How do you shine and polish stainless steel???

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Greg8098

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Messages
300
Location
Bossier City, Louisiana
I am looking for a quick, easy and safe way to polish up my S&W. I'm not concerned with bead blasting or anything like that, just something that can be done quickly at home. Hopefully something thats not abrasive also :uhoh: .
 
Mothers Mag Polish or Flitz, the former being preferred. As far as I know anything that will poilsh is abrasive, but it's not something to worry about with these polishes. Don't use jeweler's rouge (the red stuff).
 
After you polish your pistola, put a coat of car wax on it to keep it shiny.
 
I must be doing it wrong. I tried using Flitz and after three hours all I did was make it clean, not shiny. A 1 horse-power bench grinder with a polishing wheel works much better.
 
I tried using Flitz and after three hours all I did was make it clean, not shiny.
Click to expand...

Same here. It becomes very shiny clean, but not shiny polished. Hand rubbing cannot compare to a polishing wheel buff job.
 
The end result may have to do with the original treatment of the stainless (brushed vs bead blasted). Power buffers are faster and can do a better job in the right hands, but leave lots of room for error for the inexperienced.

What was the stainless like before you guys started?
 
When I used to work in restaurants over 35years agio they had stainless steel cleaner and polish in a spray can. I don't remember the name of it but it worked great. Have you ever seem what hot greasy stuff does to stainless steel? Unless you have the right stuff it can be a mess and take forever to clean. Try a restaurant supply house.
 
Please don't use ANY tools if you've never done it before.
It will take a little longer if done by hand, but you will be amazed at how easy it could be done.
Here's one of my creations.
All done by hand usuing NO TOOLS, just elbow grease and Mothers Mag polish (paste) and finished with Mothers Billet polish (also paste).
Been doing this for years and I'll always get compliments and if i ever sell one, I will get more for it,, because it looks professional.
Good luck.

engraved500.jpg


Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
I like to retain the brushed appearance, not make the surface bright and shiny.

The finer grades of Scotch-Brite pads work very well. They come in green, maroon, gray, and white, in order from coarse to fine. Green is too coarse for guns. I usually start with gray and switch to white. White is approximately equivalent to 0000 steel wool.

You can get them from woodworking suppliers.

They also work great for dewhiskering walnut stocks during finishing, and for rubbing down between coats of oil. The finish ends up very silky.
 
The finish looks superb on that .500, but the gun looks like it was rear-ended by a Mack Truck! :eek:

PotatoJudge wrote:
The end result may have to do with the original treatment of the stainless (brushed vs bead blasted). Power buffers are faster and can do a better job in the right hands, but leave lots of room for error for the inexperienced.
Click to expand...


What would an original Model 66 finish have been, stainless brush or bead blasted? When they first came out the officers on our shift decided to get the Model 66 and all would look like each other with guns. Naturally, when the guns came in, they transferred us to other shifts. :mad:

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
I'm not sure about the Mack truck, but here's a Ruger after some elbow grease.


ruger1.jpg


S&W mountain guns can even get blingy with a little Mothers...

swmtn44.jpg


Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
STOP, THE LIGHT IS BLINDING ME!! :D

The Mack truck thing is refering to the hammer being right over the backstrap - practically, whereas on a regular Smith the frame extends back a tad more. Just being humorous.

The Doc is out and putting on his shades now. :cool:
 
I use Blue Magic on all my sixguns and pistols, makes it really bright and smooth it also takes less time to clean the exterior after shooting as well. IMHO

It's a general metal polish and can be purchased at WalMart and auto parts stores.
 
Bright stainless

Just be certain that you want bright stainless before you polish the pistol that much.

If you polish a S&W 629 for example, it will clean extremely well. Polish a little to long or hard with Flitz and the finish will start to get shinny. Now you may think that looks good but if you handle it, finger prints get everywhere you touch it! Then it actually looks worse!!

I say, clean by rubbing lightly with Flitz. It is great for gun powder. Then, when clean, apply a good Carnauba wax and buff with a clean dry rag. Let the piece alone and dry for a day. Then you got something.

PigPen
 
I've used Flitz, Mothers, and Blue Magic, and have been happy with all. With the MN roads and the salt, I use all of them on my truck wheels as well, so we're good to go.

JoeHatley, I'm thinkin' I'd like to hire ya for shooting lessons ;) I'd venture south...anyway, nice shooting!

Jeff, VERY nice, always enjoy your shiny revolver pics :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
S&W 2014 Mod 66
Replies
2
Views
560
Bush Pilot
B
bikemutt
  • Locked
Reversing a Flitz job?
Replies
13
Views
1K
sgt127
sgt127
P
  • Locked
Bead-blasting a stainless revolver with a titanium cylinder?
Replies
13
Views
1K
Wildalaska
W
Zaydok Allen
  • Locked
Ever polish a "Glass Bead Finish" on a S&W revolver?
Replies
16
Views
5K
bannockburn
bannockburn
O
  • Locked
Puttin' a shine on an auto barrel, yes or no?
Replies
2
Views
424
Black Snowman
B
Back
Top