My 2nd Krag

[Doco overboard]

Sometimes, if you heat those screws up as much as you dare, when they cool they will shrink once installed and be tight as can be.
Of course make sure you do all your fitting first because they'll be hard to get loose again without applying heat.

[browningautorifle]

I started by cross polishing (lengthwise) with 150 grit and water to see what I was up against

So, shoeshine fashion is with the ends of the paper being long and thin in your hands, and move left and right?

I'd still use my lathe though...

[ssgross]

some nice krag pics here and more rust bluing tips.
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forum...d.php?t=705033

[ssgross]

I've been searching for rust blue pics at all stages, in between hand cramps from sanding the barrel all day (almost done). Came across this one at Turnbull Restorations.

Looks like he is applying a second heavy coat of solution with a brush, and flash drying with the hand torch right behind.

[browningautorifle]

I'd think you'd want to wear gloves for that?

[ssgross]

looks like long brass rod clamped into vise. doesn't have to handle it till it's time to take it off and boil it?

[browningautorifle]

I mean the chemicals involved. I know cold blue does things to your skin and hot blue will eat you. Yes, the rod allows him to spin and do the next flat and the whole affair is suspended so he gets even coating.

[ssgross]

I don't trust myself...I'll be wearing gloves

I finished sanding at 320 grit, shoeshine motion since I don't have a lathe. I think the trick to doing a good job without a lathe is to go 1/4 turns, then take a well worn piece of sandpaper to lightly go around and get rid of the "stop swirls" (when you stop and go the other way).

Then I turned to getting rid of the sharp corner at the base of the front side...I suppose that's what someone else called "de-horning". As I worked, one side was just a bit off. double checked my laser boresight using the whole length of the basement (about 20 yards) and sure enough, about 1/2 the width of the front sight post off. It must have shifted as the solder melted. Well, I heated it back up, then just barely flicked it with a brass punch so it moved, and put the spring clamp back on. It should be perfect now.

[browningautorifle]

It should be perfect now.

I'm looking forward to seeing the end result. Love a good clean Krag.

[ssgross]

I should say that I used Doco's fishing line trick to confirm the laser bore sight each time, only the second time I did it with the blade installed on the sight, about halfway in the sight - just enough to stand straight but as tall as possible. I took a fly rod leader (all I had. been a while since I been fishing). I knotted the thick end, fed it through the peep with the elevation about half up the ladder and the base at mechanical zero. Tied a loop through the other end, and slipped my small hammer through it as a weight. Then carefully balanced the line on top of the blade. Sure enough it was about half the width of the blade off from hanging down the middle of the bore. After tapping over, it was dead on.

While it cooled down, I worked on the buttplate. Figured I would practice bluing on the piece that is the easiest to re-work. I used a file to take down all the pitting. There were a couple of deep gouges though that had to be left - hopefully shows as just a touch of character when it's done! Then I turned to the side plate. Those case hardened surfaces chew and spit out my aluminum oxide sandpaper in mere seconds! I have better silica carbide on the way. I started next on the side plate. The inside is already perfect...de-blue and scuff with one of those abrasive dremmel bobs is all that is needed. The outside was pretty uniformly pitted, like a frost. Took some time to clean it up. Sandpaper backed by a file did a pretty good job. As I blue this week, I'll take pics before and after. I should have taken pics of my cruddy parts before I sanded up. I'll do that on the others.