Tips for polishing revolver cylinder?

[HisDivineShadow]

Looking for tips on how to polish a revolver cylinder. I got this book by John E. Traister on refinishing and it says hand polishing gives the best results, but it mentions no specifiks on polishing a revolver. I mean the cylinder has some pretty complex geometries and it looks like it could be real easy to soften all those nice edges.

Any tips? I am thinking of just going with sandpaper backed with a block of some kind and going over it and using a dovel for the flutes. Maybe put the cylinder in some spinning contraption so I can keep the standblock stationary while it the cylinder spins.

 

[rcmodel]

Are you re-bluing it, or what?

S&W, Colt etc. used specially shaped felt buffing wheels that fit every nook & cranny perfectly.

Hand polishing would best be done with very fine black emery paper & oil on shaped wood sticks. Once the fine polish is complete, you can very carefully buff to the final high shine with a soft wheel & ultra fine buffing compound.

But it is better done with shaped hard felt wheels that fit the contours.

Polishing the frame must be done with the side-plate & crane installed. Try to locate a set of extra screws to hold them in place so you don't mess up the screw heads.

rc

 

[navyretired 1]

I polish cylinders in lathe after polishing flutes with abraisive and felt polishing bobs
The cylinders themselves are polished with oil soaked wet or dry paper glued to paint stirring sticks starting with whatever grit necessary to get out pits/gouges, usually 150 or 220 until nearly all flaws are gone then 320 and maybe 400. All the rest of the frame gets 320 finish but cylinder is the real showcase for a refinish job and that would be the reason for 400 finish, if not needed stay at 320 grit. I Think frame edges look a lot better bead blasted prior to blueing and most revolver manufactures agree.