Polishing the scratches in a stainless slide

FM12 · June 1, 2007, 12:16 PM

What's the best way to polish the scratches out of a stainless slide and frame? Got an Officers Model with, of course, the idiots scratch at the slide stop pin. I was given some sandpaper by a jeweler friend that is designed for titanium, he said, but dont want to do more harm than good...suggestions, especially no-nos?

HSMITH · June 1, 2007, 02:56 PM

Lay the paper on a sheet of glass, oil it, and move the slide back and forth on it LENGTHWISE, before you lift the slide off you need to slide it STRAIGHT off the paper completely before lifting. 320 grit is about right to duplicate a factory finish.

Tom2 · June 1, 2007, 03:52 PM

IF it is matte finish, you will just have to have the area re- bead blasted. If is is brushed or polished stainless, on light scratches, start with the least first. That would be Flitz polish or equivalent. Of course polish in line with the brush strokes on brushed, and if that looks good, stop there, as when you start removing metal you don't know how it will end up sometimes. Go easy with more aggresive methods.

FM12 · June 1, 2007, 04:28 PM

It'sd the standard polished flat sides, matte on the rounded top of the slide...thought I might use some semichrome and a tshirt with increasing pressure. The sandpaper (420 & 500 grit) seems a little drastic...although my friend says he can buff out any residual makrs on his polishing wheel. Maybe I could use my Dremel tool with the variable speed on low. Still,, have had trouble with it "getting away" from me at times, causing more damage than necessary.

Jim Watson · June 1, 2007, 04:39 PM

HSMITH is right. It takes great skill with a rotary device of any sort to polish a flat surface. A Dremel usually just makes a wavy mess. Even flat polishing, a soft backer like cloth will round over the edges. Real polish like Simichrome is too fine, it will not take out the scratch and will leave the surface shinier than new.

Wildalaska · June 1, 2007, 04:42 PM

What HSMITH said, but I say 400 grit

WildpolishmynevermindAlaska

FM12 · June 3, 2007, 01:04 PM

Thanks, may just let my jeweler do the whole job.

June 1, 2007, 12:16 PM	#1
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	Polishing the scratches in a stainless slide What's the best way to polish the scratches out of a stainless slide and frame? Got an Officers Model with, of course, the idiots scratch at the slide stop pin. I was given some sandpaper by a jeweler friend that is designed for titanium, he said, but dont want to do more harm than good...suggestions, especially no-nos?

June 1, 2007, 02:56 PM	#2
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	Lay the paper on a sheet of glass, oil it, and move the slide back and forth on it LENGTHWISE, before you lift the slide off you need to slide it STRAIGHT off the paper completely before lifting. 320 grit is about right to duplicate a factory finish.

June 1, 2007, 03:52 PM	#3
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	IF it is matte finish, you will just have to have the area re- bead blasted. If is is brushed or polished stainless, on light scratches, start with the least first. That would be Flitz polish or equivalent. Of course polish in line with the brush strokes on brushed, and if that looks good, stop there, as when you start removing metal you don't know how it will end up sometimes. Go easy with more aggresive methods.

June 1, 2007, 04:28 PM	#4
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	It'sd the standard polished flat sides, matte on the rounded top of the slide...thought I might use some semichrome and a tshirt with increasing pressure. The sandpaper (420 & 500 grit) seems a little drastic...although my friend says he can buff out any residual makrs on his polishing wheel. Maybe I could use my Dremel tool with the variable speed on low. Still,, have had trouble with it "getting away" from me at times, causing more damage than necessary.

June 1, 2007, 04:39 PM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	HSMITH is right. It takes great skill with a rotary device of any sort to polish a flat surface. A Dremel usually just makes a wavy mess. Even flat polishing, a soft backer like cloth will round over the edges. Real polish like Simichrome is too fine, it will not take out the scratch and will leave the surface shinier than new.

June 1, 2007, 04:42 PM	#6
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	What HSMITH said, but I say 400 grit WildpolishmynevermindAlaska

June 3, 2007, 01:04 PM	#7
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	Thanks, may just let my jeweler do the whole job.