How to: Polish Ti / SS to a near mirror finish?

JR88FAN

JR88FAN

Joined
May 5, 2013
Messages
3,618
First, I want to thank anyone in advance who can help me with this!

I have searched the interwebs, and there is too much varied information on this. Everyone has an opinion of what to use and how, but nothing seems to fit my exact needs.

Here's what I would like to accomplish:

I would like to polish stone washed bare Ti and stainless steel to a high finsh (not full mirror) by hand.

Anyone that can help me with what product(s) do this job the best, and the right way to use them gets a pack of Marlboro's!!

Thanks guys, appreciate any help with this.
I love to experiment, but not on this little project!
 
It's very easy BUT it requires a lot of patience.

There are 2 types of true stone wash,; one is acid etched and then lightly stone washed; the other is polished and then stone wash with acid (the newer ZT)

First, run your nails on the stone wash scratches and see if you can feel them. If it's quite smooth then start with 600 grid sand paper. Take the scratches off by sanding in ONE direction back and forth (horizontal or vertical), doesn't matter which one. And then using the same grid and do the other direction (if you start with horizontal then now go vertical) until the horizontal lines are gone and now only shows vertical lines.

This is your factory satin brush finish by most manufacturers.

To take it to mirror just repeat the process with 800 grids then 1000 grids, then 2000 grids and finally 4000 grids

At 4000 grids, it's almost mirror, now you use the buffing wheel with emery compound and then white and then red.

If you don't have buffing wheel then use metal polishing creams like Flitz or Magic Blue or McGuire mag/aluminum wheel polish but you will have to polish it for a few (10) times
And you are done!

If the scratches are deeps out can feel the scratches with the tip of your finger nail or there are nicks, start with 400 grids to take them out.
 
Thanks for the reply.

It's a very 'gentle' stone wash. Not deep at all.

I will start with 800, just to be safe, and if I need a bit more grit, I'll move down to 600.....
I will stop a 2K, and move to Fitz polish, or something similar.

Thanks again.
 
I would love to see pics when done =)
 
wiredbeans said:
Did you polish anything up? Or too busy hacking things with your newly grinded Strider?
Click to expand...

Ha!

Still in the honeymoon stage with the re-ground SMF!

I will be going on some longer hikes this weekend if the weather holds up, so I should have some more input.
I am not a 'tester' I prefer to test through EDC, that's real world use, and that's the info I want to post.

I am going to try to do a really clean polish, I just don't have the knife to do it with at the moment.
I had something I wanted to do just to mess around, but things change.

It's on my list! (I will post before and after pics when I get there)
 
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