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Thread: Starting A New 1911 Polishing Project

  1. #21
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    I doubt the stones will help much but they have a hundred other useful purposes so your not out anything. And I could be wrong, maybe they'll work great. I was wrong once, I think it was 1962, maybe 63. Sad day that was.

    Are you using a block to back up your sandpaper or just paper and fingers. I never sand without some sort of wood block. For stocks and grips I use a wood block with some thin felt wrapped around it. Had the same block for years.
    The block of course helps keep the flats flat so there are no dips. Very important on the slide, relatively important on the frame too.
    It's some times tough at the edges and uneven surfaces. I'm sure you know all this, the ones I've seen you do before looked perfect, no rounded corners etc.

    Carry on.
    In Memory of Paul "Dietrich" Stines.
    Dad: Say something nice to your cousin Shirley
    Dietrich: For a fat girl you sure don't sweat much.
    Cue sound of Head slap.

    RIP Muggsy & TMan

    "If you are a warrior legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that JOCKO will not come today."

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bawanna View Post
    I doubt the stones will help much but they have a hundred other useful purposes so your not out anything. And I could be wrong, maybe they'll work great. I was wrong once, I think it was 1962, maybe 63. Sad day that was.

    Are you using a block to back up your sandpaper or just paper and fingers. I never sand without some sort of wood block. For stocks and grips I use a wood block with some thin felt wrapped around it. Had the same block for years.
    The block of course helps keep the flats flat so there are no dips. Very important on the slide, relatively important on the frame too.
    It's some times tough at the edges and uneven surfaces. I'm sure you know all this, the ones I've seen you do before looked perfect, no rounded corners etc.

    Carry on.
    While I have used a block in the past, I don’t anymore. Where the trigger guard turns to the frame and a few other spots I use a small, rectangular piece of wood and wrap the paper around it so that I’m only hitting where I want and the wood is gliding against the other piece so as to not cut into it inadvertently. Kinda like some of those files that have smooth sides that the pro gunsmiths use. I am real careful and aware as I go to ensure even application/taking away metal. I’ve found those cautions to be way more important on an alloy frame, but on stainless it is kinda hard to mess up unless I really go wild. I have found that a few areas pretty much always need some bulges flattened out, which is at the end of the dust cover, the aforementioned slide stop pin hole, mag release hole areas of the frame, inside the trigger guard there are usually some metal irregularities/lines/“highs & lows” and under the dust cover, close to the trigger guard. The same can be said for the grip bushing holes, but I just polish ‘em up around there as I’m the only one who’d ever know. I still want it shiny under there though because I’m a bit OCD about it and figure that as far as I go with everything else it would be a shame not to do so. I have read about guys accidentally giving a “carry melt” to edges or having the dips/waviness you’ve mentioned, but I’ve been cautious and so far so good. Going by hand and fingers is slooooow, but I stay in total control. When I file or stone I am even more cautious as those things can cut some metal with a quickness. I’m going to be doing your belt sander method very carefully this time on the slide. If I mess up it’s all your fault! Sorry to write a book as a reply!

  3. #23
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    Here are some of the areas to be smoothed and blended. I forgot to mention the underside of the trigger guard as well. I have already gotten the underside of the dust cover too shiny to show up in pics, but there are 2 distinct lines running in parallel, fore and aft that I will smooth/blend. Those areas are where the stones and files come into play. I roughly blend, then get at them with progressively lower grits, starting with the #150.
    20220205_150855.jpg
    20220205_150912.jpg
    20220205_150945.jpg

  4. #24
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    Got both the nick's and the "high's & low's" I showed earlier smoothed out inside the trigger guard. Rain & gloomy weather spoiled a family trip to St Augustine today, so thought I'd get after it a bit. Decent results with files and sandpaper. I usually have been putting in only 30 mins to an hour work nights, but todays weather allowed a bit more.

    20220205_170903.jpg
    20220205_170914.jpg

  5. #25
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    Stones arrived. I have to say I'm impressed, given what I paid. Even came with the grooved, black stone for releveling the stones if they get dips in them. Instructions are very nice too.

    20220206_170653.jpg
    20220206_171338.jpg
    20220206_170803.jpg

  6. #26
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    Weekend is drawing down and back to work tomorrow. Got a lot done on it this weekend and am further ahead than I thought I would be. Maybe up to 10% of the way there. Colonel was right. The stones are too large and unwieldy to use on much. I am going to use them as shown in the bushing pic, which is to wet sand small, flat surfaces. Kinda thinking of sharpening a knife or two too.

    20220206_201750.jpg
    20220206_185145.jpg

  7. #27
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    It's looking like new again Bird!

  8. #28
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    Thank you sir! I admit, it looks way better in that pic. Still a gazillion miles to go to get it smooth as glass, but it will one day!

  9. #29
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    So Shiny! Looking good there Bird, keep at it and in case something happens and you ever need a part time job you could always be a hit man or rob banks because you can’t have any finger prints left…..

  10. #30
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    Ooops, replied in the wrong thread.

    Are you going to do it in a mirror finish Bird?

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