Restoration Project: Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 ROF Fazakerley

[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

[Caleb]

Meh........it's ok I guess.


Seriously tho, it came out great! Darn thing looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. Great write up Mike. Thanks!