Polishing Matte Stainless

RedneckRampage · Mar 5, 2016

I have a S&W 1911 that is matte stainless. I have never been a fan of this, but it was a gift, so I have to keep it. I'd like to have it polished to look like a Springfield's factory finish. Is there any shops around Portland that do this? Is it hard to do your self?

Stomper · Mar 5, 2016

Maybe Mother's polish? Go on YouTube and search for Yankee Marshall aka @PlayboyPenguin here on the forums. He has done this very thing on video and has it down to an art form.

Joe13 · Mar 5, 2016

Get a buffing wheel and put it on a bench grinder and that will save you a ton of work.

Apply buffing compound and go to work.

wcdubois · Jun 17, 2016

I'm thinking about doing the same thing to my new stainless Desert Eagle. Think I'll use my air powered die grinder with various grits of stainless polish and various shaped buff attachments.

erudne · Jun 17, 2016

You'll find a lot of scratches under that matte finish

wcdubois · Jun 17, 2016

erudne said:
You'll find a lot of scratches under that matte finish

Seems like I saw a youtube video of Yankee Marshall with his polished DE. He even had to take some large creases out of the finish. I haven't decided for sure if I am going to do it or not. I sure like the pistol though. The integrated muzzle brake sure helps with the heavy muzzle rise!

Mark W. · Jun 17, 2016

To put things in perspective you do not take a scratch out of a finish but instead have to reduce everything around the scratch to the level of the bottom of the scratch. And maintaining straight lines while doing this can mean a LOT of material will have to be removed.

I was a full time custom knifemaker for 14 years who did everything to create my knives. And I can tell you polishing out a matte finish handgun will in itself be a hobby and once started you HAVE to finish or the gun will look like crap.

MountainBear · Jun 17, 2016

If you were so inclined to want to polish something, my suggestion would be to polish the flats on the slide. I would start at probably 220 or 320 grit wet/dry paper taped to a flat surface (I use a pane of glass or a ceramic tile). Polish to 600 grit or so. I usually push only one direction and go slow. Use oil to lube the paper. Did I mention, GO SLOW!

Velzey · Jun 17, 2016

How I polish..

Post up a pic! A blasted matte finish looks good if you use scotch brite pads (fine) and oil.
And yes, some do this around here

MountainBear · Jun 17, 2016

Velzey, you cheating bugger. Surface grinding...

Velzey · Jun 17, 2016

Hey I got the wiring all figured out! And it runs soooooooo nice.

MountainBear · Jun 17, 2016

Good to know! I may have need for something surface ground someday!

wcdubois · Jun 18, 2016

Mark W. said:
To put things in perspective you do not take a scratch out of a finish but instead have to reduce everything around the scratch to the level of the bottom of the scratch. And maintaining straight lines while doing this can mean a LOT of material will have to be removed.

I was a full time custom knifemaker for 14 years who did everything to create my knives. And I can tell you polishing out a matte finish handgun will in itself be a hobby and once started you HAVE to finish or the gun will look like crap.

Thats why I keep talking myself out of starting this project... Paid a lot for the gun and sure don't want to screw it up.