Surface grinding my 1911 slide to make it 2 tone?
- Thread starter rubberdown
- Start date
How about applying some paste wax to the polished areas to prevent rusting? You might have to retreat it after cleaning but it takes a few seconds to apply and buff off. You wouldn't want to get it on your grips. 
I've used paste wax on my cast iron table saw extensions and other work tools to prevent rusting.
I've used paste wax on my cast iron table saw extensions and other work tools to prevent rusting.
I used 600 grit, all I could find today. Spent about an hour in total on it including a cleaning while it was apart. i'll get some finer stuff this week and hit it again. I did the flat sides of the slide and the end of the barrel bushing, looks really good!
Use something below that is hard and rigid so it stays flat. Use oil on the surface to stick the sandpaper down through the use of surface tension. So you want it quite wet so there's no air but not so wet that it can float up off the surface.
Also oil the sandpaper or cloth. You want to use a liberal amount of oil on the sanding side so it floats away the swarf from sanding instead of letting it build up in clumps.
My personal favourite for doing something like this on any item is the black "Wetordry" wet sanding paper used with oil. I first stick it to my table saw or a plate of very thick glass with enough oil to make it stick down nicely. For this application I'd start with 120 grit paper and then shift to 240 then 320 and finally 400. This will leave a nice brushed look. The last few strokes using a stick as a guide and a continuous single direction sweep to get all the sanding marks even and the same way and in line.
If you don't like the look then go back to one of the more coarse papers or on to 600 or finer.
A surface "in the white" like this in only at very slightly more risk of rusting than a polished blued surface. Just keep the slide correctly oiled and never put it away after a lot of handling without an oil cloth wipe down. Which is exactly what you should be doing with a blued gun.
I've got steel tools that I've had for well over 20 years with no signs of rust or even any significant darkening of the metal. And all just because they stay oiled.
Oops, I thought I was at the end of the postings.
If the surface is well flattened then you did OK.
Keep in mind that a slightly "brushed" look or at least a duller look is going to have more surface texture to hold the oil for you. If you get it mirror polished it's easier to wipe away the oil.
If the surface is well flattened then you did OK.
Keep in mind that a slightly "brushed" look or at least a duller look is going to have more surface texture to hold the oil for you. If you get it mirror polished it's easier to wipe away the oil.
