This is an amazing thread. Makes me want to buy a used Marlin and try following directions.
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Marauder Style Conversion
- Thread starter Sharps40
- Start date
When I was a wee dingdong weblo only 11 years old (some almost 38 years ago this year) my Pappy bought me a Buck Special #119. Leather sheath, not the nylon crap in those days. I still have, carry and use this knife in its original sheath. I am proud of it and my Pappy. Now in those days, kids made a big deal of getting their SSN. We were somebody, we could be found if lost, identified anytime, taken care of...I don't know how that all linked into a SSN that I wasn't allowed to carry the card in my wallet but it was a simpler time and gentler too. We all knew, adults alike, our important stuff had to be identified to us as individuals and so, everybody had a cheep vibroengraver and the SSN was scared into everything....such was the fate of the pommel of Ol #119....My SSN resides there to this day.
Let me suggest that you think twice about carving your SSN into any object and please allow me to suggest that a nice gun receiver is no fracking place for a vibroengraver or an unskilled hand with a knife or gravers point for any reason. None at all. If you absolutly have to have your ssn or other identifying data on your gun, put it on a slip of paper under the recoil pad or grip cap and keep it a secret...no one ever looks there unless ya tell the Detective to.
With that all said, thank the gun gods the SSN carved with a knife point into the left receiver wall of this Marlin was not too deep and can be draw filed and polished pretty much all the way out.
The SSN on this gun went from front to back...thank heavens he/she didn't carve I Heart Mary or some other nonsense with more than 9 letters/numbers. Here I've draw polished the front half, 100 grit backed on a stiff file, several hundreds of strokes to remove 99%+ of the first 5 numbers.
I switch back and forth between 100 and 220 grits to ensure I have remove most or all of the offending carvings. Here it is with a 220g kiss on the action to double check...really fine carved lines (i.e. the last little bit) will get lost in the 100g sanding marks so it takes a finer sanding to see if they are really gone.
Haveing draw polished the back half to remove the final 4 numbers of this particular dingdong carving...
A kiss of the action with 220g looks pretty good. A few spots where the last traces of a number peek thru but they will come out or become totally lost in the final polish for rust blueing which will be a 150g finish for a nice satin glow and to hold lots of oil on the surface of this soon to be hard working rifle.
Let me suggest that you think twice about carving your SSN into any object and please allow me to suggest that a nice gun receiver is no fracking place for a vibroengraver or an unskilled hand with a knife or gravers point for any reason. None at all. If you absolutly have to have your ssn or other identifying data on your gun, put it on a slip of paper under the recoil pad or grip cap and keep it a secret...no one ever looks there unless ya tell the Detective to.
With that all said, thank the gun gods the SSN carved with a knife point into the left receiver wall of this Marlin was not too deep and can be draw filed and polished pretty much all the way out.
The SSN on this gun went from front to back...thank heavens he/she didn't carve I Heart Mary or some other nonsense with more than 9 letters/numbers. Here I've draw polished the front half, 100 grit backed on a stiff file, several hundreds of strokes to remove 99%+ of the first 5 numbers.
I switch back and forth between 100 and 220 grits to ensure I have remove most or all of the offending carvings. Here it is with a 220g kiss on the action to double check...really fine carved lines (i.e. the last little bit) will get lost in the 100g sanding marks so it takes a finer sanding to see if they are really gone.
Haveing draw polished the back half to remove the final 4 numbers of this particular dingdong carving...
A kiss of the action with 220g looks pretty good. A few spots where the last traces of a number peek thru but they will come out or become totally lost in the final polish for rust blueing which will be a 150g finish for a nice satin glow and to hold lots of oil on the surface of this soon to be hard working rifle.
What was black and a bit of brown and a few scratches and inappropriate carvings is now becoming smooth and silver. Soon it'll be rusty red brown and then velvety satin black again.
Back to the home made flap wheel. Best for inner curved surfaces and outer tight curves. Barrels and flats I do by hand but there is no better way I know of to quickly clean up a lever than a bit of 100g aluminum oxide on a stick in a drill press at moderate rpm. A light kiss, just get the blue and rust off, clean up any pitting. If you're thinking such a primitave tool can damage a part, go try a Gunsmith Grade buffing wheel with fine compound and see how quick it gouges out hunks of metal. You wonder why a polish and hot blue is so expensive? It takes years to master the buffing wheel, you pay for the skill and I have deepest respect for smiths that know the buffing wheel as a powerful but dangerous friend.
