Polishing/waxing SS Revolvers?

[AppleAtchun]

I've been shooting for over 40 years but it's all been rifles and shotguns. I'm new to handguns, and have bought three this year, one being a SS GP100 in 4" (love that gun). I've read a comment here and there of guys using car polish on their SS revolvers. Is this something I should be doing? What are the benefits?

 

[Flash]

Not unless you want it to stink like car wax. There's no real benefit to doing this in my opinion.

 

[46wretch]

I've been shooting for over 40 years but it's all been rifles and shotguns. I'm new to handguns, and have bought three this year, one being a SS GP100 in 4" (love that gun). I've read a comment here and there of guys using car polish on their SS revolvers. Is this something I should be doing? What are the benefits?

Can't really think of a good reason to do this.
Is this helpful? http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/ST_polisharevolver_200905/

 

[A1tommygun]

Mother's mag wheel polish, will remove minor scratches and shine stainless steel. It will spiff up an old piece. a little on a pencil eraser can work out carbon rings on a cylinder face. Wax, plain wax, no abrasive, on a blue gun will protect the finish from water spotting and moisture if used for hunting or outdoors. Wax on the face of a cylinder of a blued revolver , applied before firing, helps a bit when cleaning the carbon rings

The article in 46wretch's post is on how to polish a revolver for reblueing, nothing to do with stainless.

 

[Shadow]

AppleA ....... if you want the ultimate product for cleaning and polishing any gun finish, including: brushed chrome, SS, nickel, CCH, blue, etc. I highly recommend Renaissance Wax. Go to restorersupplies.com for more info and to purchase. It also preserves, restores and polishes leather, exotic wood, Ivory, bone and any grip or gun stock material, and has other multiple uses. I've used it for several years on all my firearms, custom knives, antiques, etc. with fantastic results. Try it ..... you won't be disappointed!

Shadow

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Many people wax blued guns as an added rust prevention measure. It's not as necessary with stainless. IMO, of course.

-- Sam

 

[JOHNNY K.]

Mother's mag wheel polish get's my vote. This stuff will safely and easily polish anything.
Make sure you read the warnings on the package.

 

[Mr. Sasquatch]

I believe that with stainless steel guns it is done purely for esthetics. Some people like very shiny guns. Do you?
I had to dress some sharp edges on the trigger and around the trigger guard. I did it with 600grit sandpaper and it left a few dull looking patches. A nice, vigorous rub with Mother's polishing paste made them shiny again and blend with the rest of the gun.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

If you're looking for a polish (a fine grit paste for removing scratches), not a wax, look no further than Flitz or Simichrome.

The word "polish" is used by marketeers to mean anything you put on something. Eg, furniture "polish" is just mineral oil with some additives. Some "polishes" are cleaners/waxes. Some are abrasive. Make sure you use the product that does what you expect it to do.

-- Sam

 

[Tommy Kelly]

I used flitz on my redhawk and it looks like chrome. Some people like the shiny finish some don't. I kind of like it. I have 2 custom built rifles with stainless bbl's. I have both of them polished out to super brite chrome looking finish. It just depends on what you want.
yself I like CHROME.

 

[donut757]

What would be the best to use for justa normal polish and to remove the carbon stains? Something that wouldnt give it a chrome look?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I believe that with stainless steel guns it is done purely for esthetics. Some people like very shiny guns. Do you?

Nope. Once my guns get a little bit of honest wear on them, I just leave it alone. Blued or Stainless.

As stated, waxing blued guns will help preserve them because it helps protect the blue. The reason guns are blued is to protect the steel from atmospheric oxygen. If the blue wears off, the raw steel is exposed to the air and can rust. Oiling steel accomplishes the same thing. It prevents atmospheric oxygen from reaching the steel.

But Stainless steel is 'self healing'. That is the whole purpose behind Stainless. By definition, Stainless steel has a minimum of 10.5% Chromium in the alloy. When exposed to atmospheric oxygen, the Chromium forms a microscopic, colorless layer of Chromium Oxide. The Chromium Oxide layer prevents atmospheric oxygen from reaching the rest of the steel and this is what prevents it from corroding. This process is called Passivation. If you scratch Stainless Steel, the surface of the scratch will form a new layer of Chromium Oxide, preventing corrosion from setting in on the new surface. Coating Stainless with wax may make it shinier, but it will do nothing to prevent corrosion. The metal does that all by itself.

 

[Swampbilly]

AppleA ....... if you want the ultimate product for cleaning and polishing any gun finish, including: brushed chrome, SS, nickel, CCH, blue, etc. I highly recommend Renaissance Wax. Go to restorersupplies.com for more info and to purchase. It also preserves, restores and polishes leather, exotic wood, Ivory, bone and any grip or gun stock material, and has other multiple uses. I've used it for several years on all my firearms, custom knives, antiques, etc. with fantastic results. Try it ..... you won't be disappointed!

Shadow

Amen to that...I use it on all of my carbon steel knives...the blades, handles; everything. Much better for preserving against oxidation than a light coat of oil, without the mess.

In the museums, they even use this wax to potect paintings.

 

[AppleAtchun]

Thanks, everyone! I don't want a shiny gun and don't really want to polish it if it isn't necessary. The consensus seems to be it's something you can do but don't have to do for the sake of the gun.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

What would be the best to use for justa normal polish and to remove the carbon stains? Something that wouldnt give it a chrome look?

I've found Turtle Wax Chrome Polish works really well for removing carbon from stainless. It is slightly abrasive, but not much. Some ammonia content too, so be careful around brass.

Some people like the Nevr Dull wadding, but I've found it takes more elbow grease than TWCP.

Don't use either on blued guns.

Flitz or Simichrome will not cause your gun to shine unless you work at it. You can touch up areas on less-than-shiny surfaces and not end up with a mirror shine on that one spot. Just don't be too aggressive with it. I would be very careful one "brushed", "satin", or bead blasted surfaces though, as it is very difficult to get those to match. Sometimes a Scotch-Brite pad can be used to match brushed finishes.

-- Sam

 

[ar15ed]

i have a hi-gloss stainless bird'shead that i use simichrome on. it works great, but the gun was very glossy from the factory. i simichrome it after every two or three shooting sessions, and it just seems to get slicker and slicker.

i polished this s&w model 60. it started out with the factory "brushed" looking finish. i worked on it (by hand) with simichrome for about 6 hours, then used mother's on it for another couple of hours.

it is definitely possible to shine them up with the simichrome, but it takes a pretty good amount of work! the simichrome does seem to remove the black powder residue pretty easily. i guess if it got "too shiny" for you, you could always touch up the "brushed" look with scotchbrite pads.

 

[Dances with Jaguars]

I started out with Mother's Mag Wheel Polish and a rag. Then went to the Dremel, turned out shinier than I expected. I touch it up on ocassion with Flitz, and wax it with Flitz wax every so often. I've also noticed that when I clean it, the oils and cleaners make the finish a little dull; the next day I wipe it down with a microfiber cloth and it shines right up again.

It's a bit like having a really nice shiny new car...ya detail it very carefully and make it spotless. Then ya drive it and get it dirty! So ya detail it very carefully and make it spotless... Then ya drive, well you get the picture.