best polishing product

[the_guy]

The cape cod does wonders for my watches, so it could do the same for your cig. If you are trying to use the polish/buffer on harbor freight, just know that you need to purchase the white rouge for aluminum and an extra buffing wheel to clean it afterwards.

 

[garpt01]

A bunch of excellent metal cleaners mentioned in this thread.
One caveat- on clone mods, if you have any supposed "gold finish" trim, do NOT use metal polishes such as Mother's, brass/ siver pastes, etc. The gold finish will rub right off. I would assume this is only true for cheaper mods and clones. I'd be really ...... if it happened with a real $200+ Nemesis or the like!

 

[shiddyshad]

I'd have to agree with using the bench grinder. Much more economical than expensive polishes like mother's or sharkskin. Rather than a second wheel I'd go with the isopropyl for cleaning off the black residue.

 

[MKIVR32]

blue magic metal polishing cream for Copper and brass. works great!

 

[phantom552]

For those worried about "gunk" building up on threads and such from paste-based polishes, try a can of Eagle One Nevr-Dull, it polishes using a cotton-like material soaked in a clear oily substance, works pretty well in areas where a paste polish would get to be a PITA.

There's also a 6" bench buffer and jeweler's rouge, but that can and will make a gunky mess if you aren't careful!

 

[illregal]

+1 for Simichrome.. I've never used it for anything but aluminum, and my stainless exhaust tips. But it works wonders on that stuff.
I like it better then the mothers polish, and blue magic. It also leaves a just waxed like finish. Which will keep fingerprints, etc away for a couple days.