Polishing my M&P40

[kcabear]

I know some people will not like it, some will say I'm crazy for removing the Melonite, and I can appreciate everyone's opinions. I've driven trucks since I was 18 and I've always been a chrome shop junkie. I have spent up to 5 days polishing out a truck so I think I can give it a little shine besides that I'm stuck at work for 28 days in a camper with nothing to do! Oh well if it turns out like **** I'll get it NP3'd.
Chrome won't get you home but you'll look good pushin it!!
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I still have a lot of polishing left to do then I'm gonna put a ceramic sealer on it to prevent any surface rust.

[JJEH]

It sure looks nice.

[wyatt66]

I'm not a fan of chrome or stainless, but that does look good.

[timowen1]

I sure wouldn't do that to my M&P 40 FS but darn that does look good! Nice job.

[MP22]

As long as you like it....doesn't matter what people say or think.

[kcabear]

Thanks guys for the kind words and great compliments!
I'm gonna cut it again tomorrow and then come back over it with a coloring compound and a flannel wheel to give it a little more depth before I seal it. The Zoop Seal ceramic sealer would last 1 1/2 years on the fuel tanks and wheels on my semi so it should last quite a while before I need to polish again.
Hopefully I will have some updates tomorrow.

[jackrabbit000]

Nice job, looks good.

[VMaxSplat]

Its a bit pimped for my taste, but it is looking good. Is this hand polishing?

[SavageSmoker]

I think it looks great! We all have our own tastes when it comes to our guns. Good for you for going " outside the box" with yours. Nice job!

[NICKTHEFISH]

It's so shiny!!!!

[kcabear]

Thanks guys! Ok did a little bit of polishing today. It's getting pretty close to where I want it, but can still see tooling marks and a couple fine scratches. The stainless used on the slides is super hard and it takes a lot of time to get all the imperfections out. Tried using flannel buffing wheels but the stainless is too hard, having to use sisal rope wheels I got from Caswell Plating on a drill. Anyway here's the pictures. Debating on whether or not I want to fill in the lettering with blue. Suggestions?
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[AZ115]

Looks good. Can I send you my M&P. I want it to look just like your pics. Just make sure to send it back!

[1bdvet]

I'm like you, chrome junkies, if seen my Corvette engine, it's all chrome including the undercarriage and would love to that to my M&P.
So tell us what did you do to get the shine. You might say buffing wheel, and what type of polish did you use.
Just might want to do it to one of my M&P, your looks like the Pro.
I own Pro, Compact and the Shield, and will think which one will look the best polished.

[vquad]

Amazing
How many hours will you have in the job when completed?

[kcabear]

Yeah send it over AZ115 I'll get it back to you....... eventually! Haha!
Mine is a full size, I bet the long slide on that Pro would look great polished out!

I used a Harbor Freight hand sand blaster with their white oxide to remove the finish. Then I hand sanded everything, first with 100 grit then 220 with a little gun oil on the paper to keep it from loading up. Then I used a 1"x6" Sisal rope wheel and black compound from Caswellplating.com. I kept the wheel spinning fast and went slow letting the polish work. The first pictures were just using the black compound. Then I came back with a fresh sisal wheel using Busch's Aluminum polish. I put enough polish on the wheel so it would stay wet for a while and I just spun the wheel slowly letting the polish do it's job then came back with it at high speed and buffed it out. Then I went over it again with a loose flannel buff and jewelers rouge but I couldn't tell any difference. Even the Novak sights polished up nice.
I went out into the sun and I didn't notice much of a glare coming from the top of the slide, if it becomes a problem I'll give the top a brushed finish. At least if I ever get stranded I can always use it as a signal mirror!
If anyone is looking for a diy electroless nickel kit check out Caswell Plating. They have a ton of plating kits and lots of stuff for polishing.

[kcabear]

Vquad, I have around 8 hours in it so far and I probably have another 4 hours to go. I want to hit it with another round of polish to give it a little more luster and then put the ceramic sealer on it.

[JaPes]

Don't worry about the Melonite. Melonite is a salt bath nitriding treatment that imparts hardness & corrosion resistance to a layer of the steel. All you did is remove the surface finish.

I think it looks real good.

[bisley45]

that is very nice I like it