UPDATE - Finished Pics Added - Sandblasting Stainless Steel Putter

I have a Scotty Studio Stainless with some big dings and nicks that I'll be taking out, but want to get it media blasted to even out the finish. I'm not worried about the weight being removed with grinding out the dings since I can just add heavier weights to it.

My question is that I have a local company that will be blast it for me, but I'm not sure what grit or media to ask them to use to get a specific finish/durable finish. Does anyone have any insight into what specs will yield the best results?

Thanks

Fine glass bead. This will provide a medium shiny finish. Using sharp edged media like aluminum oxide or crushed glass results in a more dull finish that will mar up if scuffed.

You want 80 grit glass bead at 90 psi for a nice satin finish on stainless steel.

What type of a company would I use to do this on a carbon putter? Grit for a refinish?

Also, what company locally could refinish to a matte black finish?

Ive used silicon carbide, beautiful finish but does not last. I now have aluminum oxide and would not use this on a SS putter. Glass bead would be better... My cabinet is set up for cold working glass and not steel, but I like to experiment..

Sounds good. Seems like glass bead is the way to go. The company around me seems pretty flexible with getting it done and they'll just do it while I wait there. I've never liked the high shine finish on some of the Scottys as the glare is always distracting.

Thats a stainless never compromise I did at work with glass bead.

Looks great!!! I love the darker gray opposed to the shiny silver. Have you done any other putters at your work?

The darker gray finish suggests a sharp edge media was used, not glass bead. Not calling anyone a lier here, just sharing my experience since I've got several different types of media to use in my blast cabinet. And again, sharper edged media will mark up more easily than a glass bead finish. Reason being, on a microscopic level sharp edged media creates peaks and valleys in the metal, and when something brushes against the peaks it will smooth them down and create a shinny smudge mark. With glass bead the metal surface is sort of bumpy on the microscopic level so there are no peaks to get knocked down.

> @"The General" said:

> Looks great!!! I love the darker gray opposed to the shiny silver. Have you done any other putters at your work?

Yep did a cheapo cast northwestern for my buddy who fixed it up did paint fill and is currently playing. Like mentioned above even the oil off your fingers will mark up this finish when its fresh, my pal clearcoated this putter after he stamped and paintfilled it.

Sorry to derail the thread OP, just wanted to share my own results doing it... The media we use doesn't say a grit number on it, just says "glass oxide" on the back and there called "impact beads". Looks like really fine white sand. Must be somewhere between a pure glass bead and something coarser as the oxide would be an abrasive additive similar to whats in grinding discs ect.

I use 2 types in my cabinet - crushed glass for finish removal, and medium grit glass beads (100 grit) for final finish. The crushed glass finish marks easily from fingerprint oils, but it's awesome for removing pvd etc.

Anyone know what to expect as far as ding/nick removal from the head? I've been hand sanding the putter to remove some of the big stuff, but wasn't sure how much I need to take out if the blasting will just do the job. Trying to avoid not getting it cleaned up enough and then having it blasted and it not smoothed out enough.

Media blasting doesn’t remove nicks and dings.

This is a Scotty I am refurbing for a mate.

Used Linishing wheel with various grade belts, then medium and fine scotchbrite wheels to remove dings.

Bead blasted with AE grade glass beads (100-150 grit), compressor set to 90psi. This is my go to blast, had no problems with it on 20+ putters I have done.

Blasting seems to look best when the surface being done is fairly smooth and polished to start with. Any scratches or serious sanding lines will prevent the blasted finish from looking even. Also, with a smooth surface to start, blasting can be done much quicker to achieve a uniform result.

> @benno_r said:

> This is a Scotty I am refurbing for a mate.

>

> Used Linishing wheel with various grade belts, then medium and fine scotchbrite wheels to remove dings.

>

> Bead blasted with AE grade glass beads (100-150 grit), compressor set to 90psi. This is my go to blast, had no problems with it on 20+ putters I have done.

>

>

>

That is EXACTLY the finish I'm trying to get with this Studio Select. I've been using a 35 grit sanding sponge, and it's VERRRRRY slowly removing some of the nicks and dings, but I think it'll run out of grit before the putter is cleaned up. Any tips for a more efficient refinishing/ding removal

> @bobcat88 said:

> That is EXACTLY the finish I'm trying to get with this Studio Select. I've been using a 35 grit sanding sponge, and it's VERRRRRY slowly removing some of the nicks and dings, but I think it'll run out of grit before the putter is cleaned up. Any tips for a more efficient refinishing/ding removal

I've restored several sets of stainless irons and some raw wedges and used this method:

1) straight file to remove major dings/dents and scratches/gouges

2) 100 grit "shop roll" with wooden (paint stirrer) backup board

3) 220 grit "shop roll" ...

4) bead blast or scotchbrite (maroon followed by gray), depending on the final look you desire.

The trick here is the shop roll. It's basically emery cloth formed into a long roll. Great stuff.

> @Nessism said:

> > @bobcat88 said:

> > That is EXACTLY the finish I'm trying to get with this Studio Select. I've been using a 35 grit sanding sponge, and it's VERRRRRY slowly removing some of the nicks and dings, but I think it'll run out of grit before the putter is cleaned up. Any tips for a more efficient refinishing/ding removal

>

> I've restored several sets of stainless irons and some raw wedges and used this method:

> 1) straight file to remove major dings/dents and scratches/gouges

> 2) 100 grit "shop roll" with wooden (paint stirrer) backup board

> 3) 220 grit "shop roll" ...

> 4) bead blast or scotchbrite (maroon followed by gray), depending on the final look you desire.

>

> The trick here is the shop roll. It's basically emery cloth formed into a long roll. Great stuff.

Pardon if these are stupid questions coming up, but when you say straight file are you referring to this?

The shop roll is to even out the surface before sand blasting right?

> @bobcat88 said:

> > @benno_r said:

> > This is a Scotty I am refurbing for a mate.

> >

> > Used Linishing wheel with various grade belts, then medium and fine scotchbrite wheels to remove dings.

> >

> > Bead blasted with AE grade glass beads (100-150 grit), compressor set to 90psi. This is my go to blast, had no problems with it on 20+ putters I have done.

> >

> >

> >

>

> That is EXACTLY the finish I'm trying to get with this Studio Select. I've been using a 35 grit sanding sponge, and it's VERRRRRY slowly removing some of the nicks and dings, but I think it'll run out of grit before the putter is cleaned up. Any tips for a more efficient refinishing/ding removal

I use this. One side has linishing belts in 120/240/320 grade sandpaper. The other side is 3m scotchbrite wheels.

Manually, files and sandpaper are your friend.

Yep would definitely love to have a nice shop like that. Manual it is for me

Update here. So I have hand sanded all of the major dings out and started working to a point where I'm satisfied with the current condition. What grade of sand paper should I use to even everything out before taking it to get sand blasted?

> @bobcat88 said:

> Update here. So I have hand sanded all of the major dings out and started working to a point where I'm satisfied with the current condition. What grade of sand paper should I use to even everything out before taking it to get sand blasted?

I generally use 320grit as the final grade linishing belt.

Final refinish pictures. I was trying to get a flatter finish, i.e. Cantlay/Rickie's SC. Needless to say for $100 and $15 in materials I'm pretty pleased with the finished product. Probably going to leave it nude and add in a sight dot. The big ding in the bottom of the face was the only part I really couldn't remove without taking too much material off the putter.

If I wanted to get just a little polish/shine to it, what would be the best way to do it?

medium steel wool, followed by fine.