tends to clog the normal space between the abrasive grains.
The gunsmith should remember to always use the widest wheel possible for the job being done. With a
wide wheel, the chances of waves on a flat surface are greatly minimized and the job can be done
faster.
Unless a barrel is badly pitted there is really no need to use anything except a muslin buff dressed with a
fine grit abrasive. If the barrel is not pitted at all and there are no deep scratches or tool marks in it that
must be removed. A buffing wheel headed with Lea compound will cut away all the metal that is
necessary to produce a surface ready for high speed buffing.
While barrels can be ground lengthwise on a formed wheel, made by cutting a concave radius in a
canvas wheel in the lathe, and then dressing it. I do not believe lengthwise grinding is necessary on
anything but a set of double barrels or a single barrel that has a full-length rib on it.
Standard single barrels can be ground and polished around their periphery, and then given a high
speed buffing in any direction that will eliminate the cross grain grinding marks.
Satin finishing operations are performed by greaseless compounds combining fast-cutting abrasives
with a glue base binder. Numerous grades are available, employing abrasive from #50 and finer, for
varying degrees of dullness of finish on all base metals and electro deposits. In the most popular
all-around grades, artificial aluminum oxide and silicon carbide abrasives are used in grit sizes from
#180 to #220. Silicon carbide grades are widely used for finishing aluminum and stainless steel and the
aluminum oxide grades are favored for brass and other nonferrous metals, as well as for carbon steel
prior to plating. For finer effects on brass and electro deposits, finer sizes of American emery and hard
silica are employed.
For butler finishes on silver plate and sterling, fine buffing powders of unfused aluminum oxide and soft
silica are used.
Bright butler finishes that challenge the luster produced by grease base coloring bars can be obtained
on silver by extremely fine greaseless compositions made with a specially lubricated binder.
GREASELESS COMPOUNDS
Greaseless compounds are used at speeds of between 5,000 and 6,000 surface feet per minute.
Higher speeds waste the composition without a proportionate increase in production rate.
Greaseless compositions do not penetrate the buff as does grease base compositions but lie on the
surface, which favors buff life.
The buff should be allowed to run for 20 to 30 seconds after greaseless compound Has been applied
before the work is brought to the wheel, so there will he no back-transfer of compound. When used
correctly the work will leave the greaseless compound wheel clean, dry and in proper condition for