MidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataWidenersLee Precision
Reloading EverythingTitan ReloadingRepackboxInline Fabrication
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: So what exactly is "Mother's Mag and Aluminium Pollish"

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub vogironface's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    59

    So what exactly is "Mother's Mag and Aluminium Pollish"

    I was polishing the spud on an expander die the other night and noticed that the scratches don't really come out, they just get shinny. This makes me wonder if Mother's is an abrasive at all or just some kind of chemical polish with a wax. Clearly it is doing something more than turtle wax because of the blackened cloth. To my totally untrained eye it looks like some kind of chemical interaction perhaps striping off oxidation. Anyway,it made me curious and I thought I would ask.

    Ben

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy autofix4u's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    up on the hill by the james river in mo
    Posts
    323
    It is a polish, of about 3-4000 grit. Also has a lot of amoinia and silicone in it. About the same product but i prefer BLUE MAGIC brand.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    SW Florida
    Posts
    718
    I don't know exactly what it is, but I have used it on the aluminum grip frame of a Blackhawk (finish removed) and you can almost see your reflection in it. I have also used it to polish stainless revolvers and it seems to do a nice job there as well. But of course, I don't see as well as I once did. Easy to use as well.

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub vogironface's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    59
    Quote Originally Posted by autofix4u View Post
    It is a polish, of about 3-4000 grit. Also has a lot of amoinia and silicone in it. About the same product but i prefer BLUE MAGIC brand.
    Thanks Auto. I was not sure if it was an abrasive or not. Sure shines the stainless whatever it is. I will look for the Blue Magic and give it a try.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    1,200
    If your trying to get scratches out, your probably better off using 400 to 600 wet/dry paper with part chucked up in a lathe or drill press. The 600 paper will give you a mirror finish.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    3,213
    I have a few cannon shell casings and with some effort will clean up the tarnish very well. Some of the members of the S&W forum use it to clean up stainless steel revolvers that over the years have accumulated scratches. The before and after pics have to be seen to be believed. Frank

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


    HangFireW8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Central Maryland
    Posts
    2,587
    Quote Originally Posted by vogironface View Post
    Thanks Auto. I was not sure if it was an abrasive or not. Sure shines the stainless whatever it is. I will look for the Blue Magic and give it a try.
    Vogironface,

    You're learning a hard lesson of polishing... to get out a scratch, you have to start with an abrasive of nearly the same grit as the depth of the scratch. Then work your way up to the finer abrasives, switching directions each time, and finally to the polish... I rarely bother with the polish because I usually prefer more of a matte finish then a mirror shine.

    Most people refuse to use the required grit to truly remove a scratch because they don't want to mess up the finish around it, which is "good".

    Another mistake people make is to use a polishing wheel and very fine grit polish and keep working at a scratch until they succeed in polishing it out. Then they have a shiny dished spot that really makes its presence known. The way to deal with this correctly is to polish the entire side or facet of the metal, again with rougher grits and working your way finer. It is easier to "blend" a finish on a radius or corner then in the middle of a flat.

    I read all this stuff in shop books, then had to make all the mistakes myself until I figured out what I had already "learned".

    HF

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub vogironface's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    59
    Quote Originally Posted by HangFireW8 View Post
    Vogironface,

    You're learning a hard lesson of polishing... to get out a scratch, you have to start with an abrasive of nearly the same grit as the depth of the scratch. Then work your way up to the finer abrasives, switching directions each time, and finally to the polish... I rarely bother with the polish because I usually prefer more of a matte finish then a mirror shine.

    Most people refuse to use the required grit to truly remove a scratch because they don't want to mess up the finish around it, which is "good".

    Another mistake people make is to use a polishing wheel and very fine grit polish and keep working at a scratch until they succeed in polishing it out. Then they have a shiny dished spot that really makes its presence known. The way to deal with this correctly is to polish the entire side or facet of the metal, again with rougher grits and working your way finer. It is easier to "blend" a finish on a radius or corner then in the middle of a flat.

    I read all this stuff in shop books, then had to make all the mistakes myself until I figured out what I had already "learned".

    HF
    Thanks HF.
    I am undecided if I want to try and remove the scratches or not. For the most part I was trying to make the spud a little slicker since I use it on 9mm when it was intended for 38. I will take your words to heart though since I purchased a SW 686 a few months ago used. The gun shoots well but has been used and has the scuffs to prove it. I have been kicking around the idea of polishing those out. I used the Mothers on it and it did indeed polish nicely but under the light you can see the scratches nice and shiny like the rest of the stainless. If I tackle that project I will take your advice start with some wet/dry in 4-600.

  9. #9
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Posts
    16
    Remember , if your taking the scraches out, your making it smaller.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,457
    I use Never dull wadding cloth, a wool type material with something in it. Simichrome a white paste you supply the medium/cloth. Buffing rouge can be used by hand.

    I also have a small assortment of diamond lapping compounds that can and will do a fine job.

    Another good polishing tool is the die makers stones, these are a very soft abrasive and bond break down fast and form to the shape used with oil water or lightly diluted dish soap they form a slurry that breaks down to finer finishes. I normally have an assortment of these in various abrasive and grits. I prefer them to sand paper for most work.

    One trick to a fine polished finish is to work in several different directions with the last finishing in the right direction and no off pattern showing. Backing the medium with a stiffer flexible material. The lightly diluted dish soap does good and if the paper or stone loads a little water and brush cleans it right up

  11. #11
    Boolit Master OldBearHair's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Conroe TEXAS
    Posts
    671
    I would suggest using a lubed burnishing tool on the edges of the scratch first. Then go sanding routine.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master

    Eddie Southgate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Southern Middle Tennessee/ Hillsboro Alabama
    Posts
    1,177
    Polishing compound . Sold under many names , Mothers is just one of them . I like Flitz better but have used both .
    Grumpy Old Man With A Gun....... Do Not Touch !!

  13. #13
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Sun City, AZ
    Posts
    22
    Use lapping compound. You won't remove material with it.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check