Jewelry Files and 600gt Paper.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve been working on my new mini lathe and the other day I made a tiny machine screw for an old gun. It was a small part so, after turning I used a jewelers file to clean it up. The scratches left were finer than the 320 paper, I would normally use after a file, so I went to 600gt paper. It worked, but took a lot of time and paper.

Is this normal or am I missing a step that will make it easier? Is there a grade between 320 and 600? There isn’t any where I shop.

Thanks

[waksupi]

I never go past 320 if I plan on blueing.

[pietro]

.

Fine grade = 400 grit: https://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com/02-0400.html

Super Fine grades = 500 or 600 grit: https://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com/02-0500.html

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[samari46]

When ever I polish metal gun parts I usually start with the fine aluminum oxide paper depending on how rough the surface is. Then switch from the ao paper to silicon carbide paper. start off with 220,then 320, 400 then finish at 600. remember when using either aluminum or silicon paper you are working on the scratches left by the previous paper you used and leaving new scratches with the paper you now are using. When doing action screws the body part with no threads just gets the treatment with probably 220 or 320 then the head gets the full monty. Stick the screw in a drill crank and polish the body and then the head working to whatever polish you want. I've used some tool makers stones on actions to get rid of fine pitting then use the silicon carbide paper to finish it up. Have an old file that I used a coarse polishing compound to blunt the teeth with. And wrap what ever abrasive around the file. Works great on doing receiver rings action flats and with a little care do the areas that normally be below the wood line.And this is mostly done by hand. my buffing rig is home made. 1st one was a 1700 rpm motor that came off a piece of a fileing rolodex with the rotating file drawers. The 2nd one came off an ancient table saw that does 3600. mandrels I got at sears. Frank

[2152hq]

I usually just wrap what ever grit paper around a file and polish the screw head as it's spinning in the lathe.
There's always an abundance of odd scraps of grit cloth lying on the bench under the lathe so I grab something coarse, usually 220 or 280 and polish it quick. Then 320, 400.
Some worn out 400 usually finishes it up OK for what I need.
If it needs to be real sparkly, the keep going with 600 and up.
I think 1200 is the finest grit I have on the bench.
I don't set the lathe spindle speed up any, just the same speed as used to do the turning.
I do no buffing.

I always back the grit cloth up with a fine cut file so the screw slot doesn't get rounded over.
CArefull around that spinning chuck. Poke the end of the file in it and it'll drive what ever you use deep into your hand. I can show you the proof!

I know a couple of guys that use a drill press to polish screw heads and place the grit paper on a block of wood. Chuck the screw up in the drill press and bring the screw head down to contact the grit paper. A spot of oil or water on the paper for lube.
Light pressure and after a bit the screw head works a depression in the wood nicely.
They change the grit paper as needed and go right up to finer and finer grits spin polishing the heads that way.
The last treatment is a bit of thin leather with just a bit of polishing compound on it. Semichrome polish (sp?) seems to work well for that.
Really high polish! and just what they want as they are usually Nitre Bluing the small screws & pins for their projects.


?
You shoul;d be able to buy common grit paper (wet or dry paper,,commonly caller auto finishing paper) in grits of 220, 280, 320, 400, 600, 800 and up.
Coarser and Finer as well. Most any Home Depot type store should have it. There are all kinds of different material grit/abrasives now. Not just the old black wet-or dry papers.