Hand-polished my Ruger sp101 357. Whatcha think?

[xssv]

Just used mother's and old t-shirt. Think I should go further and break out the 1500 grit, then 2000, then 2500 and make it look like a mirror?

Or should I just be happy with better than the original brushed stainless look?

 

[smokey04]

HUH ? Nick

 

[Laketime]

Looks good right now.If you take it to the next level it will be a scratch magnet

 

[xssv]

Maybe I wasn't clear.
If I go over it with really fine sand paper, I can get out all the factory
"brush" lines in the finish. With finer and finer paper, the stainless gets smoother and smoother and when polished, looks more and more like mirrored glass or the nickel-plated look.

Kinda like wet-sanding and buffing the clear-coat on a car.

 

[vonn]

If shiney is appealing to you go for it , if you don't like it when you are done you can always scotch brite it. I have a Vaquero and model 60 that are polished that I like a lot.

 

[Laketime]

Maybe I wasn't clear.
If I go over it with really fine sand paper, I can get out all the factory
"brush" lines in the finish. With finer and finer paper, the stainless gets smoother and smoother and when polished, looks more and more like mirrored glass or the nickel-plated look.

Kinda like wet-sanding and buffing the clear-coat on a car.

I knew what you meant.Ive polished quite a few Smiths and Colt to a mirror... Think a Python ultimate stainless..scratces if you just look at it.A basic polish like you did looks good and will hold up against scratches better

 

[BigBill]

Do not try sand paper. Use the Simi Chrome polish.

 

[twin40fives]

I personally like both the brushed stainless, and the high polished look as well. With that being said, I think you should go all the way in one direction or the other. Meaning either restore a perfect brushed finish, or take it to high polished chrome look. I wouldn't be afraid of scratches, as either finish will require maintenance.

 

[wrhk33]

I always wanted to have a stainless one look like nickle but I would have to send it out. I don't have the patience for it. I got to many other gun projects that have gone unfinished.

 

[chaparrito]

I tried Simichrome on my 629 and it came out looking about like yours. Nice, but not mirrored. Maybe I should have kept at it longer.

 

[BigBill]

Simi chrome polish takes lots of manual elbow grease.

Simi chrome polish is a extra fine polishing compound. It's used in plastic injection die moulds to remove the machining marks.

It's also used for polishing chrome and aluminum on motorcycles. It brings back the shine after the finish gets dulled.

Save the used Simi chrome polish for your blued finish guns. It brings the luster back out of the dull faded blue finish too. Go lightly.

 

[chief38]

Personally I like it just where you've go it now.

 

[chaparrito]

So is Mother's a bit more aggressive than Simichrome?

 

[flundertaker]

Mother's Billet Polish is the least abrasive followed by Flitz then Semichrome. I don't know about plain Mothers, just their billet polish.
I would stop where you're at. It looks good to me.

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