polish before engraving

tdelewis

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
752
Location
Volant, PA 60 miles north of Pittsburgh
I know the level of polish you put on a firearm before engraving can be a matter of taste. The other day I suggested a finish of 320 grit for final finish. The reason I suggested this is because I was under the impression that the manufactures use 320 grit for final polish. I know that this is not always true, as the older S&W had a high polished blue finish. Is this corrector or am I wrong? What is the final polish that most of you are using?
 

JJ Roberts

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Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
3,457
Location
Manassas, VA
My final polish is 400 grit with wet & dry automotive paper no buffing need to keep all edges sharp and not round and no dishing out of screw and pin holes if you want a final high polish go to 600 grit and lightly buff with Brownell's 555 polish. J.J.
 

S&w right

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
22
I have blued guns for over 30 years. Your end result is only as good as your polish. While a s&w might stop at 400-600. A colt python will be 1500.
I’m a novice at engraving but I like no less than 800 grit.
As Sam says, enjoy the journey
 

Crazy Horse

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
580
Location
Philly
A couple of years ago I sent the barrels of my 16 gauge Sterlingworth to J.J. Roberts to be re-blued. I told him that I did not want a high polish, as this is a hunting firearm and not a closet queen.

A couple of weeks later they were returned to me with a wonderful dull finish. Nicely blued and exactly what I wanted. I don't know what grit sand paper he used but he did a really good job.
Thanks J.J.
 

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