Buffing out surface scratches?

B

brockgl

New member
I have been doing some gun-smiting on my Springfield Mil-Spec, and in the process I have put a few minor surface scratches on the stainless steel. These really don't bother me much, and I knew I would have a few slips my first time gunsmithing, but if there is an easy way to buff them out I might give it a shot.

Any ideas?
 
On the flats you usually have a "brushed finish" Hardware stores and auto parts houses sell 3M Scotchbrite pads. If you use the right grit you can usually blend it in. Start with a fine/extra fine grit. You may have to do the entire flat surface the scratch is on. You might practice on a stainless magazine to get the technique down. The rounds (curved surfaces) are usually finished with a glass bead finish. There really is no way to touch that up and have it match the original finish without re-blasting the surface. Use light pressure with the Scotchbrite pad and try to not let any of the dust from the pad get inside the action. Be glad it's stainless. On a blued gun you'll have to reblue. Good luck.
 
stainless steel

Be very, very careful to never use any pads or wheels that have been used on carbon steel. Keep your wheels and pads separate for your stainless work. You will wind up with the ugliest rust you have ever seen if you don't. I work with SS all the time with dairy equipment. You can't even use a cutoff wheel if it was used on steel.
 
A couple weeks ago I bought a used varmint rifle in stainless. It, too, had several scratches on it, especially the barrel. I found at my local ACE HARDWARE store a ''600 grit, silicon carbide waterproof sandpaper''. It is the "ACE' brand. The paper felt so fine and smooth I thought I would go for it. I was careful to always sand with the grain. In a matter of 30 minutes I got it looking flawless. It may have changed the original look,,maybe it got a bit shinier, but it sure looks good. A friend of mine examined it after it did it and he couldn't see any indication that I had manipulated it.
 
Hand polishing will not imbed carbon steel into stainless, nor will steel wool imbed in a stainless gun.
Try 400 or 600 grit wet/dry automotive paper, or Scotchbrite pads. Try each on another piece of metal and match up which grit matches the finish on your gun.
 
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