Starting A New 1911 Polishing Project

[dao]

More likely I'll buy one Bird. I just don't have the patience to do what you do. And probably not the gumption either.

[BirdsThaWord]

More likely I'll buy one Bird. I just don't have the patience to do what you do. And probably not the gumption either.

Lol! I really don’t blame you. With the hours I put into them, if I actually got paid, I could buy something real nice that somebody else put their sweat into and save my hands.

[BirdsThaWord]

Thought it best/appropriate to move the polishing updates here instead of the “Happiness Is A New Gun Thread”…

Showing here why this stuff takes so long. Dealing with chrome plating on the beaver tail. In the 1st pic you can see (after hours of work already) where the tough as nails chrome is giving me a hard time. The second pic is the same area after sanding that area for 20 MINUTES! This is at a rather easy to get to spot. Imaging what it is like getting up into the intricate curved areas inside the beaver where the web of your hand rests (3rd pic of me working in that area). Luckily, the web area was rough to start. The previous owner(s) were a little hard on the beaver (I see what you did there. : ) ), so it was a blessing that some of the chrome was already gone there (4th pic). Saves me a bit ‘o time there!
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[BirdsThaWord]

Another VERY time consuming part is when you are working on an alloy frame with anodizing under the top coat. Removing burs, scratches, highs/lows, machine marks/chatter, casting marks… EASY compared to getting all of the anodizing off. Next time I do an anodized frame, I’ll attempt the Draino method.

I zoom in on pics I see of “mirror polished” guns and see that many give up in these areas. I totally understand why. They are a royal pain. With many parts being cast, the highs and lows often make it VERY difficult to get to some areas. You have to flatten out the metal around these areas a hair to get down to where the anodizing is being stubborn. Sometimes then having to blend that whole area so as to be even (no dips/concaves/carry melts). Patriot Polishing is just about the only guys I see who post pics of them done right. I’ve seen TJ Custom’s “mirror polished” guns, zoomed in and found they skip a lot. Attached is a prime example. This is one currently listed on GB. Thousands of dollars he is asking. I’d be upset if I bought it. I circled in red all of the stuff I caught. Again, as this is exactly the same model gun I’m currently working on, I totally understand (but do not agree) why these areas are left out. They are the most difficult to get to and add HOURS AND HOURS to getting one done to the highest level. All of this explains why I might have 6, 7 or even 10 hours into one tiny part of the gun.
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[BirdsThaWord]

I know for sure that these areas are not just reflections. That anodizing has a tan/brownish/golden look to it and these are the very same areas I have been laboring at the most.
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[BirdsThaWord]

Some progress pics. None of these parts are done done, but getting closer! Often times I will go to the buffing wheel and it will reveal that there are still some faint scratches or what I call grains in the surface (some in these pics), so it’s back I go for for more rounds with the sandpaper. Both the msh and hammer ribs have tiny burs in some of the valleys. I will be removing those in time as well.
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[dao]

Ooooooo. Mighty fine work Bird. Got any fingerprints left?

[BirdsThaWord]

If I was ever gonna rob a bank, now would be the time! 😂

[dao]

Mail me that masterpiece before you head out, will ya?

[BirdsThaWord]

Mail me that masterpiece before you head out, will ya?

Come help me. We can then buy many masterpiece’s!