what about rottenstone?

Frank Fusco

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Mountain Home, Arkansas
Got a call from a friend who thinks I know everything about everything (he retired rich, I didn't. Oh, well) he needed finishing help on a rifle he was building. He wanted rottenstone but didn't know where to get it. I directed him to Brownell's http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=0/k=rottenstone/t=P/ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=rottenstone

Just wondering how effective this stuff is for attaining high gloss finishes. I know my father used to talk about it but I don't recall seeing it in use.
 
I've used it a bit, but found I got equal (and less messy) results with more modern abrasives, ranging from Micro Mesh to automotive polishing compounds.
 
Frank, it's interesting you should ask. I'm going through the final stages of finish on the top of my credenza project. After applying several coats of pre-cat lacquer and sanding between coats, I sanded the final coat with 400 grit on an ROS. Of course, that dulled the finish considerably. I started bringing the luster back up using FF pumice (probably about 600 grit). I follow that with rottenstone, (1000-1200 grit) applied with an orbital waxer/polisher. Any areas that need additional attention get worked by hand with rottenstone. I use water with a little dish detergent in it as the lubricant for both the pumice and rottenstone. As we speak, I'm going over the top with automotive polishing compound and will follow with wax.

Pumice and rottenstone are available a lot of places. I got mine at Rockler.
 
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An old gunsmith I used to deal with used Comet or Ajax cleansers for the final rubbing out of his stocks. Dale made some of the finest looking stocks I've ever seen, too.
 
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