Fixing damaged aluminum / surface coating?

[Kazarak]

I had/have a Lost Grey, beautiful US saber, ended up having a lose wire, tried to take it apart before I knew how to and ended up scratching it "deep scratch". I ended up turning it in to a project. I took it completely apart, removing all the insides, sleeve etc. Now I have a very shiny exterior, but anytime I touch it, it get finger prints all over it. Is there supposed to be a coating after polishing it that keeps finger prints off of it? I mean I want to use the saber, but the prints drives me crazy. If this is already covered please point me in that direction. Thank you.

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[MaskofMany]

I could be wrong, BUT...  I'm pretty sure that the finish is purely from a very fine polish, rather than some kind of chemical finish.  I'd say to call around to different metal shops in the area, or knife-sharpening companies and ask if they are capable of polishing an aluminum tube to a 1200 or 2000-grit (or even higher) finish.  If you don't have any luck there, ask US directly if they have any suggestions or metalsmiths they know that you could send it to to buff it out.

I make knives as a hobby, and regularly polish steel to a mirror like what your saber had originally - and truth be told buffing out your saber wouldn't be that hard of a job, but it takes some time to do and do right, and if I were familiar with working with aluminum I'd offer to do it myself because I have the tools to do it, but...it's not something I know how to work with that way.

[Jediseth]

If it were mine I'd just weather the crap out of it and make it look old. I don't like them so shinny you can see your teeth in it. Plus it makes it more like a real lightsaber in my opinion. Like it was used in battle. That's  just me though.

[Shuriken]

How did you separate the internal black chassis from the  silver exterior?  I think I may need to do the same in order to fit the led/board/speaker etc...  also, how does the heatsink/led assembly secure inside the hilt.  I can’t see how it won’t just slide around inside 

[tx_tuff]

I had/have a Lost Grey, beautiful US saber, ended up having a lose wire, tried to take it apart before I knew how to and ended up scratching it "deep scratch". I ended up turning it in to a project. I took it completely apart, removing all the insides, sleeve etc. Now I have a very shiny exterior, but anytime I touch it, it get finger prints all over it. Is there supposed to be a coating after polishing it that keeps finger prints off of it? I mean I want to use the saber, but the prints drives me crazy. If this is already covered please point me in that direction. Thank you.

Before -



After -

I would just use a clear coat paint on it.

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