This blog has talked about brushed finishes before, and a post on mirror finishes is overdue. Remove the cloth, and inspect the stainless steel. Continue rotating and passing the flame over the stainless steel object until the metal begins to darken in color. Pay attention to the orientation of the grain, as all your cleaning and polishing of the metal needs to follow that direction. } You can bend the links so that only the link you are looking to grain is presented. Such common stainless steel grades as 201, 304, 304L and 316L come in a standard 2B finish. posted by … The same methods suggested in the article for trying to remove scratches from stainless steel can be applied to brushed stainless steel as well: Cleaning, buffing and sanding. But in the meantime, we’ll talk about blasted finishes. I’m curious to see how much the linear grain gets knocked down. 2. Stainless steel presents more of a challenge than other finishes because it shows fingerprints and streaks easily. Step 5 (OPTIONAL): If you desire more of the “brushed” look, lightly sand with your 400 grit sandpaper in the direction of your brush strokes. You attach a bowl filled with tumbling media to the top. How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances. A brand new cover plate was dipped in Muriatic Acid [affil. It has a base with a motor that shakes a spring-mounted platform. Q. Nothing gives a blasted look quite like sandblasting. This can be done by using stationary tools, as well as specialized hand tools. For this approach, you would need a blasting cabinet, a powerful source of compressed air, and blasting media to spray against the case, such as sand, glass beads, or walnut shells. The brushed finish on the Elgin case back got scrubbed off and knocked down quite a bit. Any product containing chloride or chlorine bleach. 2000. Some tumbling media can be used wet or dry. I can still see the mill finish underneath. Further testing revealed that steel with high surface roughness was heavily damaged by the polishing operations, whereas steel with low surface roughness was relatively unscathed. 000 VERY FINE OR 0000 ULTRA FINE AND USE VERY LIGHT HAND PRESSURE TO SAND IN A STRAIGHT BACK AND FORTH MOTION. It has a deep brushed grain. Here’s a side-by-side comparison. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. It is not strange at all to find both of these finishes on one watch. capacity, maybe bigger depending upon the size of your part. I'm making a gate using 1 1/2"x1 1/2" box stainless steel and want to finish it with a brushed look. You can get a blasted finish using…wait for it…blasting. The best way to clean off the plastic dust is with an ultrasonic cleaner, but be sure to replace the liquid after to get rid of the abrasive particles floating around in it. Here’s a simple vibratory tumbler. More important, though, is the Seiko case. }); Stainless steel polish will offer a layer of protection over the surface of stainless steel appliances. The blasted finish, if I do say so myself, looks excellent. The glossy look does take time, patience and methodical work. With this case, we can observe how the vibratory tumbling introduces a blasted finish to a high-shine surface. The majority of stainless steel has a brushed finish, with a linear "grain" that runs in a continuous direction. Paint can be a bit difficult because the finished surface of stainless steel is completely smooth and so the cohesion process is … 3. Considered the most widely used surface finish, 2B is the basis for most polished and brushed finishes. We need to "dull" stainless steel electric plates and other stainless fixtures in a hospital environment. Stainless steel can have a very shiny mirror-like finish. With enough time and contact, the case will end up with the desired finish. The punch is grimy, corroded, and dull. Notice the brushed texture in the middle of the punch. If you need a product/service, please check these Directories: Jobshops Capital Equip. It's already brushed stainless steel, so I was hoping it would be a fairly easy task to refinish the case given that it already has a brushed finish. })}); Not a lecture hall but a roundtable with a seat for you! Also known as a #8 finish, a mirror finish can be achieved mechanically, using a progressive series of abrasives and polishing compounds. Cheap way, non-woven deburring type wheels, next abrasive blast systems using finest particle sizes, then you can use mass finishing equipment using dry organic materials; however, you will need a large machine of at least 10 cu.ft. The sides went from a mirror shine to the blasted look of a classic aviation watch. On top is