I just got a handful of REC skeletons and I notice some of the threads are filled with little black specks. Seems to be left over buffing compound or something. Is there an effective way that you guys know to buff n silver reel seats and clean them even into the grooves of the threads? I have a clean buffing wheel that fits an old high speed grinder of mine but I'm almost affraid to try it for fear that even the soft fibers are too aggressive with the high speed. Also is there a safe effective compound that you guys can recommend. I'm going to call Dan @ REC but I just wanted different ideas.
Thanks gang,
Josh
www.markvanheirloom.com

Try dish soap and a toothbrush. That should really take care of it.

Josh,

I polish nickle silver every day in my shop. I use a bench top grinder that I took the wheel off and replaced it with a buffing wheel. I use red rouge for the nickle silver and it works great. Some of the old rods I get in for restoration and repair work really have a lot of dirt and corrosion on them and the buffing wheel makes even these components look like new in short time. I use this same set up to polish wood inserts. The cloth wheel will not mar the nickle silver!

Ditto Jeff's post. Muslin/cloth wheel with jeweller's rouge polishing compound = a thing of beauty! :) Incidentally, REC also sells a n.s. polishing cloth that is REALLY nice for a quick shine, but not great at getting into the finer threads.

I noticed the same thing with a seat I received from them. After glueing the seat up I took it over to my lathe and buffed it out. I use a Oneway lathe with the Beal buffs and I just touched it with the white compound and then finished with a soft muslim wheel that is lightly loaded with wax. I use this setup for finishing pens and other turning projects. The nickle as well as the wood insert polished up real well, it also took care of a little epoxy squeeze out.