Polish for nickel plate?

**BearTitan** · August 21st, 2007, 09:11 AM

I just picked up an old Colt Detective .38. It is 30 years old and unfired. That's right, unfired. The previous owner stored it in a drawer, in a holster, for the past 30 years. there is just a little bit of haze on the entire surface. Oxidation?

Can anyone recommend a polish or rubbing compound that will not damage the surface?

**CZJedi** · August 21st, 2007, 11:12 AM

How about Flitz and a soft cloth?

**BearTitan** · August 21st, 2007, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by CZJedi

How about Flitz and a soft cloth?

Have you tried that on a nickel plated gun?

Love your avatar!

**Frenchy** · August 21st, 2007, 11:21 AM

Coin collectors would tell you to use Lemon Juice... No rubbing involved, but on coins it will remove some value. Try rubbing a lemon under the grip and see how it reacts to it.

**CZJedi** · August 21st, 2007, 11:29 AM

I had five nickel guns (CZ 83, CZ 452, CZ 75B, Cobra Arms Derringer, & Colt Trooper), and it worked great on all of them. The only thing that it had trouble with (on the Colt) was the face of the cylinder. I used a lead removal cloth on that, and then finished up with the Flitz.

**Holleta** · August 21st, 2007, 09:11 PM

Windex is safe and may surprise you if not to heavily oxidized.

**32 Magnum** · August 22nd, 2007, 01:19 PM

Here's what I use, and have used on well over 250 (that's two hundred fifty) nickel plated guns (as well as a few hundred blued guns), it called Metal Glo. I used to use Flitz (which worked well, also) but this stuff is a bit more gentle.
The pieces pictured were both just "cleaned-up" within the past couple of days and both were well tarnished/oxidized. The top one was made in 1878 and the bottom one in 1876, so you can imagine what they looked like before.
http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic/17...p5Fd3Ig=_l.jpg

I follow up the cleaning by applying spray silicone to a cotton swab and working it into the surface, under the grips, inside the frame, every where, let it sit for a day or two and then buff it with a soft flannel rag. It works and prevents corrosion for a long long time - you can reapply the silicone anytime and bring back the luster by rebuffing after the silicone dries.