Polishing metal…the final step?

[John Spartan]

0000 steel wool or 1500 grit emery?

 

[tenngun]

I stop with 400 on brass and 600 on steel. I do buff with 0000 steel wool and navy jelly

 

[deerstalkert]

crocus cloth. then buffing wheel with rouge.

 

[John Spartan]

Just got back from the hardware store when I posted the above.
Picked up 0000 steel wool and 600 and 1500 emery. The current project is brass but with all my Muskets being armory bright finishes it seems I’m always polishing a scratch out of something.

 

[Shadowalker164]

With a cotton wheel and jewelers rouge you can comb your hair in the shine

 

[John Spartan]

Ooo very nice. Got a friend who has the set up for that. But for now…
Let me rephrase my question focusing on what I have on hand: Which is smoother (less abrasive) on the metal? MY final step? 1500 emery or 0000 steel wool?

 

[Shadowalker164]

3000 grit, but only after all the scratches are out

 

[Vaino]

My tops as far as paper grits is 400 on some brass parts followed by 0000 steel wool and 220 grit on steel parts.

 

[John Spartan]

Found this. All the answers.

 

[Tumbledown]

If you use a wheel, you risk rounding edges.

 

[Fly Navy]

I sand to 320 then use a maroon Scotch-Brite pad for a nice satin sheen.

 

[FlinterNick]

If you use a wheel, you risk rounding edges.

Gotta be careful with a wheel, low speeds and low pressure. Avoid screw holes.

 

[FlinterNick]

I’d watch a video on knife blade polishing. They polishing in a single direction with emery paper, it sets a grain pattern. Only do a cross pattern to get rid of deep scratches.

 

[dave_person]

Hi John,
Do you want the gun to look authentic or just shiny? To look authentic, never use a buffing wheel. Use stones or sandpaper up to 600 or even 1000 grit. Use it wet dipped in water and always backed with something so the edges of holes are not dished out. Then buff with 0000 steel wool to burnish the finish. Again, do it wet with water. You can also burnish the metal with a steel burnisher dipped in paraffin oil, which is closest to the original way it was initially polished.

dave

 

[Graybeard2A]

FLITZ is a great polishing media! also, does not remove metal.

 

[John Spartan]

Hi John,
Do you want the gun to look authentic or just shiny? To look authentic, never use a buffing wheel. Use stones or sandpaper up to 600 or even 1000 grit. Use it wet dipped in water and always backed with something so the edges of holes are not dished out. Then buff with 0000 steel wool to burnish the finish. Again, do it wet with water. You can also burnish the metal with a steel burnisher dipped in paraffin oil, which is closest to the original way it was initially polished.

dave

Perfect! Many thanks for the info and yes I am going “authentic.”
I assumed originals didn’t have a mirror finish (for multiple reasons) but it’s certainly nice to have a clear historical end goal set out.