Polishing stainless steel?

[ZmOz]

I just bought a new gun - a stainless replica of an 1858 Remington. The finish is rather poor, and I'd like to polish it. How should I go about doing this? Would a die grinder with a polishing bit be the best tool to use? What kind of rubbing compound should I use?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

I used some stuff called Flitz on a couple of my old guns,it did pretty well.I used a little polishing bit on my Dremmel rotary tool.
Nice looking gun..8)

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

What kind of finish? They sell specific abrasives for stainless that will make it shine like a mirror.

IMO it looks fine now

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

Brasso, awsome stuff/

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

What kind of finish? They sell specific abrasives for stainless that will make it shine like a mirror.

IMO it looks fine now

I would like pretty close to a mirror finish. Who is this "they" that sells stainless abrasives? It looks better in the pic than it does in person...there's quite a few scratches and machining marks. It was only a hundred bucks though, so I can't complain...8)

 

[JB]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

Put a cotton buff on your bench grinder. I actually double the buffs.

Check the supply of sticks of "rouge" at the hardware store. There should be one labeled for Stainless Steels. The stick I use is white. It will also put a mirror finish on the brass trigger guard.

You will have very big muscles in your arm if you try to do it with Brasso.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

I think it looks good the way it is...even with the buffing wheel (only way to go) you're still talking hours if you're going after machining marks...

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

Try this site. They have stainless polish.
englishcustompolishing.com/usca/abrasives.html

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

I think it looks good the way it is...even with the buffing wheel (only way to go) you're still talking hours if you're going after machining marks...

I'll probably sand it down in a few spots first. Now I'm already talking to a gunsmith about tweaking a few things for better accuracy and boring out the cylinder to hold more powder. d

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

Take JB's suggestion. I have a 3/4" wide rag wheel on my bench grinder and a stick of green rouge. I used it on a little 5 shot SS Charter Arms .38. It came out just like you want yours to.

Don't bother with sanding. Just use the wheel, on a seperated piece at a time.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Polishing stainless steel?

I've polished stainless plating to a mirror finish with "Nev'r Dull". Take a wad and put it under a hand orbital sander. You can get the same effect without the sander, it just takes longer. This stuff will never get scratches out though. The benchgrinder would work I think, but I've seen benchgrinders round off corners on steel even with soft buffer wheels if you're not real careful.