I was just wondering what some of you would do to get the high shine from a matte finish revolver like the charter arms stainless i bought as my first at Christmas time. Wet sand like auto paint and polish out to a shine after? or just polish with something in peticular?
Polishing a Charter arms target bulldog in stainless
- Thread starter Lead Loader
- Start date
when you remove the finish you remove material which can affect the tolerences of the gun.
those that want to risk their safety usually use a polishing compound, most people mention Flitz
I never saw the point of tacticooling / polishing / painting my guns
those that want to risk their safety usually use a polishing compound, most people mention Flitz
I never saw the point of tacticooling / polishing / painting my guns
blackacres
Regular
- Location
- Mount Hope, Ontario
What you have thought of already, begin by wet/dry sanding then polish, is what I would do.
Many commercial polishers use several grades of polishing compounds, which are 'dressed' onto fabric buffing machine wheels. These are great for polishing larger objects, but this method can round sharp edges if great care is not taken.
I have polished a number of metals, including stainless steel, many times beginning with as delivered mill finish. If starting from a mill finish, I usually begin with 400 wet/dry paper, then work down using 600, 1000 and if you can find it 1200 or 1500. Go to an autobody supply store, they will have these grades of sand paper.
Not knowing what your matte finish looks like, it's tough to determine what paper grit you should start with. I have found it is better to do a test spot with a very fine grit, if you find it's taking too long, or not working well, you will know you need to go to a the next grit size up. Sand with that paper, then move down in grit sizes until you finish with your finest paper.
You basically want to smooth out/remove the matte finish with sand paper.
However, to avoid rounding sharp edges, stamped details, etc. you need to use a block to keep the sand paper flat. Several small different sized pieces of wood, or plastic would work.
Try to sand every part in the same direction.
Once you can only see very fine linear sanding lines, you are ready to move to polishing compounds.
I have several jewellers polishing compounds that are used to dress fabric wheels/cones, but I'm not certain if I'd use this method on a revolver, as I'm sure I would round some sharp edges of a part or two!
I have found that using metal polish paste applied to a cotton rag, again supported with a straight block works well to finish the polishing. It is a slower process than a polishing wheel, but you will stand less risk of rounding off any part.
Autosol or Flitz work well. These are polishing compounds that come in a paste form and are supplied in a tube similar to tooth paste. To the best of my knowledge CTC carry the Autosol and sometimes both.
Apply some of the polish paste onto a cotton rag and using a supporting block, begin polishing all the surfaces you have sanded with 1000 or 1200. If you have to sand the likes of the flutes on the cylinder, use a round piece of wood dowel, again to retain the shape of the flute and the edges.
After you work for a while on a part/section, take a clean cotton cloth and buff the compound residue (which will be black) off. Keep turning the cloth until the rag is clean. If you would like the area to have more shine, just keep repeating, rub are with compound, buff, etc.
Hope this helps.
Many commercial polishers use several grades of polishing compounds, which are 'dressed' onto fabric buffing machine wheels. These are great for polishing larger objects, but this method can round sharp edges if great care is not taken.
I have polished a number of metals, including stainless steel, many times beginning with as delivered mill finish. If starting from a mill finish, I usually begin with 400 wet/dry paper, then work down using 600, 1000 and if you can find it 1200 or 1500. Go to an autobody supply store, they will have these grades of sand paper.
Not knowing what your matte finish looks like, it's tough to determine what paper grit you should start with. I have found it is better to do a test spot with a very fine grit, if you find it's taking too long, or not working well, you will know you need to go to a the next grit size up. Sand with that paper, then move down in grit sizes until you finish with your finest paper.
You basically want to smooth out/remove the matte finish with sand paper.
However, to avoid rounding sharp edges, stamped details, etc. you need to use a block to keep the sand paper flat. Several small different sized pieces of wood, or plastic would work.
Try to sand every part in the same direction.
Once you can only see very fine linear sanding lines, you are ready to move to polishing compounds.
I have several jewellers polishing compounds that are used to dress fabric wheels/cones, but I'm not certain if I'd use this method on a revolver, as I'm sure I would round some sharp edges of a part or two!
I have found that using metal polish paste applied to a cotton rag, again supported with a straight block works well to finish the polishing. It is a slower process than a polishing wheel, but you will stand less risk of rounding off any part.
Autosol or Flitz work well. These are polishing compounds that come in a paste form and are supplied in a tube similar to tooth paste. To the best of my knowledge CTC carry the Autosol and sometimes both.
Apply some of the polish paste onto a cotton rag and using a supporting block, begin polishing all the surfaces you have sanded with 1000 or 1200. If you have to sand the likes of the flutes on the cylinder, use a round piece of wood dowel, again to retain the shape of the flute and the edges.
After you work for a while on a part/section, take a clean cotton cloth and buff the compound residue (which will be black) off. Keep turning the cloth until the rag is clean. If you would like the area to have more shine, just keep repeating, rub are with compound, buff, etc.
Hope this helps.
- Location
- Alliston On
think you missed the part about ..."wet sanding" like you would auto paint , not using auto paint on the gun
yes that would be what i was referring to, and what i had thought and read so far. And i mostly wanted to sand and polish out because there are some metal dimples from the casting process still all over this thing from an incomplete factory half assed sanding job, almost looks like it was all media blasted and rough from it and some spots still have casting sand marks all over. I know not to sand down certain areas that will affect tolerences and safety.
