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October 26, 2010
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Hello Everyone,
Ive been looking at some recent pictures of varying revolvers online and came across several pictures of revolvers having what I think is called nickel finish.
In reading, the pros seem to be a sleek look and the cons seems to be "annoying fingerprints" and "the slightest scratch is very noticeble."
I read that you can accomplish this look by using mothers wheel polish, and this can be reverted back to stainless by using 000 Steel Whool.
Has anyone tried this? Is it worth it? What are your thoughts?
Sincerely,
Rod
"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that's good" – George Washington
February 11, 2010
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Yes and Yes and I've seen it done but never done it myself, looks to be alot
of work but worth it if thats what you desire. Depending on the type of SS finish
example some have a brush almost matte look, you may have to start with
a more aggressive polish than mothers and work your way up.
-Blacktop
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Here is a stainless polish project I am working on right now:
I've tried a variety of techniques, including Mothers, this is the result of some work with a polishing wheel and polishing compound, which is not a finished product.
I have a couple of nickel guns as well, and for sheer brilliance and flawless finish, nickel wins.With nickel, you need to be a little careful with ammonia based cleaning compounds, and truthfully, for what this cost to have refinished, I tend to shoot it less than the others.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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Ok, wait a second...
Nickel is a coating on steel...much like chrome, only chrome is one step further. A typical chrome job has three steps...copper, nickel, chrome.
As an off again-on again hot rodder, I know something about this stuff. Yes, I've often learned the hard way...
30+ years later, I can now say with certainty what I feel is true.
The more the original coating is left untouched, the better it will look. If you hit nickel with ANY sort of abrasive (steel wool, polish, etc.) that abrasive will carve finite scratches into the surface of the coating. It may improve the appearance for a short time, but the lasting effects will be swirl marks...small cuts in the coating's surface. This will definitely show up under a camera's flash.
Deep enough swirl marks will cut deeply into the coating's surface, right down to the base metal...leaving the metal looking more like smoothed & unpolished aliminum. Until there's humidity (x time) introduced, then there's rust...guaranteed.
If you have a decent nickel plated surface & want to shine it up, pick a polish with ZERO abrasives. You don't want anything to actually etch it's way into that coating...you only want something to remove surface contaminants, such as rust & built-up oils, while smoothing the surface. I haven't tried ammonia cleaners yet, but if they have no abrasives, I would probably give them a shot.
February 11, 2010
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Hmmm... Am I wrong or were you wanting to polish a stainless steel to a nickel
like finish....heres a polished stainless thats as almost chrome.
-Blacktop
Supporter
Range Officer
Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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I'll back Steve up--you can wear your arm out with polishing abrasives trying to get that mirror finish 
...
I used to use SS carriage bolts for my motorcycles--they would polish up like a mirror with some fine sandpaper and polishing compound--just spun them up in the drill press and let the polish do the work...
If you really want a polished SS revolver, you're going to need some power buffing tools and time/patience. I have one and that is enough for me.
Simply hitting your gun with mothers or Flitz will make it look MUCH better than it does now--guaranteed.... But it won't be a mirror.
SHOOT
October 26, 2010
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Blacktop said:
Hmmm... Am I wrong or were you wanting to polish a stainless steel to a nickel
like finish....heres a polished stainless thats as almost chrome.
-Blacktop
This is exacly what I ment, sorry for the confusion. I want to polish my stainless steel revolver to a mirror finish. Just wanted to know the pros and cons of it.
"The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that's good" – George Washington
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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The Mothers approach will give you the most POP for a minimal investment. From two feet away it will glisten and shine nicely. In order to get that mirror finish on close-up, you need to work every piece to get the nicks, dings, scratches cleaned up and sanded/polished out. I don't think polishing will ever get to the same level of smooth brightness of nickel.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
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Rod0990 said:
Blacktop said:
Hmmm... Am I wrong or were you wanting to polish a stainless steel to a nickel
like finish....heres a polished stainless thats as almost chrome.
-Blacktop
This is exacly what I ment, sorry for the confusion. I want to polish my stainless steel revolver to a mirror finish. Just wanted to know the pros and cons of it.
Sorry guys. The way I read the original post, I thought it was about buffing up a nickel finish. Reading comprehension isn't my strong suit, sometimes.
April 25, 2008
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For the time and effort taken to get that mirror-like finish, you would be better off letting the pro's do it. Not saying that you can't do it yourself, but it is a lot of work and a lot of rubbing...wear and tear on YOU. I've tried the Mothers routine, and while it did shine up the gun considerably, it is nowhere near the look of nickel-plating or polished stainless steel. Wore my arms out with that effort.
These guys do outstanding work. I have a factory nickel-finished .357SM, that the original owner didn't take the greatest care with. There is some flaking around the trigger group. Some day, I will send it to Ford's and let them refinish it.
The Savantist
February 16, 2011
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Rod0990 said:
Hello Everyone,
Ive been looking at some recent pictures of varying revolvers online and came across several pictures of revolvers having what I think is called nickel finish.
In reading, the pros seem to be a sleek look and the cons seems to be "annoying fingerprints" and "the slightest scratch is very noticeble."
I read that you can accomplish this look by using mothers wheel polish, and this can be reverted back to stainless by using 000 Steel Whool.
Has anyone tried this? Is it worth it? What are your thoughts?
Sincerely,
Rod
Hi Guys,
Metal finishing goes like this. All metal surfaces looks like this;
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ thus having hills and valleys if you were looking at the end view of the metal surface. As you start to finish the surface, the hills and valleys are far apart.
As you get too a finer finish, meaning the hills and valley height's get closer together, the more mirror like finish you will have.
You can polish SS with rouge(ultra fine grit) and flannel cloth to a high luster, but not to the mirror state.
Electroplating is the only way to fill in the hills and valleys to a 99% mirror finish.
Touch that mirror finish with the wrong grit of metal polish and you'll be back to electroplating the surface once again.
HTH
Ken
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Ford's seem to have a very strong reputation. Mine was done locally, but at a higher price (more than a year ago) than Ford's charges now. My local guy will still do shrouds for me, but does not want to get into a full revolver refinish again.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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