I've got a '77 440 that I'm going over and will be replacing the steel shim head gaskets with an NOS set I've had for years. I have scraped the deck surface with a razor, but still have some sort of imprint on the deck:
77_440_Gasket_Print by clair_davis, on Flickr

The imprint almost seems like it's part of the tin plating or something from the shim... it doesn't seem to come off with a razor, but I can feel it if I scrape it with my fingernail. What do I have to do to get this stuff off, or do I need to worry about it? I would guess it's a couple thousandths thick if I can feel it, and with an 0.020" gasket, that might be too much to leave behind.

Thanks,

Clair

Lacquer thinner usually get that off but really, its not enough to worry about.

The OEM 400 and 440 head gaskets are .017 thick, the smaller bore 426.383,413 and 361 C.I. motor head gaskets where .022
As far as feeling and removing the paint residue from the old head gaskets use some laquer thinner and a small stainless brush to remove that

Thanks, guys!
I tried some lacquer thinner and some acetone last night with no luck. On another forum, I saw where a guy was basically floating a fine flat file over the deck surface that he was wetting with WD-40, and this seems to be doing the trick. Cleaning up the rust/corrosion around the water passages, too - not removing any real metal, but leaving a nice bright surface now.

And good info on the gasket thickness for the 400/440 - that should bump my compression up from 7.98 to 8.01:1!

Thanks again,

Clair

Don't get carried away with the file. Unless you are running an MLS gasket there needs to be some "teeth' on the deck surface for the gasket to bite into. Now I know Fel-Pro says their MLS gaskets can seal on a typical deck finish. Maybe so, I have no experience with these.
Fel-Pro MLS

I'm definitely not trying to remove anything beyond the printed residue on the deck. I'm doing this with the deck perpendicular to the ground and only applying enough pressure to hold the file flat on the deck face. There are still clearly visible surface marks from the original machining - I'll get a pic this evening after work.

I think your going way out of your way to make sure it is perfect when your done, that is not really needed
Think of all the Mopar vechicles, both muscle and standard Mopar cars that dealer mechanics work on that got paid book time only that slammed a lot of head gaskets on without going through the effort your doing
My message is your good, put it together and go drive it
EDITED: Make sure and spray 2 to 3 light coats of either silver or aluminum paint onto the steel head gaskets(coat both sides completely) before using them, make sure and allow each coat to dry before spraying the next one

I've always used a wire wheel in a drill to clean the deck and head surfaces. Works fine and you need very little pressure to do the trick. Wipe it down with some laquer thinner and slap it together.

I'm a dealer flat rate tech. I do a lot of engine work and all my surfaces are clean, clean and clean. Did I mention clean? I use a scotchbrite pad after the razor blade. And not on a power tool. Since replacement gaskets and seals are not able to be parts warrantied for defects (you should have caught that before you installed it) that is a job I don't want to do a second time for free. It's way worth it to spend a little extra time and do right the first time then to have to do it right the second time for free.

I figure if I can spend an extra 30-45 minutes cleaning it up, it's worth not jacking with it again. I would probably have been more comfortable with less prep if I wasn't using a steel gasket, but I want to keep every bit of compression I can in this engine. I was also not comfortable using a scotchbrite pad from a loose abrasives standpoint. I need to research that option more, since it seems pretty common practice. There must be some job-specific parts that I just don't know about, but everything I have on hand is for bodywork and dumps abrasive material like crazy.

The file operation worked pretty well, I think. Shows how crappy the factory fly-cut was on the deck surface in the beginning, but the file got rid of the high spots of the print. Can still see the print, but it won't catch a nail now.
77_440_Gasket_File-01 by clair_davis, on Flickr

All of the rust around the water ports is smooth now, too.
77_440_Gasket_File-02 by clair_davis, on Flickr

yup, this is what I've been doing for a number of decades.
Never had any issues.

Awesome - I'll do that with the heads when I clean them up. Will be nice having a few different ways to skin that cat, and the heads don't have any critical places to hide stray wires, boogers, or crud like the cylinders do...

A little more but its all good.
Steel gaskets are all good!!!!

Google 3M Roloc - when we had issues with head gasket failures on the 2.0 and 2.4 SOHC and DOHC Mopar engines this was one of the approved methods to clean the head (aluminum) before installing the then new MLS gasket. The correct Roloc cleans but does not damage the parent material. Tape off the area around the deck before cleaning. Then lightly oil the bores when done and rotate the engine by hand. Any debris will now be at the top of the bore stuck on the oil film. Just clean it out of the bores and you are good.