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January 26, 2001, 05:19 PM | #1 |
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Cleaning/polishing my 1988 vintage S&W 686 with Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish (MMAP) has always produced excellent results. MMAP produces a smooth and lustrous appearance.
I just acquired a 1984 S&W 66 police revolver with holster and handling scratches which MMAP does not remove. The scratches require a more aggressive polishing. What works? Would Dremel polishing be the solution? How about steel wool? I'd like to match/reproduce the fine brushed appearance of my 686. |
January 26, 2001, 08:38 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: December 15, 2000
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Depends
Using the Dremel with rouge and cloth/felt wheels will eventually produce a mirror finish.
The brushed look is done with fine abrasive (400-600 grit), stainless steel wool or brushes. Do not use steel wool or brushes as they could embed in the surface and cause rust spotting. Try them out on a stainless steel blank to see what the finish will be. Keep in mind, any refinishing on stainless can cause rust to form since this is still a ferrous alloy (50-80% Fe). |
January 26, 2001, 10:26 PM | #3 |
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Also bear in mind that to polish out a scratch, you have to remove the surrounding metal to the depth of the scratch. To keep a flat surface looking flat that requires a lot of metal removal.
Sam...my sentence structure isn't. |
January 27, 2001, 04:20 PM | #4 |
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Good Info Guys
KJ, thanks for the great tip on the SS wool. I think I'll try the very fine SS wool and try to get a "blended" look with the existing scratches. I may try the Mother's polish along with the SS wool.
CR, good point on metal removal to the depth of the scratches. I'd characterize them as mostly "surface" scratches from a holster retention system. It was a police service revolver and got max holster time. The scratches are not deep enough to feel with your finger, but enough to stand out with light reflection. |
January 29, 2001, 03:23 AM | #5 |
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I have found that 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper to work well. I drop some breakfree on the paper to keep it lubed and the grit in suspension. I have refinished two satin SS revolvers and a few knives in this way.
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