, bright. The barrel hard to say, although I have seen bright originals. Others I've seen were hard to tell between brown or blue. Its hard to ask the owner of an high dollar gun to just pop out the barrel to look at the bottom!

[Acer Saccharum]

All locks were case hardened to make them more durable. As I understand it, as a general rule, the case finish was polished back bright after treatment.

Rust blue is very durable. Much more than cold blue or nitre blue. As a rust blue wears through, it will naturally brown over time.

Brown is a natural finish. All steel will eventually turn brown, given salts from handling, humidity and time.

Tom

[Ben I. Voss]

In the late flint era it became common on English guns to have color cased locks.

[Artificer]

#2. As to the lock, bright. The barrel hard to say, although I have seen bright originals. Others I've seen were hard to tell between brown or blue. Its hard to ask the owner of an high dollar gun to just pop out the barrel to look at the bottom!

I sure understand that.  On the Boutet saw handled flintlock pistol I fixed at the 1998 World Championships, I could not believe anyone was actually shooting that valuable of a pistol.  It looked like a very nice brown on the outside of the barrel, but when I took the lock off, it was originally blued.

I've seen a few other blued guns that had turned to brown from patina.  Some were just too hard to figure out. 

[Artificer]

Thanks to everyone who answered.    Looks like I will have to search the archives thoroughly for rust bluing tips.
Gus

[Stophel]

Polishing the colors off the locks seems almost universal.

As far as English rifles of the 1740's...there was nothing common about them.
 

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Polishing the colors off the locks seems almost universal.

As far as English rifles of the 1740's...there was nothing common about them.
 

I am trying to decide whether to blue or leave bright a 1750 era English Griffin Rifle I intend to finish it as it were leaving the gunsmith's shop.........ah, to blue or not to blue?..that is the question.

[The other DWS]

I have read that military arms were kept polished bright,  it seems that a mass of bright shiny guns was thought to have an intimidating effect on the enemy.  It probably also kept the troops busy in garrison downtime , grinding up soft-fired bricks to get the polishing dust.

however for a hunting arm a bright polished barrel seems counter productive,  unless you were stand-hunting with game drivers and beaters.

In regards to finishing, I have used the old formula Niedner rust blue for years. its time consuming but it gives a most satisfactory finish.   If taken all the way to the blue stage it gives a dark almost black deep blue that is incredibly durable.  However in the process it goes through various stages of coloring and one can stop at various grays, browns, brownish blue-black etc.
now that I'm back into working with flintlocks I'll probably continue to use it