Supaduke wrote:No, the edge is razor straight, you chisel very gently in at a 45 degree angle towards the line you have cut making a small trianglular trench that provides clearance for your cut. You can then sand paper near it without marking the timber. Yes, just ripping into it with sandpaper is quick and easy. but is this a race? Also barrels taper and have slight angles. Using a steel edge and blade, while taking your time and measuring, will maintain that taper and angles along your barrel channel. Using the blade will give you a neat , definitive, measured edge. Sanding just by eye could leave uneven gaps along your barrel. Because the barrel has straight edges these will look very unsightly. Just offering an alternative is all.
Your complicating the process mate trust me, the dowel/sandpaper or socket/sandpaper is used by just about everyone I know who has ever opened up their barrel channel to free float their barrels etc, as I said used it many many times, never had any of this uneven issue you perceive will happen.
Anyway mate use whatever method floats ya boat, be f***ed if I'd be rooting around with a hammer/chisel/vice/sandpaper etc etc when a socket, sandpaper and 5mins of ya time will get the job done just fine. FYI the Howa barrels only tamper slightly at the Knoxform/chamber area, other than that they are the same all the way to the muzzle, which makes them very easy to work with when it comes to things like this.