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Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Discuss problems, tricks and hints on case restoration, tools,watch buttons and tools.
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retrowrist

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Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post25 Jan 2012, 22:06

Hello,

I know this subject has been covered in the forum before, but after looking at all the threads on this subject, I am still not totally sure if one can restore a Seiko watch case without using factory grade tools.

Is it possible to remove dents, gashes and other blemishes with a satin brush and dremmal? or do you need a series of sand papers along with a bench wheel to get the look desired.


I want to try and restore a SS M159-5059 to at least partially factory state using a satin bar (fine-grain), but in order to get that satin gloss over the top of the brushed streaks, I will need to do some buffing won't I?

I have been told that this will require a bench-top polishing unit, with wide buffers. Is there a polishing solution I will need to use with the wheel buffs?

Again, I know this is an art unto itself, and takes a long time to learn, but any input about the buffing process to get that satin finish looking factory new would be appreciated.

- Patrick
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post26 Jan 2012, 01:52

Hi,

here some interesting reads for you.
http://nickhacko.blogspot.com/2009/05/r ... shing.html
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post26 Jan 2012, 03:20

Thank you Kasper. I will read up on this.

- Patrick
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post29 Jan 2012, 14:01

If at first you don't succeed, buy some more tools M:)W:)M .

I can say that I've got some pretty good satin brushed refinishes using standard papers, a not-Dremmel, some T-cut, some Silvo and my fair hands.

For me, all the difficulty in doing brushed finishes by hand is in acheiving good alignment of the scratches. I tend to fix the paper and move the workpiece. Rubbing back and forth is OK for taking out scratches but for the brushed finish on top I drag the piece in one direction only. Fixing the paper also helps to keep the edges and corners sharp. I use between 120 and 600 grit for the top-coat depending on the 'degree' of brushing required. If you want good deep scratches with 120 grit on steel you really need to lean on it! Wheels have many advantages but if you play with enough watches you will soon find some geometries that only really yield to hand work so its not a bad skill to have.

I find that the best way (non-Tool method) of achieving the satin finish depends a little bit on the actual steel. Some soft steels that like to be polished can be satin-ed down just with silvo wiped over the raw brushing. The hardest ones that hold onto their 'brushing' scratches the most get the not-Dremmel......

I use a steel wire wheel on the lowest speed setting - about 6000rpm with a 20mm wheel. Thats equivalent to about 800rpm with a 6 inch bench mounted wheel in case anyones still counting from the Cerium glass polishing missives. This nicely 'blurs' the raw brushing to a level that can be finished to satin with a bit of Tcut and/or silvo (go slow with these last polishing stages - you can easily polish too far and go from satin-brushed to polished).

Sometimes you need to see how the steel responds and adjust a little. Possibly go round the block a couple of times. But it is possible if you don't mind experimenting a little. ;-)
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post30 Jan 2012, 04:57

Thank you quietman. T

This Seiko M159 I intend on restoring, but I need to find the best method for getting a satin finish that will eliminate the dents that have accumulated over the years.

Image

Image

Image


Ok, so Paper, Dremmel, and experimentation. I understand this may take some practice. Here is what I would like to know...Does the finish of this watch look restorable? Would the SS material from this Seiko allow me to use a satin bar to get my desired look? After the satin bar, or sand paper, what polishing method do one use? Perhaps just the dremmal? Anyway, thank all of you! You all are just JEWELS!

- Patrick
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post30 Jan 2012, 14:45

i never use a dremel...always by hand.

yes afterwards a trained eye could see easely it is not the original. If you want to get rid of all the dents, you have to sand till they are all away...and that is somethimes to much. So the proportions of the case will be differend afterwards..you can see it on the glass..it lays somethimes deeper in differend places.

a nice exemple is my accutron...see forum "watches with hands" there was a deep dent at 8 o clock..i sanded it a little but left it there. I had to sand to deep if i wanted to get rid of it and it have effected the bezel appairences. Look out..really bad english here :-D

if you want to do it as good as possible..you have to get rid of the glass. Then if you not have to original watch..you have to study all pictures from the same watch..so you have an idea how it looked like original.

most of the time i only use my hand, the flat surface of the tabel and a piece of wood to help the sanding paper give even pressure. That all. Yess it takes some time and experience..but after a while you know excacly what paper you need to do what you want.

so in case of your seiko..if you want to get rid of all the dents..you have to go deep and rub so much material away you end up against the side of the glass...so thats not good.

if i see your case, i pretty sure, it has been sanded a few times before..so watch out, you don't go through the last layer and it becomes goldich. I don't know it's ss all the way.
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post30 Jan 2012, 15:05

One other challenge I see with your case is the pusher tubes on the front face. They will make getting a clean, parallel 'brush' on this face really tricky. I guess that they're Interferece Fit and so can't come out. (Like doing bracelet clasps with raised logos - not easy).
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post30 Jan 2012, 22:46

quietman,

Actually, the front buttons on this case are held in by microscopic "C" clips. I removed them earlier, to apply O-Ring greese for smoother action. I will remove them again once I start sanding.

- Patrick
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Re: Satin finish on Brushed Stainless Streel

Post31 Jan 2012, 23:53

Hi - I can see in your photos that you already took the pushers out - but the tubes are still firmly in the case and standing a little pround of that front face. Not too bad but they might get in the way a little bit when you're brushing that part ;-)

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