Restoration Project: Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 ROF Fazakerley

[AFJuvat]

Before rust bluing several parts, I decided to test a few random pieces to see how well they would take a blued finish.

Into the ultrasonic cleaner with some Dawn dishwasher detergent and 3 tablespoons of Lemi-Shine to remove all traces of dirt and any remaining finish:

Start of 1st cycle:


After 2nd cycle:


After rinsing, then keeping the parts stored in denatured alcohol I heated the parts to 200 degrees and applied the rust blue solution to the parts. I heated and applied the solution two more times, heating the parts between each application of the solution.

Two of the parts after three applications of heat and rust blue:


After the third application, the parts were placed in a pot of boiling water to start the chemical reaction:


After boiling for 10 minutes, I removed the parts carded off the remaining rust.

Before carding:


I repeated the heat, rust, boil, card on all of the test pieces three more times. I then heated the parts to 250 degrees to boil off any remaining water, then soaked the parts in oil overnight.

After Oil Bath Pleased with the color:


The Brass Buttplate had a large amount of corrosion. Since the corrosion has to be removed, the parts had to be completely cleaned.

Brass parts cleaned, you can see where the corrosion was bad:


As the buttplate was going to look ugly, I decided to blacken the brass. This will hide the corrosion, prevent it from corroding further, and will wear off of the high spots, giving it a unique patina.

First application of the blackening solution:


Second application:


After rinsing and a light buffing with 0000 steel wool:


Next Post: Small part bluing:

[AFJuvat]

After the successful tests, I started the process to blue the remaining smaller pieces:

Process is the same as in the previous post. After ultrasonic cleaning, I noted that the lower band had the screw fittings brazed to the stamped band. As Brass will not blue, the brazed parts needed to be blackened.

Band stripped:


After bluing, before blackening:


The rear sight is actually composed of seven different pieces. After disassembling the sight, each piece was blued. After reassembly, I filled in the markings with a grease pencil to make them easier to read.

Rear sight:


Bolt blued and assembled:


Front sight assembly blued and reassembled to test fit:


Side view:


Bolt, trigger guard, and rear sight (after oil bath):


Screws, trigger, sear, etc:


Some of the tiny pieces: rear sight pin, rear sight elevation retaining pin, front sight pin, and the detent plunger for the rear sight


Next: Barrelled Receiver

[AFJuvat]

Next up was the barrelled receiver.

After cleaning the receiver by soaking it in acetone and scrubbing it, I rinsed it with denatured alcohol. As with all other parts, once it has been cleaned, it cannot be handled with bare hands.

As I do not have a heat source large enough to heat it, nor a pot large enough to boil it in, I had to improvise.

I would heat the receiver and barrel with a propane torch - just enough to get it over 200 degrees.

To boil it, i picked up a 4" piece of PVC pipe and capped one end off. As I was heating and rusting the receiver, I had a few pots of water boiling.


I set up some wood slats on a rubbermaid trash can as a working platform, and got everything in place.


After heating and applying the rust blue solution three times:






After the third rusting, I started boiling

As the pipe was not long enough to do the whole assembly, I had to do it in phases

Barrel down:


Receiver Down:


After repeating the process four times, I rinsed the assembly with a clean pot of boiling water, then heated it with the torch to remove any water left in the receiver.

I then applied oil while the assembly was still hot. Since I did not have enough for a full soak, I stood the assembly up and propped it against the wall, and drizzled oil on with an applicator brush.






Next post: Finished.

[skosh69]

I'm speechless. You are the man. Great pics and write up. Ever think of opening a gunsmith/repair shop?

[AFJuvat]

After 2 months of work, I cleaned, greased, and oiled all the pieces and put it back together.

Happy with how it turned out. This project had a few challenges. It was the first time I have tried to do a barrelled receiver, and the first time I had attempted to blue metal that could not be removed from wood.

The results:

[RKP]

Great write-up !! .... and the project turned out awesome.

I'd like to suggest to that this thread be made into a 'Sticky'.

[DrHenley]

Very Nice!

[sdmc530]

Super nice