HAND POLISHING
Polishing a gun for bluing or rebluing can be done by hand without as much time and labor as a person
would think. A hand polished firearm looks better than a power polished one, since corners and angles
can be maintained, with no loss of outline. A higher polish by wheels is required for the same finished
blue appearance than for the same appearance when done by hand.
All the equipment necessary to do a hand polish job is your set of files, five feet of I" or 11/2" grit
abrasive cloth, six feet each of #240 and 320 strip and a couple of sheets of crocus cloth.
Use fine files to remove scratches and cuts, then polish the file marks out with Carborundum cloth,
starting with coarse and finishing with fine grades, polishing lengthwise of the barrel and action, as
cross polishing shows up badly after the bluing is finished. For power polishing, the metal parts must be
free of oil before starting the job. Solvent combines with the free grit or cloth to form a sticky, mess. A
good soap should be used to clean the hands and work when they become fouled up with the oil and
residue.
There are a few places, as inside trigger guard loops, in the small curved depressions in bolt sleeves,
etc., where the power driven felt hobs will do a better job than hand work. Bolt-action trigger guards
proper, tangs and floor plates, are very easy to hand polish and should be so treated.
DEGREASING
Nearly all finishing processes require that the metal be absolutely free o any trace of oil or grease.
However some of the blacking systems are so caustic they cut small amounts of oil and so are not
critical on this point, however the oil or grease will soon cause the blackening solution to become
contaminated.