What to use to polish blade with?

[WarEagle86]

I am looking to pick up a couple more Beckers in the near future ( A 16 and something else) and I want to know what you guys are using to polish these blades up after stripping them? I want to go a little more "elegant" looking with one of the two I am getting.

 

[1066vik]

wet/dry silicon oxide sandpaper from an auto part store works well.
get an assortment.

 

[bigghoss]

wet/dry silicon oxide sandpaper from an auto part store works well.
get an assortment.

Pretty much. I just used a variety of sandpapers starting at about 100 grit to get the grind marks out and then work up to the highest grit you can find. I find that gets it pretty shiny but there's still some scratches even with 2000 grit (I might have even gotten 3000) so I got some polishing paper from that river store (or check your local crafts store). That got me further along but it plugs up quickly, is more expensive, and you can only use it dry. I've never done a patina but I'd think just getting to 2000-3000 grit sandpaper would be plenty good enough as a base to force a patina on and not see the scratches.

Also, when you change grits of sandpaper, change the direction you're sanding so you can tell when the old marks are sanded out.

 

[Col Defender]

After the sandpaper I used Mothers metal polish.

 

[Hunter Sharp]

After the sandpaper use 3M rubbing compound on a rag and you can buff it to a mirror finish with no micro scratches. The compound is like sandpaper, different grits for different surfaces. The one you want has A cutting agent. I can't remember what the number was but I think I got it at Pep-Boys