Stoning what is it and how is it done.

[Popa Kapoff]

 Ok I heard people talking about Stoning but what is it and what do you need to do it (tool and materials). Please give detailed instruction and pic if you have them.


Thank Pards.  

[St. George]

'Stoning' is merely the use of a Hard Arkansas Stone and Honing Oil, or other light oil.

You essentially slowly burnish away any high spots or roughness without changing any of the original angles - reassemble and try.

Buy it from Midway or Brownell's.

I'm sure that someone, somewhere has posted this on Youtube.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[wildman1]

Popa, what their using is some 600 grit wet or dry. I used 3M coated abrasive sheets (wet or dry). WM

[Bugscuffle]

An Arkansas stone is forever, or until you drop it and it shatters like glass. You will need at least two sets of different shapes, triangle, square, round, etc. One set hard and one set black hard. 600 grit emory cloth is O.K. but it oly lasts about ten minutes. Diamond files work pretty well for the first, rough work. Dremel tools do NOT work well. They are too hard to control and you will probably ruin the sear, the hammer or both. The best tool in your box will be unlimited patience.

[wildman1]

A LIGHT polishing is all those 92's need 1/2 sheet of that 3M is all you will need. WM

[Bugscuffle]

A LIGHT polishing is all those 92's need 1/2 sheet of that 3M is all you will need. WM

Well, maybe so, but I was referring to stoning in a general sense, not just a model 92. Papa didn't say what gun he wanted to work on, but If there is any creep in that trigger, you'll need a whole lot more that 1/2 of a sheet of 600 grit to stone that out.

[wildman1]

In another thread he was discussing a 92 and wondered about slicking it up. WM

[St. George]

If that's the case, then valve grinding compound will do the trick after the action's been cycled a couple hundred times, then cleaned thoroughly and lubed.

Scouts Out!

[Popa Kapoff]

In another thread he was discussing a 92 and wondered about slicking it up. WM

Was looking to do my 2 1875's and maybe the 92
after I run another 200 round throw it.  I was told to stone the hammers and triggers on the 75s. To  get them to be a little quicker.

[St. George]

My advice would be to invest the time and money in actually shooting the weapons another couple hundred rounds apiece - to see how that affects their overall action.

You're operating on someone else's advice - for 'them' - but perhaps not necessary for 'you'.

They're not going to be quicker unless you get quicker, yourself - and that takes time and ammunition.

If you don't invest the range time - then all you have are weapons whose trigger pulls may be on the unsafe side for a casual shooter.

Don't do that.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Popa Kapoff]

My 2 1875s I've run over thousand throw the each one. I cleaned up the hammer on one of them it had a burr and made the trigger have a step. I used a jewelers files and cleaned it off.

[St. George]

Stoning will smooth a burr, where filing can often cut past the original hardness of the metal's surface.

Once that happens - and on Italian-made clones the metallurgy's often softer - it will happen again.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

My advice would be to invest the time and money in actually shooting the weapons another couple hundred rounds apiece - to see how that affects their overall action.

You're operating on someone else's advice - for 'them' - but perhaps not necessary for 'you'.

They're not going to be quicker unless you get quicker, yourself - and that takes time and ammunition.

If you don't invest the range time - then all you have are weapons whose trigger pulls may be on the unsafe side for a casual shooter.

Don't do that.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

and ...

Stoning will smooth a burr, where filing can often cut past the original hardness of the metal's surface.

Once that happens - and on Italian-made clones the metallurgy's often softer - it will happen again.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

Wise words indeed ... and these words can't ring any truer!

An Arkansas stone is forever, or until you drop it and it shatters like glass. 

The best tool in your box will be unlimited patience.

'Nuff said!

[Popa Kapoff]

I found a place that does Color Case Harding they said they do both hammers and triggers for $65. Might do it over the winter they can do the receivers as well for around a hundred..

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Popa, what are you planning?  They are already case hardened.  Unless you cut 'thru the hard "crust" with your file which is formed by the factory color case hardening, the guns won't really need re-hardened. 

Or ... are you looking at the color case hardening for the lovely colors that can come from it?  In that case, the $65 is a good price.  If you're looking to make the Uberti authentic to the originals, then the frame should be stripped and then blued.  The loading gate, trigger, & hammer were the only parts case hardened originally.  Uberti did a nice/decent job with the color case hardening on the frame, so many most of us leave it alone.  Besides, to make the Uberti repro totally right (unless you have one of their FIRST 1875s made back in the late 60s or early '70s - I fergit the exact date) the way that they hold the cylinder pin must be changed.  I have NO IDEA WHY they did it right, then changed it  to the way the 2nd Gen. Colt's are done, using the frame mounted push-button.  It was probably a cost isssue, but the original way seems actually simpler to me ... but I'm NOT a machinist expert.  If I were to guess, it's a cost issue PLUS the spring method doesn't require a screwdriver to remove the VERY LONG cylinder pin ... and that can be important on the firing line.  They also put a blade front sight on their later production guns, but THAT can be authentic because they DID do that to some of their later production guns.

My '75 has been fired at least 10,000 times, and dry-fired using A-Zoom snapcaps at least  another couple grand.  Only ONE part would I consider re-hardening, and it is non-critical.  The part of the breech that surrounds the firing pin hole has to be periodically stoned back to smooth.  A hardened round plug with firing pin hole CAN be inserted, but it involves a LOT more work than is really needed.

My biggest issue with Uberti is stamping that stoopid "Outlaw" on the otherwise fine revolver!  Remington certainly never called 'em that!  I guess that since noted outlaw  Frank James was known to favor the 1875, they are trying to capitalize on that.  Remington called the gun the "New Model 1875" or the "No. 3 Revolver."   But not  the "Outlaw!"


Whatever you decide, pard Popa K - I hope you're happy with your '75s ... I LOVE mine!

[Popa Kapoff]

I was told that the coloring is a finish and not really Color Case Hardening. But I just wanted harden the trigger and hammer. But after seeing a real color case harden colt my irons look a little shabby.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I believe that's true.  The color casing used by the Italians adds little ... if any ... hardening is what I've heard.  Ruger is the same.  I understand your wanting those items to be harder, but I THINK they are already hardened.  Raven, Abilene, or Coffinmaker can give you a professional opinion on that - but I see where you're coming from now.  I've thought of using the Kasenit product from Brownell's myself on some of the internal parts of some of my guns.  The ones that get the most wear.