I think is burnishing something to get a bronze metal finish. Red Lead paint is (was, because lead being toxic, should not be used anymore) a good base primer for metal powders, as it was reasonably soft, metals adhere well and red is good base for gold, copper and bronze. Then they apply gold paint, and once is almost dry they apply some bronze with a waxed leather, probably for texturing. Then Leather or silk for burnishing the hulk and protect the results with the 19th century equivalent of UV resin.
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is that the movie that they have to fight a nuclear sub with a diesel and resort to tactics like disguising the submarine as a fishing vessel? 
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No. This my obscure movie reference for the day — “Operation Petticoat.” It shows the fun side of WWII. A broken American submarine and its misfit crew have to scrounge their way across the Pacific, trying to avoid the IJN. At one point they try to prime the hull, but can’t get enough red lead paint, so they have to mix it with white lead. Thus they end up with a pink submarine that is easy to see, and both sides are trying to sink it.
Which movie were you describing?
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Down Periscope
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Even the two could not be more different I always get them confused. I guess my brain only has so much space for “submarine comedy” (also, they both use the same submarine class - though different submarines)
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Quite the cast.
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Off-topic, but speaking of military films, can anyone remember one where the sailors hit the captain in the buttocks ( 
which they mispronounce) with a spitball & shenanigans ensue? Been trying to figure that out for years (it’s not The Caine Mutuny & probably not older than that)
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I believe that was Das Boot.
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Yes! they pronounced it BYOO-tox, but I can’t find the file in my memory banks, neither!
I think the spitball may have also involved the use of an opened paperclip, too, also.
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I was trying to remember that one. I got distracted by thinking about The Wackiest Ship In The Army which also starred Jack Lemmon, but I didn’t remember any spitball scene.
Das Bootocks?
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Das Bootocks!
i just spit my drink out my nose!
OWW! it was gin and tonic!
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What a waste. Sorry.
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Did they? I only remember his palm tree getting thrown overboard.
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Here I was looking for Ensign Roberts.
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Ah, thank you for that!
(& I see there’s a sequel, Ensign Pulver)
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LOLZ
I have of course seen both films.
My files were obviously c̴̡͚͔͌͠͝o̵̫̠̺͋͊͘r̸̟͖͚̔̀͠r̵̢̟͍̿̒̕ǘ̵̡̫͓͘p̵̢̻͓͊͐̒t̴̙͉̻̐͑̕ë̴̢̘̦́͒͘d̴̙͇͕̈́̈́͝.
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That would be Hunt for Red October.
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I loved the sequel!
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