Has anyone ever seen a stippled rib? I've got an old beat up LeFever Nitro Special 410, hardware store branded. The rib is so nicked up it can't be saved and isn't worth the cost of re-matting. I can stipple, so I'm thinking about draw filing the rib smooth and stippling it. Opinions?

Greg

Do what you want. You could just leave it plain.

You may want to also look into CNY gun works. They have the winchester matting machine and can do any barrel with it. Would likely be under a couple hundred to have it re-matted by them.

Greg,
It can be rematted, by hand with a graver as easily as stippling and will look better, also not loosen the rib. You use a very sharp graver in a wiggling motion. Practice on a scrap piece of metal is recommended.
Mike

I'll probably just leave it smooth, that's a lot of lines to cut
with a graver.

It goes fairly fast,,the wriggle cut as it's called. You are using a graver the width of the rib and walking it or rocking it in motion edge to edge of the tool as you go down the rib. It leaves an V pattern on the steel. Take a look at the borders on Browning A5 shotguns and Parker V grades,,those are done in this manner.

How tight depends on the speed you go and the angle to the work. Keeping things in control a very even pattern can be done. Then go back and do the same from the other direction crossing the V's and forming an X pattern.
MAkes a nice rib matting and was used quite often.

Another way is to go accross the rib back and forth but that takes more practice to keep things from getting out of wack and from jumping off the rib and stabbing the bbl.

You can 'florentine' the rib with a wide liner graver. Tedious but it looks nice. Go up from both sides at about a 45* angle accross the rib. Penciled guide lines keep the cuts at the same angle as you work or you'll get these out of sorts too.
By hand or w/hammer & chisel, it makes a nice rib surface.
The last one I did in this manner took me about an hour on each side, 2 hrs total to complete on a rifle bbl top rib, 26" length.

And where would one get such a graver?

For one as wide as a shotgun rib, I simply make one from a used up dull file. Shape it like a wood chisel. Put a 45 or 50* face on it and a very slight heel,,maybe 5* or so just to strengthen the edge..
Keep the tool a handy length like 3 inches and put a comfortable handle onto it that you can hold in the palm of your hand to keep control and put pressure/force directly to it.
Regular hand graver handles if you any to choose from,,if not just make something up that mimics that style. Doesn't have to be fancy.

For "file cut" flat ribs, wouldn't a metal checkering file work? Since the lines are cut straight across the rib, as long as it's a raised rib?

The metal checkering file works great also. As you pointed out make sure before you start that the entire length of the rib is above the bbl surface.
They take some practice also just like wood checkering. Those checkering files can be expensive now.

I might try a checkering file. I've also sent an email to CNY, probably should have just called them.

I have stippled ribs several times with my Lindsay Air Graver and I just stippled a double rifle However, having one of us engravers to do this on an low value gun is not cost effective for you. Advice you are receiving on leaving it smooth is good advise and cost effective.

Bv

I'm actually not terrible at stippling, yeah, it would take a while, don't think I could do more than a couple inches at a time. I'm really wondering how everyone felt about the look.

I've just ordered two. I have a SBT gun in that had a file cut rib that was sanded down during an earlier refinish. I'll practice quite a bit before cutting the rib. I found six inch Swiss checkering files for $30-$40 on the internet.

Regards
Ken

Can we see pictures of the procedure you are describing?

Which procedure are you looking for?

Gunter Pfrommer showed me how he does the "file cut" rib matting.

y


A small piece of a mill file can be silver brazed to graver shank. The bit is sharpened. The graver is then chased at an angle. Very simple process.

I've found some multi-line gravers.http://eclyons.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5

I didn't know E C Lyons Co was still around. I've got some of their gravers that I obtained 45+ years ago and I think they were old at that time!.

If I can dig it out, I'll see if I can post a pic of an oct rifle bbl that I florentine finished the top flat with a liner graver.

Here's another place for gravers, Gesswein brand.
Might be a little less expensive. Excellent tools. Lot's to choose from..
http://www.gesswein.com/c-182-gravers-liners-handles.aspx

I didn't mean to imply Gunter did that rib in the picture. But its the only one I have that has that technique...and it's a bad example.