Achieving that new gun look

[DEE DEE DEE]

I recently acquired this beauty from a friend that go it used.
There are scratches here and there and the bead blasted areas need to be cleaned up (hoppes is not doing it) there are scratches there too.
What suggestions do you experts have to make it look like d90kings sexy Les Bear Thunder Ranch
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t5/d90king/DSCN0732.jpg

BTW here is what she is now less the grips(currently looking)
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l282/Apdluu/STH73799.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l282/Apdluu/STH73798.jpg

Thanks for all you input!

[pa_guns]

Hi

If you want to make it look exactly like a new pistol you are going to have to re polish the flats and re blast the matte areas. The polished areas are the tough part. In order to keep them perfectly flat you need to take the whole area down rather than just the area around the scratch.

Bob

[DEE DEE DEE]

Hi

If you want to make it look exactly like a new pistol you are going to have to re polish the flats and re blast the matte areas. The polished areas are the tough part. In order to keep them perfectly flat you need to take the whole area down rather than just the area around the scratch.

Bob
what would one use a belt sander with like 1000 grit?

I got a lot out with 1000 grit wrapped around a thick piece of cardboard but it is just not as uniform as i would expect placing the entire thing on a belt sander

[pa_guns]

Hi

If I was going that way I would use a stationary sander. It makes keeping things square much easier. Even 4,000 grit paper isn't going to be good enough for a good finish. You will have to switch over to a buffer at some point. Doing that properly takes practice.

Bob

[DEE DEE DEE]

That is what I mean Stationary Sander
don't you think 4k grit is a little excessive?
I don't want full out bling Just the nice semi polish brushed look

[Hawkmoon]

Go to a local glass shop (not an auto glass shop, but a place that does doors, windows and mirrors), and ask if you can buy a piece of scrap 1/4" plate glass. Doesn't need to be big -- 6" or 8" wide and a foot or so long is enough. Be sure you get at least 1/4" thick, though -- and pay them to grind the edges smooth so you don't lop off a finger when you handle it.

Back at home, lay the glass on your bench and put a sheet of automotive wet/dry sandpaper on it. Put the slide or frame flat on the snadpaper and slide it back and forth. Since you don't want a mirror finish, you don't need anything close to 4,000 grit. Try 400, then 600, then 800. If you want it a little smoother than what 800 gives you, jump to 1,000 or 1,200. I don't think you need to go any farther than that.

[DEE DEE DEE]

Wonderful
I actually was just reading about in in a previous post!

[rondawg]

What Hawkmoon said, except I'd get flat automotive tempered safety glass. The kind with the plastic sandwiched in the middle, so it'll be more durable and won't break into jagged slivers. Myself, I'd go for the shine!

[pa_guns]

Hi

The shine you have on there now is way beyond what 1,000 grit will give you. One way or another you need to use a polishing compound if you want to get it to look like a "new" pistol.

Bob

[niemi24s]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here and say that whatever you do to this gun, it will look worse than it does now. The skills needed to finish a piece of steel like that take a long, looooong, time to acquire.

If it was my gun, I'd be tickled pink with how it looks now. If, however, I wanted it to look like it just came out of the factory I'd send it back to the factory.

Just my 2¢ worth.

[pa_guns]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here and say that whatever you do to this gun, it will look worse than it does now. The skills needed to finish a piece of steel like that take a long, looooong, time to acquire.

If it was my gun, I'd be tickled pink with how it looks now. If, however, I wanted it to look like it just came out of the factory I'd send it back to the factory.

Just my 2¢ worth.

Hi

.... or send it out to a pro. It looks very good right now.

Bob

[RdB]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that LB TR is hard chromed. The flats have been brushed prior to the application of the HC (NOT high-polished). The rounds have been sandblasted with some very coarse grit to give it a nice contrast..

All the sandpaper in the world ain't gonna make it look like that :)

Virgil Tripp or Metaloy can hard chrome it for around $200+

[RdB]

That is what I mean Stationary Sander
don't you think 4k grit is a little excessive?
I don't want full out bling Just the nice semi polish brushed look

Is there even 4k paper? :confused:

180 or 220 grit will give you the brushed finish you speak of. Anything finer will "polish" the flats. One thing to consider, the side of the frame with the plunger tube will be tough to make look "right" unless to remove the plunger tube (and the install a new one)

You need to take the grip screw bushings out as well if you want a professional looking job.

IMHO, it's a lot of work to make a pistol look good. There are no shortcuts. If you take shortcuts, it shows :scared:

[pa_guns]

Hi

There is indeed paper that goes way up there. Weather there are sanding belts that run up that high, I have no idea.

Bob

[RdB]

My question was rhetorical ;)