Shaping Cratex points and using foam earplugs for polishing

[Gun Smith]

Thought some folks might like to see how I shape Cratex rubberized abrasive points, and make polishing bobs out of hard foam earplugs.

Cratex points are not round as new, and should be shaped to spin true for best use. I do this by running the mandrel mounted point against a belt grinder in opposite directions, using a fairly fine belt. I made some mandrels out of Tig steel rod, and threaded them 5/40 on one end to fit a 3/16" dia. cleaning rod re - tapped to 5/40 for reaching into receivers to polish things.

The hard foam yellow earplugs were 5 minute epoxied onto 1/8" Al. Tig rods, then shaped on a belt grinder same as the Cratex gizmos. Used with Flitz polish, they are great for chamber polishing on semi-auto handgun ramps, and revolver chamber edges that have been deburred, and rifle chambers. Even .22 rimfire chambers can benefit if the foamers are shaped to size. They can be made any length you like. The Tig rods can also be used with the hard felt Dremel bobs screwed on or glued.

These can be used with a Dremel, or any other power tool that can use 1/8" shanks.

 

[jonbearman]

Pretty clever with the earplugs. I have been shaping cratex and it is extremely useful to polish weird shapes.

 

[scasa]

Thanks for that info . I got about 200 cratex tips for $2.00 at the swap meet but no mandrels. I guess I need to make some up.