Polishing silver inlays

[Tim]

I’ve been working on my Kibler SMR trying to get it done.
My sterling silver inlays are in the stock and almost ready to engrave.
How much polishing do you guys do on silver inlays before the engraving is done.
I have gone over them with 600 grit paper and fine scotch brite pads.
Thought I might hit them with some Flitz polish to really make them shine.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Tim

[Kingsburyarms]

Hi Tim - I try to bring Silver to a 800 grit metal polish. I like to engrave when it's slightly dull (the metal holds my drawings better and the gloss does not detract from where my lines need to be) then I either use brass Black or a black agent to highlight the engraving and use a Silver polish to do the final and protect it. 

[Tim]

Hi Tim - I try to bring Silver to a 800 grit metal polish. I like to engrave when it's slightly dull (the metal holds my drawings better and the gloss does not detract from where my lines need to be) then I either use brass Black or a black agent to highlight the engraving and use a Silver polish to do the final and protect it.

Hello
Do you think black enamel paint would work to highlight the engraving?
I appreciate the helpful information.

Tim

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I finish sanding the stock and inlay to 400 grit, and burnish with 0000 steel wool.  Then engrave, and sand again with a blocker to 600 grit.  A burnish again with the steel wool polishes to a high shine.  to highlight the engraving, I use BC's Super Blue.  It oxidizes the silver black, and remains in the engraving without obscuring it.  Paint would likely kill a lot of the dramatic cuts by filling them with pigment.

[smart dog]

Hi,
Also, I urge you not to use abrasive polishes like Flitz.  Buy a tube or can of Simichrome polish from Rio Grande or some other jewelry making supplier.  Cold bluing, thinned black paint, soot, and India ink all work to highlight engraving.

dave

[Tim]

I finish sanding the stock and inlay to 400 grit, and burnish with 0000 steel wool.  Then engrave, and sand again with a blocker to 600 grit.  A burnish again with the steel wool polishes to a high shine.  to highlight the engraving, I use BC's Super Blue.  It oxidizes the silver black, and remains in the engraving without obscuring it.  Paint would likely kill a lot of the dramatic cuts by filling them with pigment.

Do you sand the wood and inlay with a blocker to 600 grit and then the wood and inlay with the steel wool? Thanks.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I don't sand stocks to 600 grit, but sometimes go as far as 400.  But the inlay needs a higher finer polish than 400.  400 grit is fine for the engraving to be laid out on and cut, and then re-polished again with 400, 600, as high as you wish.  The surrounding wood will get polished with the inlay, but it doesn't hurt it.  Use a hard rubber backer, and if the wood gets stained around the inlay from the sanding, a white artist's eraser will remove most of it.  The rest will be covered by the ferric nitrate treatment.

[Tim]

I finish sanding the stock and inlay to 400 grit, and burnish with 0000 steel wool.  Then engrave, and sand again with a blocker to 600 grit.  A burnish again with the steel wool polishes to a high shine.  to highlight the engraving, I use BC's Super Blue.  It oxidizes the silver black, and remains in the engraving without obscuring it.  Paint would likely kill a lot of the dramatic cuts by filling them with pigment.

I forgot to ask how you apply the super blue to the engraving?
What do you use to apply it with? Thanks.

[Tim]

I finish sanding the stock and inlay to 400 grit, and burnish with 0000 steel wool.  Then engrave, and sand again with a blocker to 600 grit.  A burnish again with the steel wool polishes to a high shine.  to highlight the engraving, I use BC's Super Blue.  It oxidizes the silver black, and remains in the engraving without obscuring it.  Paint would likely kill a lot of the dramatic cuts by filling them with pigment.

Do you apply the super blue to just the engraving or the entire piece and then buff it off?
Thanks for the help.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I use a soft paint bush...think model building size.  I dip the brush into the bottle, and paint it on the inlay.  It isn't necessary to paint the entire inlay - just the engraving.  Then the 600 grit paper backed with a hard rubber blocker removes the black from the surface, leaving the engraving nicely stained.
to give the silver inlay it's final polish, after the rifle is finished and the finish is thoroughly cured, I polish the sliver with a soft jeweller's cloth, and then apply hard floor wax which takes care of any finish damage around the inlay caused by rubbing it with the cloth.  I am in the process of finishing up a Rupp build today, and will post some pics of silver inlays and how they turned out.

[Tim]

I would like very much to see your work.
All of your builds are awesome.
Thanks for getting back with me as I am ready to highlight my engraving
And finish my stock. I getting closer to having my Kibler rifle done.
It’s been way too long coming as I have been dragging my feet
And doing all of the other stuff parents of teenagers do.

[Curtis]

I forgot to ask how you apply the super blue to the engraving?
What do you use to apply it with? Thanks.

I often do like Taylor describes, but sometimes I dip a round toothpick in the Super Blue and apply blue just to the engraving.  Takes more time to apply but less sanding.

Curtis