Can someone tell me the proper way to polish parts.
I see several notes about polish this surface, this ramp, etc.
Let’s say for a feed ramp and maybe a small flat surface like a disconnector?
I realize things like felt buffs, dremel, flitz, etc…
but I’m looking for more specific items and also proper physical technique and perhaps length of time it usually takes per item.
Again, not the whole deal, just an example of a couple key parts.
Best to get with someone so they can show you how to do this. You can really mess a frame up when polishing a ramp. In the case of polishing, heat is an enemy.
Keep in mind I have been doing this for several years and I “Do Not” recommend this for a beginner.
Tools:
400 grit sand paper
800 grit Jewelers Rouge
1200 grit Jewelers Rouge
Dremel
Depending on how the machine work looks on the ramp, the sanding can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. The machine marks on a ramp are horizontal to the frame. What you are looking for is to get the marks going vertical. This is where the 400 grit sandpaper comes in. The Rouge is used for polishing. 800 first and then 1200. It doesn’t take long and heat will destroy your frame. AVOID HEAT!!
Again, I highly discourage you doing a ramp job with a dremel. It is dangerous and if you get the frame to hot it will ruin it.
Thanks, I will heed your advice.
So could this be done by hand to prevent any heat or is that simply not going to cut anything.
I PM’d you.
How exactly does heat, at least the type you can generate with a Dremel polishing wheel ruin a barrel or frame ramp?
I understand how one could round the top edge of the frame ramp and/or the bottom edge of the barrel ramp and creat a gap to jam HPs.
A dremel at 30,000 rpm’s will generat e heat quickly
The crystaline structure of the steel changes quickly…annealing a micron of the surface…and the “mild” abrasive suddenly becomes more aggressive. That black stuff on your buffer? That’s steel.
As that micron is removed, fresh steel is exposed, and the process starts all over again.
This is why a dremel is so risky to use.
ref. pistol smith.
Yes but is any of that actually relevant to the structural integrity of the frame and barrel? After all polishing is by definition the removal of material.
I would think that the heat and stress from the cartridge detonating is a far greater stress on the steel.
I don’t dremel. Depending on how rough the surface is, I use Q-Tips and some valve grinding compound found at any auto parts store. After about 10-15 minutes of light rubbing- going up and down and in circular patterns- (I generally go till the finish wears off) then I do the same with Flitz for another 15.
If you’re working with a springfield or other production guns, generally they already have “polished” the finish off the feed ramp, so then I hit it with Flitz and Q-Tips till it’s smooth.
This process produces an extremely smooth surface that allows the round to chamber smoothly and you don’t risk over doing it and altering the feed ramp angle.
I also prefer this method over the sandpaper route because when using sandpaper, and if you’re not careful to be at the same angle of the ramp, you can alter that very fine gap (+/- 2mm) needed between the top portion of the feed ramp and the bottom of the barrel ramp.
Heat can crystallize metal, makeing it brittle. Think of welding steel and over heating, you can litterly crack the weld like like glass. Therefore structural integrety would be compromised.
The way I understand it, the heat must be more than quick flash heat, like a cartridge. Hopefully some one with more technical skills can explain it better, as I just know the basics.
:nono:if you don’t have the experience with a dremel I would just hand polish. Just my 2 cents
I don’t know how hot he is getting it here…
Wilson Combat but out a set of videos a few years back. They are pretty dated now, but the technical information still applies.
They walk you through a 1911 build from beginning to end.
I usually use 600-2000 grit sandpaper when polishing. Just like wetsanding a car I move from 600 to 800 to 1500 to 2000 to finish it off. These grits will prevent you from doing an unwanted reshaping of the ramp and other parts but will still knock down tool markings, unless severe. If they are severe its best in my opinion to not try to get them all out as you might end up altering the shape of the ramp. Most guns won’t be this bad.
That dremel tool action looks like something I might screw up. Or at lest something I don’t want to screw up on this gun.
I may just try a little flitz and Qtip and see what happens.
Also The Surgeon has given me some pointers by PM.
I was thinking it might be a nice project to polish the thing up up to a mirror but the very few times it doesn’t work might be more due to LSWC, being dirty and a too light recoil spring.
Every once in a while it doesn’t feed a round fully (might be hundreds of rounds in between). It’s usually after a mag change. The slide just doesn’t go all the way back to battery. So I looked at my PPS and saw it’s mirror ramp and figured this one should be the same. It feels very smooth but I can see lines in it.