lol the reason i dont wanna buy another one is i thought if i just bought a black threaded one i could have a few different looks and styles to play around with. polish this one and maybe some of the other parts when i buy replacements. lol thats why i bought a 1911 variant. for the customizationability. lol wow thats a big word. i shoulda prolly gotten a hi capa but i like the meu better.

here is another one i did, took me all of 15 minutes, i was going for a shiny yet "brished" look, so i wanted texture on the polished part........

before (stock photo)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...WaltherPPS.JPG

after........

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_2242.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2003.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2002.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2004.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2005.jpg

How long do these stay shiny mike?

they stay shiny forever, unless something hard scratches them. the biggest problem is finger prints. they are a PITA. here is the finished product of the barrel posted above. keep in mind, this is my real steel WALTHER PPS, but any metal you will find in airsoft will polish the same way....

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_2249.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2007.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/DSCN2008.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_2250.jpg

and just throwing this out there:

i am going to begin gunsmithing, so should you require any work done, i would be glad to do it for you for a reasonable price. it will keep me busy.

Mmmmm love that sexy chrome.

I wonder though what exact services you can offer since once we send a gun out of country it can't be let back in so you could only do work on non prohib parts.

Seriously though that's NICE and I've got some ideas in my head. That chrome would actually be a nice accent piece on a race pistol.

just to clarify, i polished that barrel, not chromed it. BUT, i can do both to just about anything.

chroming would take a few (2) weeks, where polishing would be a few days, since chroming would be sent out, and polishing is done "in house"

but, i would be glad to polish anything you send my way. i enjoy it.

When you polish aluminum doesn't it oxidize? I'm thinking of eventually polishing my frame to make a Kimber Eclipse look, but that look needs to have everything super shiny. Like "aaaahh my eyes" shiny...

Strip it completely of paint until you get the bare silver metal underneath and then use some chrome polish, the kind that you use on chrome wheels for your car, it's a light blue colour and stinks like hell, usually found in the automotive section of CT

The shine won't be permanent as oxidization will occur, but you can try using a clear spray paint to seal it, or just polish it every time it starts to turn.

*edit* just scrolled up and saw Mike's work, just send it to him to do it lol :)

Steel on a real pistol is not the same as monkey metal alloy(or some mix of crap metal) on an airsoft gun...

They will polish mostly the same though. Just how long it'll last...

it may, but if protected, it will not. i use a polish called SPEEDY that works wonders, and i have NEVER had a metal oxidize on me. also, clear coat is definitely a good call, but tend to stay away from it as it NEVER looks good, since it yellows on metals.

very true, BUT all metals in both types of guns can be polished, and will hold a shine for a long time. i have polished just about everything you can think of for airsoft and real steel and had ZERO issues. below are pics ofthe aluminum barrel from my KSC G26, made of that moneky metal you speak of ;)

longevity is based on a few things:

How it was polished
How it is maintained
How it is used

if you polish something, and it falls out of your holster in a skirmish and into the mud, or if you do not treat it with a proper metal polish, or if it was not fully polished leaving pitting and tiny scratches behind, these will no doubt take away from the polished parts longevity.

when i polish things, even if i keep them looking "brushed" i make sure they are super smooth. the "brushed" look is hard, cause you need to fully polish the part, THEN take away the super shine to get a proper brushed look. this eliminates pits left, or score marks from the metal. both of which can collect moisture and wreak havoc on the finish you are shooting for.

as with anything, there is a proper process which will yield proper results. if you dont do it right the first time, you have to do it over again. pretty simple concept.

EDIT: i am pulling pix from above to show you the difference in finishes from the "brushed look" and the "fully polished" look.

I CHOSE TO REPOST THESE PIX DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE THE "MONKEY METAL" FROM MY KSC G26, THIS IS THE BARREL THAT CAME WITH THE GUN, AND ARE NOT PIX OF THE HIGH GRADE STEEL THAT COMES ON/IN REAL STEEL. ALSO, THESE ARE LOW RES PICs TAKEN WITH MY IPHONE, WHICH IS GOOD TO SEE IN MY OPINION DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT A SUPER DUPER CAMERA THAT MAKES EVERYTHING LOOK GOOD. THESE ARE PLAIN JANE PIX, WITH A PLAIN JANE CAMERA, THAT ARE OF PLAIN JANE METALS....


BRUSHED

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_2106.jpg

FULLY POLISHED

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_0743.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2...r/IMG_0742.jpg

It depends on the alloy.

The primary content of die-cast metals is zinc, which is highly reactive to oxygen and the oils/acids in our fingers. This is why most "polished" die-cast metals turns a very dull dark grey after a couple of months and retains fingerprints easily.

Mike is in the US, so you'll need to consider what it is that you're sending to him if it has to cross borders twice.

very good points on both ends brian. thanks :thumbup:

I know this thread is mostly about polishing GBB metal slides but I was wondering if a similar process could be applied to dubious metal bodies (Element AK Body or an agm mp-40 metal body)