Polishing the T handle on the Gib locks

[Junkmaster]

Hello All,

I had a successful idea and thought I'd share. The handles on the gib locks were beat-up with spots of rust. I started out with a piece of steel wool and elbow grease. After 10-15 minutes I had one looking good. I had 6 or 7 more to go. I decided to chuck them up in the cordless drill while holding the steel wool around them. This made progress much faster and slightly better. After the steel wool treatment I used Brasso Metal Polish to give them a good shine.

Here are some shots of before and after and how I had the drill laying on the workbench.

I laid the drill on it side. I operated the trigger with my right hand while holding the steel wool or polish in my left hand.



Here is the polish on the paper towel.



Here is a sample of on handle after steel wool and polish, the other is in original shape.



Here are both handles finished.

 

[OakRidgeGuy]

Very nice work, I polish my rifle bbl's with Mothers and a paper towel.

 

[drivadesl]

That looks like a good idea, particularly if you don't have a lathe, and surely much safer than a lathe or drill press.

The same can be done on the latter, but you need to be carefull and use two hands to hold your polishing cloth.

Good to have 10 fingers with all attached to your hands!

 

[HMF]

Good idea. Someone I know mounts the drill in a vice to hold it while they work. You need to make sure it stays tight in the chuck. Same for using a drill press- make sure it is tight and can't be propelled like a missile.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Not too shabby....I might go that route if I didn't already have my buffer/polisher. Come to think of it, I have a beater corded drill that has stripped chuck jaws. I was gonna throw it away, but it might make a nice "polishing lathe"...hmmmmmm:thinking: