No, the title is not code for something naughty.
I recently inherited a full size Russian
rta and I'm not in love with the finish of it - a kind of satin pearl. It goes with... well, nothing and that's my issue.
I've heard of polishing these to shine up the finish and I'm hoping I can get some tips on products/tools/techniques to accomplish that. Pics, if possible, of the finished article would be ducky, too.
Over to you, experienced Russian polishing gurus.
Sorry about your
thread sad demise...
Les's see if we can restore it to life. If not, may be I can throw some light on your quest.
I don't own a Russian, although I've been ogling them and last week ordered a K 3.1 clone from the Far East which won't arrive for some four or five weeks more according to previous experiences. What I do have is some experience with polishing metals. I'm not sure what the finish in the Russian may be; hopefully it's not a "
tegiment" or
PVD which are finishes with hardness ratings ranging from 6 to 24 times that of SS.
Do you own a Dremel tool? You might want to experiment with a polishing wheel and some red polishing compound in a small non visible area (e.g. underneath or inside). If it's hardened you won't see any effect.
In these months you've had the tank, has it scratched? If so there's a good chance you might polish it to a high gloss.
I would use a sanding disk on a variable speed drill capable of low revs using -first- 2000 grit sanding material (paper, PU) and then polishing with 5000 grit. Keep in mind that a nice thorough job will probably require more gear that is commonly available in a common household. I'm in the car trade and we have a large body shop so I'm familiar with tools and procedures, albeit not an expert as I don't actually work in the shop. We don't have anything for such a minute and exacting and minute job; that's more the realm of jewel and watch makers, and it's more likely that you would end with an uneven finish unless you really dedicate time and elbow grease to it.
After finishing the all around sanding job, you would have to polish to a high gloss with a cloth disk and paste. Depending on the material hardness (Vickers rating of the steel) it can take from some 20 minutes to several hours to accomplish what you want —guessing a mirror finish here, as you won't have the necessary tools for a uniform silk or satin finish.
I'd like to know if you already attempted it and, if so, what results.
OTOH, if you shied away from this (a wise decision IMHO) you might rather want to explore refinishing one of your mods or even building one.
Right now I'm evaluating materials for a mechanical one to house a large battery and a Kick, with an upper section to house a side button switch. I'm close friend of the owner of an excellent metal-mechanical shop in the area who specializes in large machinery but is a sucker for hobby projects and whose son is also a heavy smoker so I'm trying to levy him for help.
Good luck and please reply if you're still around.
