I have a very nice 50th year Commemorative Walther PP .380 NIB. Any suggestions on what product to use to protect it that won't hurt the finish. It's blued with gold inlay and has beautiful hand carved wooden grips. I have Flitz Rifle Gun and Knife liquid paste but wanted to check with some people that have knowledge in this area. I contacted Flitz but never heard back from them. Thank you in advance.
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Need Advice On Polishing 50th Anniversary Walther
- Thread starter Sarge8689
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
New member
The "gold inlay" is probably gold plating on a late Walther.
Therefore, you don't want to use anything abrasive on it, as it is very soft and easily worn away. Flitz is abrasive- even though they say it isn't.
I recommend a good gun oil and a soft cloth only. Even WD 40 will work well. Just moisten the cloth and rub a light coating on.
Therefore, you don't want to use anything abrasive on it, as it is very soft and easily worn away. Flitz is abrasive- even though they say it isn't.
I recommend a good gun oil and a soft cloth only. Even WD 40 will work well. Just moisten the cloth and rub a light coating on.
Jim Watson
New member
Once gently cleaned, the stock answer is Renaissance Wax. Not only protective, but removable, which matters to a museum.
Hey, look a new guy!
I'd be thinking cleaning and oiling only with no polishing at all. That pistol is worth $2500 or more on the assorted auction sites. Any damage will drop the value.
Keep in mind that if the Flitz Rifle Gun and Knife liquid paste damaged finishes they'd be sued into next year. Still wouldn't use it on a collector piece. Far too much likelihood of minor damage.
I'd be thinking cleaning and oiling only with no polishing at all. That pistol is worth $2500 or more on the assorted auction sites. Any damage will drop the value.
Keep in mind that if the Flitz Rifle Gun and Knife liquid paste damaged finishes they'd be sued into next year. Still wouldn't use it on a collector piece. Far too much likelihood of minor damage.
Bill DeShivs
New member
I'm not familiar with Flitz Flitz Rifle Gun and Knife liquid paste- but I do know that regular Flitz polish states that it is "non abrasive." You can not polish without abrasion.
You really think people would sue? What about all the cold blue products that people use to ruin guns every day?
You really think people would sue? What about all the cold blue products that people use to ruin guns every day?
Flitz is definitely abrasive. I wouldn't use it on anything considered collectible.
I can't find the link right now, but somewhere I found a quote from someone at Flitz explaining that they can legally say it's not abrasive is because the abrasive particles in the polish are smaller than the size limit that would qualify them as an "abrasive" from a legal/advertising standpoint.
It's not a super-aggressive abrasive since the particles are very fine/small, but it will definitely remove metal. I've polished knives with it and you can see the metal being removed and turning the polishing cloth black.
I can't find the link right now, but somewhere I found a quote from someone at Flitz explaining that they can legally say it's not abrasive is because the abrasive particles in the polish are smaller than the size limit that would qualify them as an "abrasive" from a legal/advertising standpoint.
It's not a super-aggressive abrasive since the particles are very fine/small, but it will definitely remove metal. I've polished knives with it and you can see the metal being removed and turning the polishing cloth black.
Yep. I even called them about this a decade or so ago. I explained that if I polished brass or copper or steel and then held the blackened cloth at the right angle to the sun I could get a brass, copper, or white metal color reflecting off of it. The lady on the line said, "well, it might be slightly abrasive".
The white soft polishes usually contain diatomaceous earth or some other "soft" abrasive, but they are all abrasive to some degree. Collector's pieces often have more value when the finish is original and dirty than when it has been cleaned up as that ruins the "originalness of it" somehow. You can do worse than to wipe it with the common silicone cloth to remove fingerprints. If you need to store it, use something with anti-corrosive properties or store it in a sealed display case with some VCI papers or film. The waxes can work, too. Boeshield T9 leaves a colorless and clear anti-corrosion barrier wax behind.
The white soft polishes usually contain diatomaceous earth or some other "soft" abrasive, but they are all abrasive to some degree. Collector's pieces often have more value when the finish is original and dirty than when it has been cleaned up as that ruins the "originalness of it" somehow. You can do worse than to wipe it with the common silicone cloth to remove fingerprints. If you need to store it, use something with anti-corrosive properties or store it in a sealed display case with some VCI papers or film. The waxes can work, too. Boeshield T9 leaves a colorless and clear anti-corrosion barrier wax behind.