Polishing
- Thread starter cw308
- Start date
What are you attempting to achieve. Are you referring to a nickel, stainless, blued or what type of finish is the barrel.
For a very light polishing I like Mothers Billet Polish. It is less aggressive than Mothers Mag Polish, and others like Wenol, Simichrome Posish or others. The pad you use can also affect the aggressiviness. Light application pad would be cotton, sligtly more aggressive is Shurhold Ultra Fine brass wool pads, and then on up to 0000 steel wool.
Then follow it up with a coat of Renaissance Micro-Crystalline wax polish to protect the final finish.
If you are attempting to remove bluing, then simple soak the barrel in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. It will remove all the bluing in a couple of hours or less.
For a very light polishing I like Mothers Billet Polish. It is less aggressive than Mothers Mag Polish, and others like Wenol, Simichrome Posish or others. The pad you use can also affect the aggressiviness. Light application pad would be cotton, sligtly more aggressive is Shurhold Ultra Fine brass wool pads, and then on up to 0000 steel wool.
Then follow it up with a coat of Renaissance Micro-Crystalline wax polish to protect the final finish.
If you are attempting to remove bluing, then simple soak the barrel in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. It will remove all the bluing in a couple of hours or less.
Polishing the outside of the barrel, especially the top, can cause the sights to disappear in bright sunlight. No point polishing blued steel. The bluing will wear off all by itself anyway.
JB Compound is for cleaning the barrel. It's not a polish. Flitz is a polish. Isn't cheap stuff either. Runs $12.25 for a 50 gram(1.8 OZ.) tube. Mind you, it works on metal, plastics and just about anything else.
White vinegar takes a lot less than a couple hours. Removing the bluing will result in premature rusting too.
JB Compound is for cleaning the barrel. It's not a polish. Flitz is a polish. Isn't cheap stuff either. Runs $12.25 for a 50 gram(1.8 OZ.) tube. Mind you, it works on metal, plastics and just about anything else.
White vinegar takes a lot less than a couple hours. Removing the bluing will result in premature rusting too.
Thanks for getting back , the barrel is stainless steel in the natural state , It's on a Colt New Agent . The gun has trench sights not the conventional sights . Blued slide . Just another thing to do on the gun , can't polish the feed ramp it's the same as the frame aluminum . I enjoy shooting the gun alot , kind of baby it . Changed the recoil dual spring recoil assembly to the EGW assembly. Other then that will leave it that way . I shoot it every week 50 rounds of 230 FMJ's loaded on the mild side . 4.6 of W231 like I said I baby it . 100% reliable so far , want to keep it that way .
Thanks again for answering my post.
Chris
Thanks again for answering my post.
Chris
The wax should not be a problem as a protection. I really doubt the Mothers Billet Polish will hurt, but you would want to try it on a less obvious place first. It is a very mild polish. The bronze wool which is also sold on Amazon is less aggressive than 0000 steel wool.
When you say stain, I am not sure of what you are referring to unless it is a browning from a light rust. Just not sure what the cause of the staining. Kano Kroil might help with the staining especially if it has to do with light rust causing a browning of the finish.
When you say stain, I am not sure of what you are referring to unless it is a browning from a light rust. Just not sure what the cause of the staining. Kano Kroil might help with the staining especially if it has to do with light rust causing a browning of the finish.
rodfac
The first reloading book ( Modern Reloading - Richard Lee ) starting load 4.6 , Modern that was in 1986 the newer reloading books are higher . I have 4 load books , what I do is take the lowest & highest of all four to use as my range . 4.6 works fine in my 3" 1911 at a distance of 21' it's a carry gun not a target . Even though at that range it's just as accurate as my 5". 4.6 is a infant load is more like it.
Rod, thanks for answering my post.
Chris
The first reloading book ( Modern Reloading - Richard Lee ) starting load 4.6 , Modern that was in 1986 the newer reloading books are higher . I have 4 load books , what I do is take the lowest & highest of all four to use as my range . 4.6 works fine in my 3" 1911 at a distance of 21' it's a carry gun not a target . Even though at that range it's just as accurate as my 5". 4.6 is a infant load is more like it.
Rod, thanks for answering my post.
Chris
Bill DeShivs
New member
Polishing is not as simple as you guys make it sound.
You can't polish without abrasion.
First- polishing nickel plate can easily go right through the plating to the underlying steel.
Most people have no idea how to polish and scrub as hard as they can. Nickel plated guns can be safely PROPERLY polished 2 or 3 times- maybe. It's just not a good idea.
Second- polishing is not as simple as using some polish and a rag. If the surface is already very smooth, this can work. Most surfaces need to be sanded to at least 1000 grit before hand polishing does much good at all.
Another problem is getting polish where it doesn't need to be. It will work it's way into the action-causing increased wear, and the polish can also gum things up.
BTW- those scuff marks you minimized? They will be right back after you work the slide a few times.
You can't polish without abrasion.
First- polishing nickel plate can easily go right through the plating to the underlying steel.
Most people have no idea how to polish and scrub as hard as they can. Nickel plated guns can be safely PROPERLY polished 2 or 3 times- maybe. It's just not a good idea.
Second- polishing is not as simple as using some polish and a rag. If the surface is already very smooth, this can work. Most surfaces need to be sanded to at least 1000 grit before hand polishing does much good at all.
Another problem is getting polish where it doesn't need to be. It will work it's way into the action-causing increased wear, and the polish can also gum things up.
BTW- those scuff marks you minimized? They will be right back after you work the slide a few times.
I think we are having a failure to communicate.
Although I agree with BillDeshivs on the point of constantly polishing, it is not my intent to recommend such nor is it my intent to say you should apply polishing compounds to moving parts friction points of any equipment. On a pistol slide, you should be careful not to apply to friction points and to carefully remove any possible reisdue. Then the appropriate lubricating grease film, as recommended by the manufacturer, should be applied to the slide and/or barrel where specified prior to reassembly. I do not polish the slide channels of my pistol nor do I apply polish to the interior portions of my slides. It is applied to the exterior visible portion of an assembled pistol.
I do not believe any harm will done by polishing with a low friction very mild abrassive polish like Mothers Billet Polish for appearance purposes on infrequent occassions and following it up with good wax like Renissance to protect the finish. A good protective finish should preclude the need for frequent polishing.
Although I agree with BillDeshivs on the point of constantly polishing, it is not my intent to recommend such nor is it my intent to say you should apply polishing compounds to moving parts friction points of any equipment. On a pistol slide, you should be careful not to apply to friction points and to carefully remove any possible reisdue. Then the appropriate lubricating grease film, as recommended by the manufacturer, should be applied to the slide and/or barrel where specified prior to reassembly. I do not polish the slide channels of my pistol nor do I apply polish to the interior portions of my slides. It is applied to the exterior visible portion of an assembled pistol.
I do not believe any harm will done by polishing with a low friction very mild abrassive polish like Mothers Billet Polish for appearance purposes on infrequent occassions and following it up with good wax like Renissance to protect the finish. A good protective finish should preclude the need for frequent polishing.