This is a slower, gentler process, so is hand polishing but remember, stay off the critical areas like the width of the lever screw boss, the trigger disconnect plate, the nose of the lever. Strip these by hand with fine sand paper or use a commercial rust and blue remover. They are sized and hardened properly as is an there is no call to change dimensions in critical areas, changing dimensions = accelerated decrepitude, you actually wear out the part without useing it.
Final polish before blueing will be gently, by hand useing 150 to 220 grit aluminum oxide paper. Nothing finer is recommended for rust blueing. The chemicals create a satin finish and going to 800+ like some folks feel is necessary simply gets deglossed in the formation of Ferroferric (black) iron oxide. The oxide is the same as formed in hot blueing, rust blueing is just a different process that does not lend itself to a "Master Shine" as does hot caustic blueing.
The lever, struck on the flap wheel. Smooth and awaiting only final strikeing by hand. I'll hand strike all the small parts at once when I am ready for the 3 to 6 days of work it will take to develope the rust blue finish on them.
Back to the home made flap wheel. Best for inner curved surfaces and outer tight curves. Barrels and flats I do by hand but there is no better way I know of to quickly clean up a lever than a bit of 100g aluminum oxide on a stick in a drill press at moderate rpm. A light kiss, just get the blue and rust off, clean up any pitting. If you're thinking such a primitave tool can damage a part, go try a Gunsmith Grade buffing wheel with fine compound and see how quick it gouges out hunks of metal. You wonder why a polish and hot blue is so expensive? It takes years to master the buffing wheel, you pay for the skill and I have deepest respect for smiths that know the buffing wheel as a powerful but dangerous friend.
This is a slower, gentler process, so is hand polishing but remember, stay off the critical areas like the width of the lever screw boss, the trigger disconnect plate, the nose of the lever. Strip these by hand with fine sand paper or use a commercial rust and blue remover. They are sized and hardened properly as is an there is no call to change dimensions in critical areas, changing dimensions = accelerated decrepitude, you actually wear out the part without useing it.
Final polish before blueing will be gently, by hand useing 150 to 220 grit aluminum oxide paper. Nothing finer is recommended for rust blueing. The chemicals create a satin finish and going to 800+ like some folks feel is necessary simply gets deglossed in the formation of Ferroferric (black) iron oxide. The oxide is the same as formed in hot blueing, rust blueing is just a different process that does not lend itself to a "Master Shine" as does hot caustic blueing.
The lever, struck on the flap wheel. Smooth and awaiting only final strikeing by hand. I'll hand strike all the small parts at once when I am ready for the 3 to 6 days of work it will take to develope the rust blue finish on them.
I blame my mispelling on the fact I can't get the white-out on my screen to yours.
Someone asked, "If the processes produce the same oxide, why is one satin and one capable of gloss?"
Good question. Rust blueing is room temperature. Caustic blueing starts in a super saturated solution that is barely boiling at 250 degrees and is brought up to a furious boil often as high as 280 to 300 degrees. Rust blueing relys on the open pores created by a more coarse finishing process to allow penetration of the chemical agents while caustic hot blue opens the pores by heating to allow penetration. Polish too fine and your rust blueing chemical will puddle on the surface and never develope a deep and tenacious bloom of oxide.Someone asked, "If the processes produce the same oxide, why is one satin and one capable of gloss?"
Someone asked, "If the processes produce the same oxide, why is one satin and one capable of gloss?"
Good question. Rust blueing is room temperature. Caustic blueing starts in a super saturated solution that is barely boiling at 250 degrees and is brought up to a furious boil often as high as 280 to 300 degrees. Rust blueing relys on the open pores created by a more coarse finishing process to allow penetration of the chemical agents while caustic hot blue opens the pores by heating to allow penetration. Polish too fine and your rust blueing chemical will puddle on the surface and never develope a deep and tenacious bloom of oxide.Someone asked, "If the processes produce the same oxide, why is one satin and one capable of gloss?"
The major components lined up for initial striking by hand. This one is in pretty good shape, just worn blueing, not much pitting and the SSN is GONE. So, a consistent finish to the metal by hand to prevent loss of required markings and no dished out screw holes.
A few hours hand work and I should be back with photos of the first cycle blooming up a layer of red rust and its conversion to black feroferric oxide....from silver to red to grey to red to black. With luck and a bit of humidity (the garage will be our Damp Box for this project) 5 to 8 cycles should see this Marauderesk project nearing completion and ready for its time on the range and the woods.
