Ski,
The thing about scratches is, to polish them out, you normally work perpendicular to the scratch. Most scratches end up being along the long axis of the slide or frame. That means you polish up and down to remove the scratch. Then you polish along the long axis to achieve the finish.
With a satin finish, it is just a bit of craytex to remove the imperfection and a quick swipe to blend with the overall satin patina.
Many times, a satin finish is cheaper to produce and does not require as much machine work to make it really glossy.
It is those little imperfections that lurk to ruin your day when you try to make it really bright.
Most of the time, you will get it pretty good. . .until you hold the slide or frame oblique to the light source. Then. . .you can have a major "Awww crap" moment.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a good turnout of your project.
I was not trying to rain on your parade. Just wanted to let you know what you COULD be getting into.
Geetarman
