How to protect polish on 1911 project?

[theQman23]

Hey guys, I took on my first custom build. Bought a ratty Springfield GI that had loose rails, loose bushing, loose barrel, everything. It was shooting about 10 inch groups at 25 yards with both myself, and an experienced pistol competitor shooting the gun. Needless to say it was a turd, which was perfect, I bought it as a project gun for cheap.

So I took it all apart, welded and milled the rails, hand fit the slide, welded and fit the barrell, tightened the bushing, put in a longer link, bobtailed the frame, etc, and now it shoots a three inch group at 25 yards. Problem is I hadn't considered what the thing would look like when I was done.......I have a question that I hadn't even thought about.

When I'm all finished, I would like to have a polished stainless look on the frame and slide. Right now they are parkerized, and sanded white where the bobtail work was done. The metal is regular steel, not stainless.

I don't want to blue or parker the gun, I'd like a poilshed look so should I ....
A) sand blast off the parkerized surface, then polish, and if so, how can I protect that from rusting?
B) complete the gun in perfect working order 100% finished, then send the slide and frame off to Robar, or someone else like that?
C) have the parts chrome dipped then re-clearance the slide and other parts?

I know traditionally people blue regular steel and polish stainless, but if I want to be difficult and get a polished look on regular steel what should I do?

 

[Jim Watson]

Naked steel will always be subject to rust.
You can religiously care for it with Ezeox or some such oil film but one of these days, you will miss a spot or rub it off.

I think the usual hard chrome plating is thin enough not to affect clearances. Talk to a plater about your wants. Bright chrome is going to cost you a good deal; $310 at APW.
http://www.apwcogan.com/complete-price-list/section-7-refinishing.html
Maybe less if you do your own polishing. Call 'em up.

 

[cwbyengraver]

Some guns that are engraved and left in the white. Are coated with a clear baking laquer I havent done one in a while. you can get it at brownells dont get the spray can just buy the can and apply it with a realy good airbrush the finer you get it the better. If you can use a junk oven to bake it in thats a plus. just make sure the steel is perfect all the scratches are gone and its what you like before you put it on.

 

[rcmodel]

If you are going to polish it, don't sand blast it first.

That will just make polishing that much more difficult.

I vote for the Robar though.

Naked carbon steel is going to go south on you sooner or later, no matter what you do.

rc

 

[CraigC]

I agree, if you're gonna polish it, don't sand blast the parkerizing off. Just polish it down by hand. I would definitely have it plated. White finishes are notoriously difficult to keep looking nice. Even if it doesn't rust, it will still discolor from handling. I would strongly suggest a brushed or bright chrome finish. Not bumper chrome, industrial hard chrome as provided by Accurate Plating & Weaponry. Call Bob and talk to him, shouldn't be too bad if you do your own polishing.

http://www.apwcogan.com

 

[theQman23]

After reading through your advice, and researching a bit more, I opted to just blue the gun. The super blue cold works really, really well as long and you de-grease even after bead-blasting. I didn't worry about polishing since this was temporary, so I just sand blasted then blued. Looks better than the grey parker job, it looks like a smooth matte -blue/black. The stainless tid-bits I bought for the project really stand out.

Next work season when money is flowing again I'll have it nickel plated, but until then, she looks good and I'm proud of her.
Thanks guys, shoot safe.