A few hours hand work and I should be back with photos of the first cycle blooming up a layer of red rust and its conversion to black feroferric oxide....from silver to red to grey to red to black. With luck and a bit of humidity (the garage will be our Damp Box for this project) 5 to 8 cycles should see this Marauderesk project nearing completion and ready for its time on the range and the woods.
Flat surfaces stay flat....back the paper with a stiff tool like a block or a file or a round in the tight spots. Keeps one from dishing out screw holes and slots as with a power buffer.
And completly struck. A few 1/4 sheets of 120g aluminum oxide. Change the paper often, dull paper dosn't cut as aggressively and I save the dull sheets for a final pass, full length on all surfaces to blend everything in. 120 to 180g produces a finish that allows the chemicals to penetrate forming black oxide, holds oil or grease for longer periods and helps hide any of the little imperfections that accumulated over the years but are too deep to remove without loosing critical markings (like the SN and the JM barrel stamp indicating this is a real Marlin, not a MarlRem) and it is the right grit for a satin hunters finish, matching the stocks already finished.
Off now to hang the parts, warm and humid and start the first 1 and 3 hour cycles of rust and then a first boil this evening for what should be a medium grey first bite.
And completly struck. A few 1/4 sheets of 120g aluminum oxide. Change the paper often, dull paper dosn't cut as aggressively and I save the dull sheets for a final pass, full length on all surfaces to blend everything in. 120 to 180g produces a finish that allows the chemicals to penetrate forming black oxide, holds oil or grease for longer periods and helps hide any of the little imperfections that accumulated over the years but are too deep to remove without loosing critical markings (like the SN and the JM barrel stamp indicating this is a real Marlin, not a MarlRem) and it is the right grit for a satin hunters finish, matching the stocks already finished.
Off now to hang the parts, warm and humid and start the first 1 and 3 hour cycles of rust and then a first boil this evening for what should be a medium grey first bite.
My lord. I cant wait to see the finished rifle for this.
Excellent work my friend.
Excellent work my friend.
Basic supplies to build up the Rust black finish. Now begins a cycle I've seen called, Marlin Soup. Coat, rust, boil, card, start over. 6 to eight cycles.
Hang the parts on hangers for easy handling. From here on out, no oil, grease, wax, skin oil, etc. Parts handled with clean towels and clean freshly scrubbed hands. Fingerprints now will transfer into the final finish. Although much of the flaws and polishing marks will blend in, strangely enough, fingerprints will be perfectly preserved thru every cycle to the final finish. The only option is full strip and redo.
First coat is wet. Any nicks in your fingers, you'll feel the burn as a light sting sort of like a kiss of nettles on your ankle as you walk thru the grass. This wet coat establishes penetration of the pores and begins very rapidly (in a hot humid damp box) a very fine and deeply bonded layer of oxide. Fine grain and bonded is what makes rust blue somewhat more durable and long lived than caustic hot tank blueing. Remember, rust bluing chemicals are a rust maker and a fine rust remover. Every coat after this is nearly dry, so dry that the "sauce" evaporates very quickly after its applied. Wipe in one direction....wipe back over and you pull the prevously created rust from the surface, sorta scrubbing it off before it can bite. One hour this sits and rusts and then a fine dry coat with a 3 hour soak, then a good boil in clean water to convert red ferric oxide to black ferroferric oxide.
Here, rust is developing in minutes only.
Hang the parts on hangers for easy handling. From here on out, no oil, grease, wax, skin oil, etc. Parts handled with clean towels and clean freshly scrubbed hands. Fingerprints now will transfer into the final finish. Although much of the flaws and polishing marks will blend in, strangely enough, fingerprints will be perfectly preserved thru every cycle to the final finish. The only option is full strip and redo.
First coat is wet. Any nicks in your fingers, you'll feel the burn as a light sting sort of like a kiss of nettles on your ankle as you walk thru the grass. This wet coat establishes penetration of the pores and begins very rapidly (in a hot humid damp box) a very fine and deeply bonded layer of oxide. Fine grain and bonded is what makes rust blue somewhat more durable and long lived than caustic hot tank blueing. Remember, rust bluing chemicals are a rust maker and a fine rust remover. Every coat after this is nearly dry, so dry that the "sauce" evaporates very quickly after its applied. Wipe in one direction....wipe back over and you pull the prevously created rust from the surface, sorta scrubbing it off before it can bite. One hour this sits and rusts and then a fine dry coat with a 3 hour soak, then a good boil in clean water to convert red ferric oxide to black ferroferric oxide.
Here, rust is developing in minutes only.
