How to polish a stainless steel revolver
- Thread starter epic4444
- Start date
SS isn't chrome. It's an alloy. Chrome is a coating/plating. Anyway, a light touch with a cloth wheel, in a bench grinder, and jeweller's rouge will remove scratches in SS. Eye protection is mandatory. Do NOT put a high shine on top of the revolver. Reflected light will wash out the sights.
I've had problems like that before with my SS 1911 and 686+.
I take flitz polish and brush it with the grain (if you find a grain) with a scotch brite pad (the yellow and green sponge).
It blends the scratches pretty well and gives the gun a high polish.
After that, you can take one of those fine cloths (the ones used to clean computer monitors) and buff it out.
I take flitz polish and brush it with the grain (if you find a grain) with a scotch brite pad (the yellow and green sponge).
It blends the scratches pretty well and gives the gun a high polish.
After that, you can take one of those fine cloths (the ones used to clean computer monitors) and buff it out.
If you like the polished look, just polish the entire revolver.
The gun below was all polished by hand ( no dremmel ) using only Mother mag polish (paste) and a couple clean soft rags.
Just avoid the matt finish on the top of the frame and barrel so you don't get glare when you are shooting.
I actually polished the high points of the trigger and hammer for a little extra flare.
This revolver was NOT disassembled to polish it either. The only thing I removed was the cylinder release & grips.
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
The gun below was all polished by hand ( no dremmel ) using only Mother mag polish (paste) and a couple clean soft rags.
Just avoid the matt finish on the top of the frame and barrel so you don't get glare when you are shooting.
I actually polished the high points of the trigger and hammer for a little extra flare.
This revolver was NOT disassembled to polish it either. The only thing I removed was the cylinder release & grips.
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
madcratebuilder
New member
You can polish the gun to a chrome like finish or like Hank15 said use a 3M pad and polishing paste to get a near original finish.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
I really like the look of my Montados ( factory polished stainless Rugers ), & am a bit hesitant to start, but want to blend the finishes of my custom Taurus 22 Hornet with the Dan Wesson shroud & change barrel system grafted to it... all pieces are stainless, I could see polishing it like GUNKWAZY did ... agree with leaving the top strap as matt or scuffing it up after polishing...
BTW... GUNKWAZY... that looks very nice... got a ball park on how much time you have into hand polishing that gun ???
BTW... GUNKWAZY... that looks very nice... got a ball park on how much time you have into hand polishing that gun ???
Both my Anaconda and Python started out life as matte stainless guns. I like the polished look and also used Mothers Mag Polish and some old rags. Several hours later while watching TV and this is what they look like today. I keep a light coat of Gun Wax on them and they are much less sensitive to scratching as they used to be, and clean up MUCH easier after shooting them.
Python
Anaconda
Python
Anaconda
You want to use a soft cloth - old cloth baby diapers work very well for polishing cars, bikes and guns. Nice and soft. Diaper services sell them by the 3, 5 and 10 lb bag sometimes.
Mother's mag & aluminum polish works well to remove the matte finish and provides a good shine. To remove finer scratches and machining marks or to make it appear as a nickel finish, use Flitz after the Mother's.
I picked up a S&W Model 67 that someone used a 3M pad to try to remove a scratch. It ended up looking like hell just below the cylinder release. Using Mothers and time, I polished the whole gun except the cylinder.
One mistake I made was polishing the back of the recoil plate behind the cylinders. Leave that area matte if you can. Otherwise sunlight from behind you does put up a lot of glare.
Polished Model 67 - reflecting a box of Winchester ammo.
Mother's mag & aluminum polish works well to remove the matte finish and provides a good shine. To remove finer scratches and machining marks or to make it appear as a nickel finish, use Flitz after the Mother's.
I picked up a S&W Model 67 that someone used a 3M pad to try to remove a scratch. It ended up looking like hell just below the cylinder release. Using Mothers and time, I polished the whole gun except the cylinder.
One mistake I made was polishing the back of the recoil plate behind the cylinders. Leave that area matte if you can. Otherwise sunlight from behind you does put up a lot of glare.
Polished Model 67 - reflecting a box of Winchester ammo.
I happen to have a Colt 45 with the "ultimate" high-polish finish to the stainless steel. This is not an easy finish to replicate. There were some minor scratches in the finish of this gun and, after talking to severa gunsmiths, I ended up sending it back to Colt to have it factory refinished. At the time it cost $200 and was well worth it.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
it's not a magic cream... it requires alot of applied elboe grease along with the polish & a soft cloth
Dip/rub the rag in the polish/paste and a little goes along way.
You do not want to glob it on and let it go in every nook and cranny.
As with any polish, the more you polish, the more imperfections you will remove from the guns finish and the more light will reflect.
Therefore it will shine more everytime you polish it.
You will need to apply pressure to polish the gun. As was pointed out above, it's not a majic polish, you will need a lot of elbow grease, and that's not something you can buy at Ace hardware in the lubrication section.
Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
wezalsgunsupply
New member
TRY this
I found a product that I have only seen at Walgreens. MAAS, it comes in a silver squeeze tube. It is non abrasive. Use small amounts on a rag and massage it in. It deoxidizes the steel. If you go nuts you could polish the metal. I was shocked how much black crud that was on my CLEAN gun. I can soften light scratches and also works great on nickel. Leaves no residue
I found a product that I have only seen at Walgreens. MAAS, it comes in a silver squeeze tube. It is non abrasive. Use small amounts on a rag and massage it in. It deoxidizes the steel. If you go nuts you could polish the metal. I was shocked how much black crud that was on my CLEAN gun. I can soften light scratches and also works great on nickel. Leaves no residue
+1 on dipping the rag and applying sparingly.
If you polish the gun a lot and get polish into the cracks and openings to the action, the easiest way to flush it out is to use some automotive brake cleaner or gun scrubber. Then relube the gun well.
Apply the polish to the gun and rub with light to moderate pressure. When the polish begins to haze up, stop and let it dry then buff off.
You do not want to polish the topstrap since glare will make it hard to see the sights. Avoid polishing the rear face of the recoil shield too. Do not polish the top of the frame & sideplate either side of the hammer to keep glare down. Polish lightly around the roll-stamped lettering & logos to prevent rounding their edges.
Note: On laser-etched logos, mask the area off with tape to prevent removing or diminishing the etched lettering.
If you polish the gun a lot and get polish into the cracks and openings to the action, the easiest way to flush it out is to use some automotive brake cleaner or gun scrubber. Then relube the gun well.
Apply the polish to the gun and rub with light to moderate pressure. When the polish begins to haze up, stop and let it dry then buff off.
You do not want to polish the topstrap since glare will make it hard to see the sights. Avoid polishing the rear face of the recoil shield too. Do not polish the top of the frame & sideplate either side of the hammer to keep glare down. Polish lightly around the roll-stamped lettering & logos to prevent rounding their edges.
Note: On laser-etched logos, mask the area off with tape to prevent removing or diminishing the etched lettering.
Can you polish up the rough (in the white) parts on a Springfield Armory stainless 1911 with Mothers polish? I don't want to shine it up but it is way too rough on my gun. I just want to soften it a bit. I know the top should not be shiny so as not to blind you when sighting in. Would Mothers do that or me? Thnaks for any help!