polishing a brushed watch case

[little]

Hi, I rather like the GMT Pepsi homage watches. For this venture I am keeping cost to an absolute minimum. I am looking at the Parnis and the 38mm white dial Gilbert. The latter has a brushed s/s finish which I don't like. I have in mind polishing it with a Cod cloth but have absolutely no idea whether it is coarse enough. Have any of you guys tried this operation. thanks jack.

[Kaffe]

It's not something I have done. I would imagine a polishing wheel, perhaps with some kind of medium, would be the way to do it. Would be difficult not to round the edges though. Probably best to strip the watch so you can clean the debris off properly. Worth trying though as it's cheap.
Just my uneducated thoughts. :)

[little]

Hi Kaffe, Thanks very much. I think I shall avoid a wheel as I am likely to damage the case. I think a cape cod shouldn't do much damage.

[Kaffe]

Good luck. I'm sure there will be an expert here somewhere. Interested to know how you get on.

[Kaffe]

Might be worth posting in the Mods and Wreckers forum as well.

[sweets]

Cape Cod is nothing like abrasive enough to remove an intentional texture like you get on a brushed case.
You would have to start with a wet and dry paper (wet, glued on a lollipop stick or similar) at a grit density of about 600 or so. When that has removed the texture, you need to work up the grades to 3000 or so, before you move onto a true polish (like Cape Cod)
Think of the Cape Cod as a lawn roller, attempting to flatted the texture of a field ploughed into furrows. It will eventually do it, but would take weeks as it only removes the tiniest amount of material at a time.
Dave

[walkerwek1958]

Using a cape cod to do this is like trying to bore through a mountain with a carrot.

It’s possible to refinish the brushed to a polished finish, bezel needs to come off to do it properly.


I’ve described how to do thus many times, get a small block of flat rubber and work on the area with wet and dry paper in the same way that scratches would be removed. I would start with 800 grit and work through the grades, finishing with 7000. Use metal polish on a leather buff stick and finally finish on a polishing wheel. The final finish could be done with Cape Cod but a polisher will always give the better finish.

Don’t start rubbing at it with polish on a cloth around your finger, you’ll ruin the edges and you’ll never get rid of the grained finish.

Trust me, I do this work, I don’t make it up or repeat what I’ve read elsewhere.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Using a cape cod to do this is like trying to bore through a mountain with a carrot.

It’s possible to refinish the brushed to a polished finish, bezel needs to come off to do it properly.


I’ve described how to do thus many times, get a small block of flat rubber and work on the area with wet and dry paper in the same way that scratches would be removed. I would start with 800 grit and work through the grades, finishing with 7000. Use metal polish on a leather buff stick and finally finish on a polishing wheel. The final finish could be done with Cape Cod but a polisher will always give the better finish.

Don’t start rubbing at it with polish on a cloth around your finger, you’ll ruin the edges and you’ll never get rid of the grained finish.

Trust me, I do this work, I don’t make it up or repeat what I’ve read elsewhere.

The master has spoken!

[Gavbaz]

Using a cape cod to do this is like trying to bore through a mountain with a carrot.

It’s possible to refinish the brushed to a polished finish, bezel needs to come off to do it properly.


I’ve described how to do thus many times, get a small block of flat rubber and work on the area with wet and dry paper in the same way that scratches would be removed. I would start with 800 grit and work through the grades, finishing with 7000. Use metal polish on a leather buff stick and finally finish on a polishing wheel. The final finish could be done with Cape Cod but a polisher will always give the better finish.

Don’t start rubbing at it with polish on a cloth around your finger, you’ll ruin the edges and you’ll never get rid of the grained finish.

Trust me, I do this work, I don’t make it up or repeat what I’ve read elsewhere.

Nice analogy Paul. I may steal that one.....

[walkerwek1958]

I don’t see the attraction of changing the finish, but it can be done fairly easily. Hardest bit could be removing the bezel!

[Mr Curta]

[little]

Hi Guys, Thank you all so much for your advice and if I may single out Walkerwek1958 for particular thanks. As a novice I had not realised the amount of work involved but given the cost of the Reginald watch it doesn't matter if I don't make a perfect job. Many thanks again for all your time and trouble.