Is there a way (short of dipping it in silver nitrate) to make steel look like silver? More white, I mean. Steel by itself is always more grayish.

Grind the scale off of it and then polish to the desired level of shine.

You can heat up the steel and burnish silver into the surface, like what is done with a brass brush or you can silver leaf it.

Steel can take a phenomenal polish, but you are right, it is not silver. There is a whiteness to actual silver that steel does not get. Nickle has a different appearance as does chrome.

It really sounds like you are going into the realm of plating.

Phil

To be more specific, I'm working with a large round steel shield, so some of my options are limited.

Grind with finer grades of flap wheels, then get the compounds on it. Steel will GLOW when well polished!

Phil

Steel is what it is, you can shine it to a mirror finish but it won't stay way without help as in nickle or chrome plating. Silver plating is a fragile finish since it will tarnish in the atmosphere and soon wear off with repeated polishing. If not plated it continually rusts on you. Since steel is so attuned to rusting no matter how well polished it will eventually go red on you.

Well....since no one answered so far....in the book... " Twentieth century Toolsmith and Steelworker" it states " take 1 pound of ashes from white ash bark, dissolve in water. heat your iron red and cool in this solution, and your iron will turn white as silver"
I don't know, I was going to try it...never got around to it, maybe I'll talk to my tree guy friend, get some bark and give it a go.
I don't know if the term "iron" will translate well to steel.....now.... once again I'm curious, I gotta try it...will let you know, after the holiday, taking a few days off..... Remember the Veterans in your area,...thank at least one

Well....since no one answered so far....in the book... " Twentieth century Toolsmith and Steelworker" it states " take 1 pound of ashes from white ash bark, dissolve in water. heat your iron red and cool in this solution, and your iron will turn white as silver"
I don't know I was going to try it...never got around to it, maybe I'll talk to my tree guy friend, get some bark and give it a go.

that's good book I have learned lots from it.

I like "how to write your name in steel "....be careful with that one

"Guilders Paste" in silver will give you that look, but for a shield it will take a lot of paste. Other methods depend on if it is a show piece or a to use piece

You can copper plate, then silver plate and lastly chrome plate to protect it from oxidizing. Chrome isn't the pretty silver color on your bumper, that's nickle plating, chrome is clear and pretty darned weather proof.

Frosty The Lucky.

I saw a video where a smith put a dozen cut out circles of corrugated cardboard on his bench grinder as the last level of polish for his steel knives made from leaf springs. I never saw steel shine so white.