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Best possible shine after using sandpaper for motorcycle frame

My motorcycle was polished about 2 years ago, well it needs to be redone, though I watched the Gentleman do it I lost track after the hardest sandpaper to the softest, so I want to know what is the possible way to get the best possible shine out of the frame after using the sandpaper.

David Hostetter
hobby - Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
2004

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2004

Buffing compound. Which grit compound to start with depends on the material being buffed and the final grit of sandpaperbeing used. You said "finest" grit but you didn't specify, most people consider 600-ish to be a final grit but I've seen sandpaper to 6000-grit. Myself I usually finish to 600grit then go to machine buffing. You can buy buffing compound at your local hardware store but I'm partial to this green compound offered by knifemaking suppliers. Seems to cut faster than the coarse grits available from local hardware stores but still leaves a better final mirror finish without smearing the grain of the metal.

Jason Aube
- Flint, Michigan