[Sisco]

Some time back I had some time to kill so I completely polished my GP100. Looked good but fingerprints would show up real bad.
I decided this weekend I'd go the other way and bead blast it. Had already done the same thing with my SP101 and liked the looks.
Put a piece of pinstriping tape around the barrel just behind the front sight before bead blasting then polished the cylinder flutes and hammer. The cylinder & hammer don't show up real good in the photo however.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid62/p6d1d687a3197a00f12c96ec1bee359af/fc1c9d5c.jpg

[Jim March]

Now THAT is cool!

Another thing: have you shaved that rubber down? That grip doesn't look quite normal (and I mean that in a good way!).

[Sisco]

The grip is factory except it has a dozen or so coats of tung oil on the wood.

[Standing Wolf]

I like that stripe!

[WebHobbit]

Beautiful!

[Sisco]

Someone at 1911forum gave me an idea. I'm going to polish out the front 1/3 of the barrel and do a flame pattern. That's the beauty of bead blasting, if ya don't like it erase it!
http://atypically.net/smilies/headbang.gif

[who me]

That looks awesome. Good job.

[Sisco]

Tried the flame design, didn't work out too well. So bad in fact I'm not even going to take a picture of it. Had a nice pattern but the bead blaster blew the thin parts of the tape loose. Guess I'll buff her back out and put the stripe back on.

[Jim March]

You know, instead of tape, maybe we could use some form of glue that can be peeled off of polished stainless?

It would have to be tougher than Elmers but not quite JB-Weld :eek:. But if you tested several on a scrap of high-polish steel, and found the right type, you could put a blob down and then blow on it, getting a series of forks that peter down to very fine strands. Ever watched Chinese calligraphy? That's how they get a picture of a tree with branches, with a blob of ink and a bunch of lungpower.

Hmmm...ponderponderponder...

[Sisco]

A freind suggested using contact shelf paper instead of masking tape, got some time to kill tomorrow maybe I'll try again.

[griz]

Good looking job!

If it's any help; the folks who etch designs in glass use some kind of thin adhesive backed rubber. It bounces the sand or beads back instead of wearing away when blasted. I have no idea if it would work on guns or where to get it.