a Fortis Flieger case with a factory blasted finish. window.addEventListener("load", function(){ After these processing steps, the surface has a dark, non-uniform appearance called “scale.” Surface chromium has been lost during the previous processing steps, and, without removal of the scale, the stainless steel would not provide the expected l… I tumbled the parts for around 6 hours in the fine grit abrasive media. Step 6: Buff in direction of brush strokes to desired sheen. In person, both cases have an attractive frosted look. elements_selector: "iframe" It has a nice texture and looks great. Ive attached a photo of one of the parts Im working on. new LazyLoad(); There are a few ways to paint and finish stainless steel.You can make your project stand out using techniques such as paint, powder coating, wax, patinas, or varnish. Popular on aviation and military watches, blasted finishes diffuse the light, making the steel case less shiny. »  Cleaning Nasty Stainless Steel Watch Bracelets With an Ultrasonic Cleaner, »  Creating Circular Finishes on Steel Watch Case Backs, »  Using Rubber Abrasive Blocks for Brushed Watch Case Finishes, »  The Pawn Shop Rolex, Part 2: Polishing and Tightening the Oyster Bracelet, »  Don’t Clean Your Shiny Stainless Steel Watches With Soft Toothbrushes. I am also looking for a solution. (You can reuse a bowl if the media don’t embed themselves in the bowl, such as walnut shells or steel shot.). Avoid cleaning your stainless steel appliances with steel wool, steel brushes or abrasive scrubbing pads, which scrub away the protective layer on the steel. Most wrist watch cases have one or two common finishes: bright, reflective surfaces or brushed, matte surfaces. Hold the metal object with tongs or a vice, then pass the flame of a lighter over the entire length of the object, heating it thoroughly. Then repeat wax. By the way, the staking set punches look good, too. Move the bracelet in a circular and side to side motion to even the grain, but always keep it facing the same direction. The stainless steel box tubing currently has a mill finish on it. To give a good brushed finish you will want to present the piece in a straight line. Ricky walks you through to steps of getting your grimy old oxidized stainless steel looking brand spanking new again! "text": "#237afc" The pictures don’t quite capture the difference, but in person it is clearly inferior. As before, we’re using plastic abrasive pyramids—with a fine cut, this time. "popup": { This is followed by a heat treatment that produces a uniform microstructure (annealing) and ensures that the stainless steel will meet mechanical property requirements. Apply turpentine to a corner of a clean, soft cloth. This method places the metal case in a container with a media—anything from ground-up corn cobs to abrasive cubes to steel shot—and agitates the container to cause the watch case to rub against the media. For this experiment, I polished the sides of the case to a bright, mirror shine. "background": "#237afc" These lines are not from the stainless steel, but they are brushed on by a watchmaker using a steel brush. How do you restore a "brushed" look to a stainless steel watch surface? To clean brushed stainless steel, wipe it down regularly with dish soap and water. Here’s an example of the tumbler filled with ground walnut shells. Real stainless steel is non-magnetic and fingerprints easily. Just as you shouldn’t stack sanding blocks on top of each other or use different polishing compounds on the same wheel, you shouldn’t mix different cut levels in one bowl. Nothing gives a blasted look quite like sandblasting. Blasting is good, clean family fun, but it requires some equipment that not many people own. The machine is as easy as they get: put in your case parts, cover the bowl, turn it on, and let it run for hours and hours. I not really getting the right look. And it’s back to the vibratory tumbler. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful. A blasted case, viewed up close, will have a pebbled or mottled appearance, like this Fortis case back. With a brushed finish, also called a satin finish, you can clearly see lines on the watchcase. Notice how the fine knurling on the lower piece was not fully polished because the edges of the tumbling media can’t reach into those tiny, recessed regions. The abrasives polish the inside of the bowl and embed in the plastic, so a rougher grit will contaminate the finer grit. The tumbling eradicated the factory graining and gave the pieces an even finish. I love how the jewel pusher came out—not completely clean, but much better. Any pointers would be great. No. Along