Hey guys, wondering what methods you use to polish the bolt prior to jeweling. I know local shop uses a buffer and wheels. I was thinking though, doesn't that risk putting a flat spot on the bolt, unless you are really keeping it moving a lot?

how do you all do it? and how fine before jeweling? I think the compound I have is about 400grit or so (I know it is on the can somewhere). I'm thinking polishing the bolt out first would get the swirls to stand out better.

Red

I use one of these


3M scotch-brite EXL deburring wheel. Grade 8A med

use cautiously as it can be agressive.

Dago Red:

Do not use a wheel. Your fears of flat spotting are well founded. The following quote is straight from a Jack Belk file on polishing/stoning:

"It really depends on what is making it rough to begin with. Thousands of nice Mauser bolts have been ruined on a buffing wheel trying to make them smoother.

More than likely your roughness is a combination of a new finish (shoe shined) and strong magazine spring. The best way for now is use some 30 weight *motor* oil on the bolt and cocking cam and work the action about 300 times. Hold the trigger back.....or do what I do and remove the trigger and sear first. Clean the bolt and action and oil with a little gun oil as normal every hundred or so cycles. Sometimes the bolt feels a LOT smoother with a big blister on your thumb and you decide it's plenty slick right there!

to all------

ANY polishing of a bolt action should be with die stones in the direction of the bore to about 60 degrees off.. NEVER a buffer and never shoeshine polishing. It makes them worse.......and sometimes unusable.

I haven't seen one of the new Kimbers yet so can't say what stones are needed, but count on 320, 400, and 600 semi-hard or hard, gray, red, or white aluminum oxide. quarter x half x 6 inch is plenty big enough.

Soak the stones in Auto Transmission Fluid and slop on plenty as you work. I keep a squirt can of ATF handy.....

Hold the stone with a tender grip and work lengthways the bolt with the stone held at a long angle to the bolt to get as much surface of the stone on the bolt as you can with every stroke.

DON'T force the stone trying to root out one pit. Light strokes, plenty of ATF and polish everywhere equally. Don't show favorites to one section just because it's easiest to do.

Polishing stones work by the grit breaking in use which exposed brand new cutting surfaces. As the micro-edge of the abrasive grain becomes dull and the extra drag breaks a new sharp surface and it starts over again. Too much pressure screws up the process and packs debris in the stone. Blast it out with brake cleaner.

Buy a 1/2 x 1 x 6 "EDM" stone in 280 grit for old pitted bolt on surplus actions.

Be SURE to completely, and truly CLEAN before changing to the next grade stone.

For inside the action glue pieces of *soft* aluminum oxide stones to sticks of aluminum or hardwood.

I figure an hour for a bolt and half hour on the action for the average surplus M-98. Ten minutes each on an American action. That time can go up by a factor of a gross if the bolt has ever been buffed.

Stone to 600 grit and then polish lightly and length wise with 600 then 800 wet or dry. Wet is much faster.

I use a stone for a backup or a piece of Micarta. The very last polish should be crocus cloth or 1800 W or D backed by leather glued to a hardwood block.

Notice only the very last step uses a soft backing. That keeps the bolt straight as a stone can make it . The "soft" sole leather backing wraps around the bolt some and blends the micro flats left by hard backings.

You might decide not to jewel such a beautiful finish."

You can get polishing stones from MSC. If you don't have their number, I can probably dig it up. You might want to also check Jack's site for more info and PICTURES. Do a Google search on "Hotater" and enjoy. There is a TON of good information and pictures there....

MKane160

Gesswein is the Company for Mold Polishing Stones.
The catalog is worth having just to get an idea of what professionals use.

Gesswein

mothers mag wheel polish

or

blue magic mag polish

cotton sock

elbow grease.

check this site out, looks like they have a great selection of stones. I am going to have to get a list together and place an order. I am going to put together some sort of buffer setup too, for barrels and other such items. I have a motor but it might be too big. Hmmmm....

Thanks guys.

Red