Polishing rivet heads?

Sean Powell · Post by **Sean Powell** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:16 am

Hello,

last night I FINALLY got deep enough into my project list to finish polishing a great helm that I started almost a year ago. I'm not happy with the pollish. I should have taken it from 750 to 1000 grit before the green buffing compound but I'm just getting tired of the damn thing cluttering the shop.

Anyway. I have this not quite a mirror pollish on the plates but my dome rivet heads are a dull black. I was debating setting my drill press to its fastest speed, chucking them in one by one and trying to clean up the heads.

Has anyone done anything like this before? Have you had any luck? Would you recomend a different way of sanding them smooth? (vice-grips and a flap wheel?

I need to get this damn helm done before Pennsic.

Thanks,
Sean

Cet · Post by **Cet** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:27 am

HI Sean, I use either a pic vise or vise grips. A flap wheel will knock the heads down some ( not necessarily a bad thing) so you might try a scothbrite/nonwoven wheel to take the scale off. Once clean they should polish up quickly on a buffing wheel.

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:56 pm

Well if the rivets are not installed yet.... I have put them in my hand held electric drill and spun them on the bench mounted buffer with a fine flap wheel then moved to the other side and hit them on the cloth buffer with some red rouge.

When the finish in not so important I just hand rub them on a green scrubby on the bench.

Be sure to show us pics of your great helm as we like em.

Hal