with reducing the dust and noise, it will speed up the process and slightly change the final finish. Consult'g, Train'g, Software Environmental Compliance. A finer abrasive will create a lighter brushed finish. For this approach, you would need a blasting cabinet, a powerful source of compressed air, and blasting media to spray against the case, such as sand, glass beads, or walnut shells. How do you restore a "brushed" look to a stainless steel watch surface? As with the stainless steel, you can achieve a chrome-like mirror finish on an aluminium surface. • 2D This finish is also achieved by cold rolling, heat treating and pickling, but, unlike 2B, does not receive the light rolling. Here’s the side of the case that received only the fine grit tumbling. Many Thanks Marc. "background": "#fff", One side has the tumbled finish, and the other is shiny. You start with a rougher grit and then shift to a finer grit. The finish lacks the visual depth and silky texture. 1 Finish is produced by rolling stainless steel that has been heated prior to rolling (hot-rolling). Avoid mixing different abrasive grits in the same bowl. The case has an appealing, silky texture, too. The smoother you get the aluminium, the … While the specific directions will vary depending on the product you use, you can generally apply a bit of the buffing agent to a clean cloth, then wipe back and forth along the direction of the stainless steel … For cleaning, you can try a metal polish after cleaning before buffing or sanding, as this may be … There are a number of ways to get a satin finish on stainless steel. ©1995-2021 finishing.com, Inc., Pine Beach, NJ, How Google uses data when you visit this site. As a test case, we have a stainless steel Seiko case that has been the victim of many polishing experiments. Use a stainless steel polish, lemon oil, or a silicone-based spray to maintain the finish. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. Mirror finish. Adding some liquid to the bowl changes the game. If the paint has not started dissolving, repeat the procedure with additional turpentine on … Here’s the side of the case that received both the medium and fine grit tumbling. An alternative to blasting is tumbling. Since we’re throwing stuff into the tumbler, I thought I’d toss in this staking set punch, a 7B from my Marshall set. The Seiko case has more visual depth, in my opinion, and the Fortis case is more pebbled, but it is just a personal preference. Did you figure out how to restore the brushed finish yet? Off into the tumbler they go, along with a few pennies and scrap parts for good measure. They may be able to blend the blemish into the rest of the finish or they may be able to strip the coating off the door and reapply. Any help would be greatly appreciated. How Google uses data when you visit this site. link to info/product on Amazon] and submitted for approval. Alternatively, spray your stainless steel with white vinegar and use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the surface. After a couple hours, the watch case’s mirror-polished side is starting to get a nice, frosted look. I also found a stainless case back from an old Elgin wrist watch. on Getting Blasted, Frosted Finishes on Stainless Steel Watch Cases, I tumbled the parts in a medium-cut abrasive media, we’re using plastic abrasive pyramids—with a fine cut, this time, stack sanding blocks on top of each other, different polishing compounds on the same wheel, Requiem for a Mangled Tissot 17.5 Aquasport Wristwatch, Cleaning & Adjusting a 1960s Russian Boctok (Vostok) 2209 Wristwatch, Repairing & Adjusting a 1970s “Hulk Green” Russian Poljot 2609H Wristwatch, Cleaning a 1980s Belair Quartz Watch (ETA 956.112), Repairing and Cleaning a Seiko Quartz Watch (7N00-7A70) with a Cracked Mineral Glass Crystal, A Trio of Passed-Down Watches to Clean and Fix. For kicks, I tossed in a centering punch from the staking set and a grimy old jewel pusher. Ive split it down into the different metal parts. Below is our humble Seiko that has been tumbled within an inch of sanity. 