I read here recently that stones should be used- what size/shape/grit/etc ?

I don't know the first thing about them.

any/all info/suggestions welcomed.

thanks.

To polilsh a bolt,one needs a sticked muslin,or cotton buffing wheel.Some are also made of felt. I would not be taking a stone to any bolt unless you knew exactly what you were doing!! van

well, I know a buffing wheel will round edges, etc, which is what I want to avoid (I think)- unless buffing with a wheel or felt bobs and compound is the accepted/best method.

and, no, I don't know what I'm doing, but I have to start somewhere, even if I f**k it up.

Wrap some fine emery clothe around a file or a piece of wood and have at it. You'd have to polish on a piece of hardened steel for quite a while to damage it with a fine of fine emery. Or, you could use fine grit polishing stones. Or Flizt and steel wool.

The goal is to polish the bolt without rounding all the squared edges and removing much metal. The easiest way to do this is to use something that's hard-backed and fine grit. These methods have worked for me.

YMMV.

Does anyone here have any of Jack Belk's polishing posts for tin can? I used to have them but I printed them off and deleted the e stuff.

Jack's instructions were mentioned in the last couple months or so, that's where I got the notion that polishing with stones was the way to go.

and thanks to all.

...did a search, here's all the information, the zip of jack's tutorial is still there-

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?a=search...&forum_scope=9411043

Not sure if this is what you are after but this is what I do.

I draw file if there are deep pits and then go to 320 WoD used dry until I get a uniform finish. Then to 400 used dry and then to 600 used dry. As the 600 wears down it will start to bring a fair shine to the surface. This is where you should be able to see any areas that need to be done again. Depending on how bad the areas are you may have to go back to 320 to smooth them out. I wrap pieces of the WoD around different shaped sticks to do the odd shaped areas.

If the metal surface you are polishing is in pretty good shape already I would start with 400.

After polishing with the wore down 600 I usually go to 1000 and work that until it is wore down.

I use a metal polish on a 100% COTTON rag and as many tricks as I can come up with to polish the piece in the least time needed. At this point I will use the wheel, but you must be careful when doing a bolt as if it gets pulled out of your hand it could damage the bolt, etc.

One trick is to take the blue jean waist band with the belt loops cut off from an old pair of jeans and put your metal polish on one side, wrap it around the bolt and pull back and forth. This polishes up the bolt fairly quickly.

Hope this helps.

Jim

should I keep an extractor collar in the bolt while doing this, to keep from rounding the edges of the collar groove?

thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by van:
To polilsh a bolt,one needs a sticked muslin,or cotton buffing wheel.Some are also made of felt. I would not be taking a stone to any bolt unless you knew exactly what you were doing!! van

The same can be said for buffing wheels.

quote:

The same can be said for buffing wheels.

Especially felt wheels.

Its all in the "feel" of what you're doing.

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
should I keep an extractor collar in the bolt while doing this, to keep from rounding the edges of the collar groove?

thanks.

Yes. I wrap a piece of wire around the extractor grooves to keep the collar from moving around too much. It is most important when you are using the paper. Get a good idea of where the collar is when the bolt is closed and keep track of that position as you are doing the work. When doing the final polish the exact position is not critical IMO.


Z1r, D Humbarger and others are making some very good points. It takes a feel for this stuff. Stay away from bearing surfaces that will affect the fit, head space, etc, of the bolt and receiver. Especially the front and rear of the bolt.

If you have not polished things with a buffing wheel, my opinion is do this one by hand.

Hope this helps.

Jim

it does, a great deal. thanks.

I've actually done a fair amount of polishing, but not this kind where things are critical.

I don't like wheels, for the obvious reasons.

thanks again, I have good advice from all and can get going. I have a few bare bolts to practice on, two of them are beyond hope, and those will be the first two I try.

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
..... I have a few bare bolts to practice on, two of them are beyond hope, and those will be the first two I try.

As Ootek said to Tyler in the movie Never Cry Wolf: ...Good idea......

Jim

tin can, if you'll post an e-mail addy, I'll send you a complete set of files from Jack Belk on stoning and polishing.

MKane160

fourbuttons2003@yahoo.com

greatly appreciated

Tin can, you've got (e)mail....

MKane160

received and thank you.