Hey all,
Since I've been getting into woodworking on a more serious level, I've probably spent as much time rehabbing tools as I have actually working with wood. I'm on a budget, I like old tools that are well-made and have history, and generally I do enjoy restoring old tools to usable condition. But after half a dozen planes, a few saws, braces, drills, etc. I'll admit I'm getting pretty sick of grinding and sanding metal. I'm in the middle of restoring an old Ward miter box so I've been doing a lot of small parts lately.

So far in my tool restoration experiments I've taken the time to actually fully polish a few things and I paint where appropriate but usually I get to 400 or 600 grit and lose my patience. I've also blued a few things and am getting ready to try nickel plating with electrolysis.

The problem is, all of these finish options seem to require a well-finished bare metal surface to look decent. Is there any metal finish that fills in scratches or can be built up other than paint? Or, if one wants to get rid of any pitting/scratches/dings, is there no alternative to plain old sanding, grinding, and filing?

If there is no alternative to mechanical removal of metal, are there any particular methods or abrasives that are most efficient? Right now I use a beltsander and drill attachments up to 220 or so and then do the rest by hand.

I realize that a lot of it is really just aesthetic, and I have no problem with a beat-up looking tool that still functions, but I do also enjoy tools that are aesthetically pleasing and in good condition. I'm not a purist so I don't care so much about restoring whatever finish was original, I just like making my tools purdy.

For those of you who do take the time to get rid of pitting/scratches/damage on your rehabs, what is your process?

Thanks,
Matt