I want to bright polish the trigger and hammer flats on a Ruger DA revolver. Does anyone know what types and grades of polishes and/or rouge I should use ? Also need same recommendation for type of buffer wheel I could use on some type of Dremel rotary tool. The Hammer flats are scratched to the point where you can feel it with your fingernail, so Flitz is not strong enough. Also need a rotary dremel type tool for the polishing wheel. Any advice appreciated on any of these since I have no experience with this type of treatment.

I've used Micro Mesh buffing sticks on stainless. The sets I have run 1,500 to 12,000 grit in nine sticks or pads (I have both). Also regular 400/600/1000/1500/2000 jewelers paper with a small block works great. The 2,000 gives the mirror shine. I think the grit gradings are different between the emory paper and the buffing sticks.

A set of MicroMesh sticks is about $11 from woodcraft.com and the pads are about double.

These days I use them mostly on ebony but I've used both sticks and paper when polishing both nickel alloy and stainless steel guitar frets. Mirror shine. Although trying to remove deep scratches, I'm not qualified to advise. Changing the weight of the hammer and such.

Working by hand over Dremel has its benefits. If you are going to make a mistake, you have plenty of time to see it coming.

Mother's mag wheel polish and a thick piece of felt.

Takes about a minute to get it looking like a mirror once the hammer is removed

I've polished a lot of hot rod automotive parts over the years, on high speed polishing equipment and by hand, aluminum and stainless.

Have you considered sheets of black oxide automotive sandpaper in various grits depending on how deep the scratches are: 320/400/600/800/1000/1500/2000, etc? You have more control with strips wrapped around your finger tip than with a DREMEL, especially if you've never done it before.

The finer grit will polish better than any metal polish since it removes all of the scratches. Then you can polish with whatever metal polish you prefer. I use only WENOL polish since it comes in two grades. It's commonly found at Harley Davidson shops.

quote:

Originally posted by az4783054:
black oxide automotive sandpaper in various grits depending on how deep the scratches are: 320/400/600/800/1000/1500/2000

I left out 800 because the shop was out of it when I last stocked up.

My supply also includes 220 and 320. I'll often make a sanding block shaped to the particular application.

_{Here's a new Clint Eastwood avatar for ya! https://avatarhost.files.wordp...t-clint-eastwood.jpg}

Please post topics in the correct area.

Moved.

Apologies Arc, Thank You.

Az, I have the papers you mentioned, 800 thru 3000 from my auto detailing hobby. I'll start with 1500 to see if it is reaching scratches and go up or down from there. These are scratches caused by the trigger rubbing the frame, apparently normal for Ruger DAs because of the wider tolerances than Smiths. I have the same dragging action with the trigger. I want to polish them back up to what they were before I started shooting it after a gunsmith did it previously along with an action job, but didn't shim anything. I ordered shims from triggershims.com and new springs from Wolff, just one-thunk-down-from-factory-spec. I'm not concerned with trigger weight as much as quality, but if I can get 100% on hard primers with one thunk down springs I'll call it done. This is my 357 heavy, I just need to find something heavy to shoot. I should go for a walk in the woods and pick a bone with an eastern gray, show him my piece and ask if he thinks 180 gr hardcast at 1400 is heavy enough for him.

Woodman, I fixed my Clint Eastwood avatar with your better url pic. Thanks man.

Thanks everyone, I'll report back after I try all this stuff.

Advancing to Level II in the Wile E. Coyote School of Gunsmithing.