Old Delta Elite showing her age

[RocketFoot]

Hey guys, is there anyway to polish this old nickel plated Delta Elite? It looks a little better in person but man is it showing some scratches and thin coating in this pic! I wonder if it can be buffed out or maybe a refinish is in order. Or would you just leave it as is since it is a nice, low round count 1988 vintage? Let me know what you think.

[Ronin]

I would just leave that as and use the money you would have spent getting it refinished to buy another 1911 with a beavertail, proper sights, usable ambi-safety, front strap checkering, and fingerless grips...

[RocketFoot]

I would just leave that as and use the money you would have spent getting it refinished to buy another 1911 with a beavertail, proper sights, usable ambi-safety, front strap checkering, and fingerless grips...

Yeah, it is a shame to mess with vintage stuff! I added the Pacmyer grips but I think I want to put some original DE panels on it! It had some Houge wrap-arounds when I bought it on the secondary. I liked the finger grooves because the plating is thin on the front of the grip as well! I'd love to have a new Delta! Beautiful guns for sure!

[knight0334]

Buffing and re-polishing may take care of most of it(possibly all), but nickel plating is often very thin, which may require a replate job.

There are a few plating companies in PA that have FFL's to do gun plating. One is up near Grand Valley(Mahovsky's). I'm kinda foggy on the other plating locations. I'm thinking one might have been between Punxy and Greensburg somewhere. I'm sure there are others elsewhere.

With plating, the more polishing/buffing YOU do prior to plating, the less the plater has to do(charge you for).

[RocketFoot]

Here are a couple other older photos that look more presentable! These were taken with natural light whereas the OP photos was taken under an LED photo light. The gun does look better in real life for sure! How do you like those naked lady grips from my super villain phase, LOL!

[DavidH]

I would blast with maybe 60-100grit Aluminum Oxide to start. Then if you wanted more luster switch to Glass media of a higher grit to reach the desired *satin* look. Or, just have it Cerakoted. It*s your pistol, so make it the way you find attractive. Not what others think it should be.

[RocketFoot]

I would blast with maybe 60-100grit Aluminum Oxide to start. Then if you wanted more luster switch to Glass media of a higher grit to reach the desired *satin* look. Or, just have it Cerakoted. It*s your pistol, so make it the way you find attractive. Not what others think it should be.

Ah, no doubt...I just want to hear other opinions so I know what different options are on the table.

[1911]

Are you sure it's nickel? During that time period Colt was offering 'ultimate stainless' which was a high polish to look like nickel.