polished stainless

[p24-1953]

What is the best thing for restoring dull stainless trim? is it possible to get a mirror finish?

[martybose]

What is the best thing for restoring dull stainless trim? is it possible to get a mirror finish?

I'd say the best thing is patience! I polished mine on the car by hand using Mother's billet polish, other folks remove the trim and polish them using polishing wheels.

Marty

[daddyo23]

What is the best thing for restoring dull stainless trim? is it possible to get a mirror finish?

Good question. I'm working on mine right now. I'm using o, 00, and 0000 steel wool to start and I got some "Speedy Polish" from a bus refurbisher. It works pretty good, but I would like to see some more shine. What do the "experts" use? Thanks, Wayne P.

[JerseyHarold]

How about Bon Ami? If it doesn't screw-up engine innards, it should be fine for stainless!

Harold

[Tony Cipponeri]

I took all mine to a professional polisher. Tony c

[p24-1953]

thats cheating

[Plymouthy Adams]

It is according to the finish now present that will dictate the steps to polish and yes it can get to a mirror shine if that is what you want...if there is a lot of road grime and light pitting..you may need to first sand with 500-6-- wet and dry..you can continue with finer grit if you desire..this will get you to a polishing stage faster..if just dingy and such..0000 steel wool will get it prepped. Any ding may have to be removed, filed, sanded and then polished. The buffer wheel will be a good investment..suggest you wear gloves, grab and hold firmly..it is not hard to have a piece snatched out of your hand...Mothers and a hand polish at the very end will help remove swirl marks that buffer wheel love to leave behind...

[FMSPEED49]

How about Bon Ami? If it doesn't screw-up engine innards, it should be fine for stainless!

Harold

It actually says to use for stainless on the package.

[40phil41]

I used a cloth polishing wheel on my bench grinder which is actually mounted on a pedestal. Used white polishing compound and then followed up with some stainless polish. Turned out very nice.

Phil

[blueskies]

I bought a Baldor Buffer and polishing compound kit to do mine. Very pleased with the results... The buffer looks like a bench grinder and came with a heavy guage steel stand and four or five different buffing compounds for about $300.

It's messy work, all that compound and crud that polishes off of the stainles goes all over the place...

I also used the same buffer to polish my EDGY finned aluminum head.

Pete

[BobT-47P15]

Pete has it pretty right on. A friend polished a box full of extra trim pieces

for me....using a wheel and buffing compound (jewelers rouge)....came out

looking like new. Have put 3 or 4 pieces of it on the car....they do look

better than the stuff that's been on there a while.

I bought a bench grinder and stand from good ol Harbor Freight....seems to

work ok. Got the rouge at a local flea market tool vendor. On ebay, I

bought a whole box full of P15 used trim pieces to practice on. Some have

overspray on them, etc, but have not taken much time to work with them

yet. There is also a process described elsewhere for hammering out, filing,

and sanding dents and dings on stainless. If done correctly, it will look like

new.

[Tony Cipponeri]

May Be Cheating, but a lot easier on my old body. Tony c

[Don Jordan]

I know I'm a sissy and you hard core guys may not understand: but after spending hours sanding, steel wooling, buffing, breathing in all that junk and not getting the finish I wanted I took all my stuff (including the bumpers) and had them done by professionals. They are still wrapped up right now but I will send pictures later. They also took out the dings.

I understand part of the joy of old cars is doing a lot of the work yourself but there comes a time when you have to cut your losses and admit to your limitation. You can polish till the cows come home but you sure can't beat the look of a re chromed bumper.

[Brendan D25]

I agree with you Don, it is sometimes best to pass on to the pros rather than shag it up. For polishing stainless, I have a kit that came from an old Kirby vacuum cleaner kit. It has two compounds and two 4" wheels and I use it with an electric drill. If not taking the trim off the car I tape it on the sides with masking tape and giv'er.

[Plymouthy Adams]

chrome and stainless is apple and oranges..where stainless is the total material and chrome is just a thin plating.. try polishing your chrome with a piece of aluminum foil...

[grey beard]

BUTTTTT . . . . . . if you REALLY wanna' go first class, get ahold of David Turner in Fresno, CA 559-237-0892. This man is a pure genius on stainless repair. He took my pickup grille moldings - one was smashed flat - and restored them to NOS perfection, including that mirror finish we all covet. Most amazing of all to me was the fact that there were no visible work marks on the back side of any of the four pieces he repaired. Some of you may know that when you work stainless, it work-hardens and gets brittle. How he saved these smashed pieces speaks volumes this man's skill with the medium. He has my total respect - AND he is quite reasonable.

One of the most difficult things for "do-it-yourselfers" to learn is when not to. JMHO:)

[Plymouthy Adams]

for sure it is an art...I am only a beginner at this..but at least I am having fun

[blueskies]

for sure it is an art...I am only a beginner at this..but at least I am having fun

For me the art was not letting the buffer wrap the length of stainless into a wad and then throw it with incredible force through the wall of the garge... LOL

Don't ask me why...

Pete

[Plymouthy Adams]

Pete..I know that answer..it is good to have a nice set of thin leather gloves so you can grip and feel the work and yet have protection..should be a big caution sign int he area..

HANDLE WITH A DEATH GRIP ONLY....

[Guest rockabillybassman]

Stainless is one thing, but chrome is another. I personally love polished stainless, but totally dislike new chrome. New chrome does not belong on old cars. Why? Because chrome these days is not like the chrome of old. Modern chrome is too shiny, too "blue", too perfect. Although the chroming process is probably the same now as it was then, I think the chrome of old may have had more nickel used in the process, which probably gave it a more "silver" look. Nickel is horrendously expensive these days, and probably accounts for the change. I dunno. All I know is that, for my tastes, modern chrome done by your average chrome shop just looks wrong on cars older than 1970.

[Rodney Bullock]

Rockabillybassman, I hate to say this but your right about the chrome process today, As everyone knows I love the junk yard, I have seen original bumpers in the yard that have more "shine" then the new chrome that blue like finish is not what I like on an old car. I do like my chrome though,

I have been polishing my own stainless and my friends stainless for some years now. I have a grinder with to sides with a different heel on each side. I use alot of Eastwood products and I have taught myself to use the right rouge and wheel for the best result. If you just practice you can become quite good at it.

The thing about getting dings out of stainless is using wood between the part and the hammer. I also use a method of pressing out dings and dents. I think one good thing about polishing parts is you really get a good feeling about your restoration skill level when you get that part shining just right and yes patience is the key. Gloves, eye wear, and ventilation is important. So get some old trim parts and start polishing:)