Author Topic: Scratches on stainless steel (Read 4576 times)

LuckyLeaky · « **on:** July 03, 2015, 04:24:58 pm »

Does anyone have any insight on how to hide light scratches on stainless steel?

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FACE · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2015, 05:02:35 pm »

Embrace it!

Your other option would be to polish it, but then the light scratches will never stop coming.

LuckyLeaky · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2015, 05:14:47 pm »

Normally i would embrace it but i have a reassembly mark that i want gone asap......was cleaning it today and i almost shit my pants when i saw it.... i dont even remember doing it

870policemag · « **Reply #3 on:** July 03, 2015, 05:53:15 pm »

Please tell me that you didn't scratch your Colt.

LuckyLeaky · « **Reply #4 on:** July 03, 2015, 06:14:29 pm »

LuckyLeaky · « **Reply #5 on:** July 03, 2015, 06:29:11 pm »

So if i polish it....it can actually make it worse????

I was thinking of using emery cloth and do the whole length so i dont have just a little shiny spot

870policemag · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2015, 06:40:22 pm »

The pattern of their grain is hard to replicate. Just by looking at the slide you should see an almost perfect pattern. It's almost like someone made some type of jig for a fine belt sander.

Rugers are easier to replicate because the pattern is somewhat random. If you really have to fix it, tear it down to the frame, mount a belt sander on a bench and practice on some other piece of stainless steel with a fine belt until you've perfected it then give it a shot.

Or you could just take FACE's advice and embrace the "dummy mark". Just about every honest 1911 owner will admit to doing this at least once. That includes myself.

870policemag · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2015, 06:44:22 pm »

There's a really neat slide stop modification that will prevent this from happening in the future. It's on a 1911 forum that I'm a member of.

I'll PM you the link tomorrow. I'm on my cell at the moment.

ItWasntMe · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2015, 10:15:48 pm »

Sorry about the Colt.

steve2md · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2015, 11:36:29 pm »

000 steel wool and mother's chrome polish. Do the whole slide and no one will ever know. Except us of course....

FACE · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2015, 01:04:32 am »

Speaking from experience, the only way to truly hide the idiot mark is to sand and polish the entire thing. Took me all day. Then you'll have a nice mirror shine which will show every tiny scratch and scuff from then on. It's a double edged sword. I'll show you if you come to the shoot.

FreeInAZ · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2015, 02:52:18 am »

Quote from: LuckyLeaky on July 03, 2015, 04:24:58 pm

Does anyone have any insight on how to hide light scratches on stainless steel?

Those are called character marks sir!

Wear them as a badge of honor - unless you're trying to sell it, then blame it on a little old lady you were trying to teach to shoot, who scuffed it with diamond bracelet etc...

Quote from: FACE on July 04, 2015, 01:04:32 am

Speaking from experience, the only way to truly hide the idiot mark is to sand and polish the entire thing. Took me all day. Then you'll have a nice mirror shine which will show every tiny scratch and scuff from then on. It's a double edged sword. I'll show you if you come to the shoot.

THAT ^^^

cr · « **Reply #12 on:** July 04, 2015, 04:44:26 am »

Quote from: steve2md on July 03, 2015, 11:36:29 pm

000 steel wool and mother's chrome polish. Do the whole slide and no one will ever know. Except us of course....

Exactly

Misfire51 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 04, 2015, 05:45:34 am »

Idiot scratch, wow I've never done that

Not. That was the first thing I did when I got my Colt back in the day. Couldn't wait to take it apart and BAM . 870 is right there is a mod to the pin that you can make , they also sell a little piece of plastic just for the take down so that does not happen, slides under the pin to protect the frame. My colt is blue so it was a rather an easy fix. Like others have said break out the steel wool , scotch bright, emery cloth or what ever . Its gonna have to be super fine though. Good luck, remember you will only make that mistake once.

coelacanth · « **Reply #14 on:** July 04, 2015, 09:42:17 am »

Pick up a piece of scrap stainless steel and test your polishing abrasive on it first. That allows you to examine the scratches in the surface to determine if your method will produce the same finish that is currently on the gun. It also allows you to play around with a polishing block and perfect your technique before you actually touch the gun. Ask me how I know all this . . .

870policemag · « **Reply #15 on:** July 04, 2015, 09:49:55 am »

I spotted one in the wild.

Marx-ism's · « **Reply #16 on:** July 04, 2015, 10:27:24 am »

Quote from: 870policemag on July 04, 2015, 09:49:55 am

I spotted one in the wild.

Isn't that how they come from the factory???

brandyspaw · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2015, 10:42:58 am »

For removing light scratches on the stainless steel surfaces I've always had the best luck polishing them out with crocus cloth.

Cyris · « **Reply #18 on:** July 04, 2015, 11:17:37 am »

Its ruined man, sorry. Just give it to me and go buy a new one. Ill dispose of it properly for you, of course. This will protect you from the shame!

LuckyLeaky · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2015, 11:33:17 am »

I figured that i learned my lesson when i did it to the Remington. ...
At least that one i had cerakoted to hide the problem...

ItWasntMe · « **Reply #20 on:** July 04, 2015, 03:21:32 pm »

So far I've been able to avoid that on my 1911's. But on the Kimber Ultra I bought a takedown tool so that there isn't too much going on at the same time. Sucks to hold the springs in place on the 3" barrel model while pushing the takedown pin back in properly. It's cheating but in a good way!

Rusty Young Man · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2015, 01:53:43 pm »

Quote from: LuckyLeaky on July 03, 2015, 04:24:58 pm

Does anyone have any insight on how to hide light scratches on stainless steel?

IIRC, RugerDave made a similar question some time back. Can't find the thread at the moment.

What I did was use a green Scotch Brite pad laid flat on a flat piece of thick glass. Now, I'd probably use a piece of marble I have.

Use a straight side to side motion IN LINE with the grain of your finish. Sandpaper comes in all sorts of grits, so one of them is bound to be a near-match with your grain. Mine (stainless Springfield Armory 1911-A1) just happened to be similar to the green Scotch Brite pad.

Of course, make sure to practice on a piece of sacrificial steel before you work on your sidearm.

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