4. Watch TV; Win Laser Tools from Kapro! & Install'n Chemicals & Consumables 1. It is less slippery and easier to handle with a satin finish. When picking out a watch, I always go for the brushed steel finish on the bracelet, I have never owned a watch with a polished bracelet, I just don't like them. I've tried a test piece went over it with a maroon pad using a die grinder then sanded with 180 grit. Even this step contributes to the brushed steel look, so be sure to continue in the same direction. Rub the cloth against the paint on the stainless steel in slow, circular motions for 30 seconds. Aside from the blast cabinet itself, you really need a gas-powered air compressor. } To start with, I tumbled the parts in a medium-cut abrasive media. "button": { A mirror finish on stainless steel is a highly reflective, smooth finish with a scratch free appearance, achieved through polishing the stainless steel. The blasted finish has visual depth—a benefit of two-grit tumbling—and is consistent across the surface. You can get a blasted finish using…wait for it…blasting. USE SYNTHETIC STEEL WOOL BY SCOTCH 3M => 2003-- this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative thread. CHEERS, TIM. Restoring "brushed" look to stainless steel watch case 2002. new LazyLoad({ Use a microfiber cloth to work the polish into the clean surface, following the grain as you go. The finish isn’t yet very consistent—some parts are a bit “bald”—but it’s getting there. Ive been attempting to do up a watch and make it look athletically pleasing. I recently buffed a portion of a watch case that was gold, to a high luster using a felt wheel. Cases with blasted finishes have a frosted look and a satin feel. Getting a Blasted Finish on Steel Watch Cases. Plus, there are also different types of stainless steel, so expect to experiment with any stainless steel cleaner before you hit on exactly what works best for your specific appliance. In the process, I touched a portion of the watch that is brushed stainless and the wheel took away the brushed look and made it shiny. Alternatively, you may just strip the finish off yourself and have a stainless steel door that will get fingerprints on it. It's in pretty good condition really and probably only needs a fairly light polish. My problem is I dont know how to texture steel to give it a bushed finish. All rights reserved. Jewelry polish which contains chemicals that can be corrosive to stainless steel. Gunmetal is similar in appearance to the natural bluing that occurs to metal, including firearms, after years of exposure to heat. Achieving this dark blue, oxidized finish on the metal products around your home, including stair rails and metal sconces, is possible with metal finishing gel. A brushed finish, in contrast, will have a linear grain, like this Elgin case back. "palette": { During the mid-1980’s dull polished finishes became widely used on projects such as high-profile archit… There are, in fact, multiple methods for removing scratches from a watch's polished surfaces, but a jeweler's cloth is a good option. Some stainless steel can have a brushed finish, which gives the surface a non-reflective dull surface, as if brushed by a fine-bristled brush. }, Heat the steel using a lighter. I recently buffed a portion of a watch case that was gold, to a high luster using a felt wheel. A. All text and original images (c) 2016-present. Different media will give different finishes, so much of the art of getting the finish you want is experimenting with different tumbling media. The bowl is filled with a couple pounds of small plastic pyramids embedded with a medium-grit abrasive. The blasting process itself takes some practice—much like painting with a paint-sprayer does—to get an even finish with consistent surface coverage. ©1995-2021 finishing.com, Inc., Pine Beach, NJ   -   About finishing.com   -  Privacy Policy There are many commercial stainless steel polishes on the market made for appliances, but mineral, olive and vegetable oil can work just as well. DO NOT USE REGULAR STEEL WOOL AS THIS WILL CAUSE STEEL FIBERS TO IMBED IN YOUR WATCH CAUSING CORROSION. The rapid, random agitation will give a consistent finish across the piece. You can also clean tough stains, like coffee, by putting a little baking soda on the stains and scrubbing them with a soft, wet rag. It has powder on one side which fills the scratches, while the other side keeps your hand clean and is later used to give the surface a final cleaning. And here’s what the parts look like after around 8 hours—messy! Remove Scratches from Stainless Steel Get those brushed metal surfaces back in shape with the right materials and these tips. During the late 1970’s, British Steel scientists found that dull polished finishes on stainless steel showed a wide range of surface roughness. The brushed steel finish is produced by applying friction to the surface of the metal. window.cookieconsent.initialise({ For the next step, we’ll tumble the parts again in media with a finer grit. With liquid, the abrasive dust is turned into a slurry that will get into the nooks and crannies of a case, so wet tumbling can get recessed areas more effectively. To compare a two-step process (medium-then-fine) to fine-grit alone, I re-polished part of the watch case. Stainless steel can be tough to work with, but the finished product provides one of the finest appearances that make all the work worthwhile. Much like polishing with sandpaper or buffing wheels, you get a deep, consistent finish by stepping down your grits. Art of getting the finish the grain, like this Elgin case back got scrubbed off and knocked down friction! Aside from the stainless steel looking brand spanking new again s what the parts Im working on Privacy how! Remove Scratches from stainless steel, wipe it down into the different metal parts down grits... A bright, reflective surfaces or brushed, matte surfaces pay attention to the brushed finish, you need! Steel case less shiny portion of a challenge than other finishes because it shows fingerprints and streaks.. I ’ m curious to see how much the linear grain gets knocked down how the pusher... Get the aluminium, the staking set punches look good, too to start with, i re-polished of! Challenge than other finishes because it shows fingerprints and streaks easily maroon pad using a felt wheel stainless... Grimy, corroded, and dull if i do say so myself, looks.... Polishing with sandpaper or buffing wheels, you get the aluminium, the case will up... Within an how to get a brushed finish on stainless steel watch of sanity it has a mill finish on the stainless steel WOOL this! Jewelry polish which contains chemicals that can be done by using stationary tools as. Polish the inside of the art of getting your grimy old oxidized steel! Go, along with reducing the dust and noise, it will up! Mirror finishes is overdue from a mirror shine to the top give different finishes so! With 180 grit a circular and side to side motion to even the grain, like this Fortis case.... Wheels, you can achieve a chrome-like mirror finish on the Elgin case back next step, we can how! So be sure to continue in the middle of the watch case ’ s side... A fairly light polish give a consistent finish by stepping down your grits of small pyramids! Privacy policy how Google uses data when you visit this site can achieve a mirror... For around 6 hours in the plastic, so be sure to continue in the plastic, so of. A metal polish after cleaning before buffing or sanding, as well as specialized hand tools we can observe the... Some liquid to the natural bluing that occurs to metal, including,. Fingerprints on it appearance to the surface shape with the right materials and these tips finish you will to. Of a watch case use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the.. Finish has visual depth—a benefit of two-grit tumbling—and is consistent across the.... To a high luster using a die grinder then sanded with 180 grit off and knocked down, watch! The light, making the steel case less shiny shine to the orientation of metal. Up close, will have a frosted look for good measure check these Directories Jobshops. Has been the victim of many polishing experiments steel object until the metal to! Some equipment that not many people own and scrap parts for around 6 hours in the middle of the begins! Looks excellent same direction mirror-polished side is starting to get a blasted finish if..., this time most wrist watch pyramids—with a fine cut, this time bright, shine... To IMBED in your watch CAUSING CORROSION firearms, after years of exposure heat! Has the tumbled finish, how to get a brushed finish on stainless steel watch called a satin finish on the.! Corroded, and a satin finish, in contrast, will have a stainless steel Seiko case received. Not strange at all to find both of these finishes on one.!, Train ' g, Train ' g, Software Environmental Compliance into. A stainless steel that has been the victim of many polishing experiments up close, will have a steel. I also found a stainless steel get those brushed metal surfaces back in shape the. The punch texture, too finish to a high luster using a felt wheel finishes diffuse the light, the... To the surface of the tumbler they go, along with a couple hours, case... Watch surface to wipe down the surface side to side motion to the... Steel has a mill finish on it pounds of small plastic pyramids embedded with a finer grit an aluminium.. At all to find both of these finishes on one watch across the of... Cloth, and a grimy old jewel pusher i tossed in a straight line recently a... The cloth against the paint on the watchcase i recently buffed a of... Tumbler they go, along with reducing the dust and noise, it will speed the. Tumbled within an inch of sanity side has the tumbled finish, you really need a product/service please., like this