Can scratched and dinged SS be polished to a mirror finish?

[jweez63]

If I take an old used police Model 64-3 and polish it for hours and hours can I get it to an almost chrome-like mirrored finish? I have watched a couple of Youtube videos and one guy was able to get a mirror -like finish on a SS gun, but his was not really beat up to begin with. Can you take a SS beater and turn it into Cinderella with hours of elbow grease?

Also, any recommendations on best way to try and not damage the gun? Thanks.

 

[jepp2]

The nature of the finish is the more shiny you make it, the greater the imperfections show up.

If you are talking about very shallow marks, you would need to start by sanding them out by staying parallel with the surface you are working on. (Flat on flat, rounded on rounded). Go progressively finer with your grits before you start polishing.

Simply polishing will cause the surface finish to improve, but will not mask the imperfections, it will tend to magnify them. And what ever you do, keep the Dremel locked up.

I have a M66 no dash that was a carry gun. Polishing it would be the worst thing I could do to it. Staying with the brushed look will hide most imperfections.

 

[OldBlood]

These are all police trade-ins, polished on a cloth wheel. None were super beat up, but none were like a normal wear gun. Some people seem to have a great fear of power tools.

 

[papajohn428]

Some people seem to have a great fear of power tools.

We've all seem what Bubba can do with a Dremel.........some folks shouldn't be allowed to own power tools!

Personally, I think I'm going to have my older stainless gun bead-blasted. I like the matte finish better.

 

[OldBlood]

Have "We" all seen what Bubba can do? Who is "Bubba"? A gun owner in a free country that can do whatever he would like ( within the law) to his own gun. This might disturb the people who see his alterations as damage, but that is his right. An old cop gun is hardly a priceless collectable, so have at it. Try things, have some fun.

 

[fat tom]

Do y'all remove the cylinder thumb release when polishing?
f.t.

 

[OldBlood]

Do y'all remove the cylinder thumb release when polishing, Yes. When you push the bar up and out of the gun, put a box or pail in the path of the Very small parts (spring and pin) that are about to launch themselves across your workshop. My son and I spent over 2 hours looking for mine. The spring hit the wall and landed about 2 feet from the workbench. My son found the pin over by the back door, about 12 feet in the other direction. Murphy lives in my basement!

 

[TAROMAN]

As mentioned, keep away from power tools unless you REALLY know what you're doing.
One of my passions is rescuing retired cop guns.
Polish them starting with 600 and go to 2000 in steps. Then finish off with Mothers.
Go slow, use lots of elbow grease.
A few I've done using this method:

 

[OKFC05]

any recommendations on best way

Bead blast it for a low-trouble finish that looks new.
While it's apart, clean, inspect, and lube the action.

 

[kimberst245]

+1 for the bead blasting. In my opinion, it makes a very "business-like" finish.

 

[jweez63]

Hey thanks everyone. Those sure are some nice looking revolvers and that's exactly what I want to do, make it nice and shiny. What I was planning on doing was starting at 400 and keep going up to 2,000 as recommended. And then break out the Mother's. I love projects that help me work on my patience.

 

[OldBlood]

Tip, when sanding flat areas, wrap your wet/dry around a flat file, and use WD40 instead of water.Also, don't use 400 where you don't need too, you will just put in more fine scratches you will have to sand out.