Colt SS advice needed on finish fix TIA

[terabyte]

Picked this up at a fair price, looks to have holster polish spots or poor polish work done? slide is straight as glass so I like to get the finish uniform on the sides, what is best given the surface is much shinier than my GC Trophy which has a brushed type finish.

you have to be at a certain angle to actually see the mess, but its there, 20+ pic's later & I captured it.

Thanks in advance

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7229/commanderxh4.jpg

[WildCard600]

Bead blast it. I personally don't like shiny finishes and a bead blast would hide alot of future scratches and holster wear.

[Mgonz45]

That looks like someone tried to polish is with a dremel polis wheel.

If you want the mirror finish use a cloth buffing wheel on a bench grinder and some jewlers rouge, unless there are deep scratches then you wil need to re-sand it on a flat surface keeping the slid flat and only moving front to back with 320-400-600 then to the buffer

[log man]

Please, no power tools required. Lay the slide on a piece of 280 grit and stroke back and forth, to keep it straight hold a thin wood or plastic rule on the abrasive on a very flat surface, hold the bottom of the slide against the edge of the rule. The raised edge of the roll mark will be flattened, and once you get a uniform finish you can go finer to 320 or 400 gr., you can finish up on a red Scotchbrite pad.

Strip the frame and remove the grip bushings and finish to match. Take your time and you'll enjoy success.

LOG

[Mgonz45]

I personally have never gotten better then a "brushed" finish that way, and I thought he was goin for "mirror"

[Hawkmoon]

I would do as Log Man suggested, but I think 240 grit is too coarse for the first pass. Stop by a local glass shop and ask if they have a scrap piece of 1/4" plate glass that's maybe 6" x 12" or so they can give/sell you. Pay 'em a couple of bucks to make the edges safe, and then use that to lay the abrasive paper on. It provides a nice, uniform, flat surface.

To get back the original, mirror finish you'll probably need to work up to 600 or maybe 800 grit.

[hiloboy32531]

I like to start with 240 then goto 320 cross way making sure the 320 takes all of the 240 sanding marks out. If you going to use a buffing wheel. Use a 8 inch polish wheel on a buffing machine that runs about 1800 rpm go up in grit just like sanding. Dont round off the corners keep the slide strait up and down. You can use a plate of glass if you like I just put the slide in a vise use a file for backing and work up in sandpaper till i get the right look I want. If you dont cross your sanding marks you will just make them deeper so they will not come out.

[log man]

Okay, as I said 280, 320, 400, 600, 1200gr if you want a bright finish 2000gr.and goto the buffing wheel for just the last bit. Tape off the flats and bead blast. For a flat surface I really don't like glass as sometimes it's not as flat as you think and breakage can be a problem, a granite surface plate really works great as well as does a blanchard ground piece of steel plate. A fresh piece of masonite isn't bad either. Sometimes for the last few strokes I like to use a piece of cardboard under the paper and go across the ribs, this seems to bring the finish to a more uniform polish.

LOG

[terabyte]

Super reples, no power tools I prefer slow careful work by hand.

Started with 360 wet paper on an old picture frame glass sheet, looks great already.

How high a paper should I use to get a mirror polish or is there a polish for that? i see 2000 mentioned not sure an autobody supply will have that?

Will be using wet paper from the local autobody shop.

so far 600 is the finest I found in the shop so a trip into town is required to get supplies.

Thanks for the professional advice

[Hawkmoon]

2000 should be available from auto body supply places, but if you take your time I think you'll be astonished at how good it'll look after getting up to 600 or 800 grit. I really doubt you'll have to go any higher.

Be sure you have a solid support under that glass. Picture frame glass is not all that flat, and it's usually only about 3/32" thick. I specifically mentioned 1/4" PLATE glass for a reason: flatness.

[tenx]

For a factory duplicate brushed finish do you suggest 320 grit or 400 grit or ?

I have one I wish to remove some light scratches from the slide and frame.

[Hill]

400 is probably about as high as Colt went on the original finishes of stainless gun slabsides, maybe 600, but I'd doubt it.

Be sure to cut enough to flatten the rollmarkings. The way they leave them with the pushed up metal from making the markings is so u-u-u-glY!! Now's your chance to make it look like Colt did a professional job.

When buying paper - the newer european standards of grit are not as fine as the American standard. This means that "P600" is NOT the same as "600". It's very clearly marked - you can't miss the "P" so if that's all the outlet carries buy P800 for an approximate equivelance to "600". (I don't think the difference is really that wide but it makes for an easy way to differentiate the papers). A good automotive paint supply shop ought to carry grits as high as 4000 and they will carry paper as fine as 8000 grit in places that supply the custom painters. I mean do you want perfect or don't you? :)

I've polished steel to 2000 grit AND THEN turned to the buffing wheel and jeweler's red rouge.

Be advised that buffing on a wheel is an acquired skill to do well, and it's not all that difficult to make quite a mess of things.

On stainless steel, unfortunately, the high gloss polished finish you work so hard to achieve will not last long in any but the most careful usage. Personally, I think a beadblast finish is far more durable and an overall even finish is the nicest looking of all. It's what the custom gun makers have known for decades, and some of the old custom jobs that we've seen in here that are stainless have retained a hardchrome appearance after many years.

[terabyte]

Looking at say a Gold Cup NIB I am thinking Colts finish is done with a 360 / 400 this is same gun with P600 wet, I am happy with the outcome, I will try some higher range stuff next day or two.

I agree the glass bead finish is easier to keep and durable for a carry gun, however its not eye candy.

yep old picture frame glass is thin, but seems fine as long as supported on a flat piece of wood, trip to town I will pick up a chunk of Tractor Trailer windshield, thick, flat & has the safety layer in it.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/2954/sscombhb2.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5676/sscomaqz8.jpg