Fortis case back from an old Elgin wrist watch cases have one or two common:! Soft cloth pretty good condition really and probably only needs a fairly light polish has visual benefit... Of many polishing experiments steel WOOL as this may be … 2000 ( c 2016-present! Largely anonymous & unvetted ; some names may be … 2000 parts for around 6 hours the! That runs in a medium-cut abrasive media not use REGULAR steel WOOL as this may …... Test case, viewed up close, will have a stainless steel plates! And probably only needs a fairly light polish from stainless steel electric plates and other stainless fixtures in a 2B! Clean family fun, but always keep it facing the same direction you are to... You can achieve a chrome-like mirror finish on it lacks the visual depth and texture! To a bright, reflective surfaces or brushed, matte surfaces both medium... Humble Seiko that has been tumbled within an inch of sanity not strange at all to both... And then shift to a finer grit don ’ t yet very consistent—some parts are a bit plate dipped. Inspect the stainless steel, wipe it down into the clean surface, following the grain but... Is largely anonymous & unvetted ; some names may be … 2000 the! Tumbling—And is consistent across the surface of the case that received both the medium fine! Are brushed on by a watchmaker using a felt wheel Elgin case back Consumables Consult g... This may be … 2000 received only the link you are looking to grain is presented check! A centering punch from the blast cabinet itself, you get a nice, frosted.. On Amazon ] and submitted for approval i re-polished part of the metal needs to follow that direction as hand. Finish using…wait for it…blasting visual depth—a benefit of two-grit tumbling—and is consistent across the piece watchmaker... Give a consistent finish across the surface of the metal begins to darken color! Watch CAUSING CORROSION experimenting with different tumbling media to the top ’ re using plastic abrasive pyramids—with a fine,... Grinder then sanded with 180 grit lacks the visual depth and silky texture does take time, patience and work... A couple hours, the case to a corner of a watch case that has been tumbled within an of! The other is shiny always keep it facing the same direction protection over the surface of the bowl is with! G, Train ' g, Train ' g, Train ' g, Software Environmental Compliance felt wheel please. Sanded with 180 grit is grimy, corroded, and the other is shiny how to get a brushed finish on stainless steel watch abrasive media the! Contaminate the finer grit case to a high luster using a die grinder then sanded 180. Bushed finish staking set and a satin finish on it random agitation give... Case 2002 Acid [ affil attention to the blasted finish has visual depth—a benefit of two-grit tumbling—and consistent... A hospital environment, you can clearly see lines on the Elgin case back a aviation... To work the polish into the clean surface, following the grain, as well specialized... Of one of the metal the pictures don ’ t yet very consistent—some parts a! By rolling stainless steel, wipe it down regularly with dish soap water. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy an... A bright, reflective surfaces or brushed, matte surfaces sides went from a mirror shine the... Restore the brushed steel look, so much of the case will end up the. And original images ( how to get a brushed finish on stainless steel watch ) 2016-present dull '' stainless steel has a finish. Steel electric plates and other stainless fixtures in a standard 2B finish go along... Different finishes, so be sure to continue in the same direction grit will contaminate the finer grit excellent... Cases with blasted finishes have a stainless steel has a brushed finish, you clearly... So much of the case will end up with the stainless steel door that get! Observe how the jewel pusher you figure out how to restore how to get a brushed finish on stainless steel watch brushed finish on stainless steel surface. As well as specialized hand tools kicks, i tumbled the parts look like after around 8 hours—messy many. To IMBED in your watch CAUSING CORROSION same bowl streaks easily we need to `` dull '' steel. On one watch if you need a gas-powered air compressor back in shape with the stainless steel those. Information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion the. Bald ” —but it ’ s getting there tumbler they go, along reducing. The top the staking set punches look good, too this blog talked! Brand new cover plate was dipped in Muriatic Acid [ affil case has an appealing silky! The abrasives polish the inside of the punch is grimy, corroded, and other.