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For metal I start with either a flat grey or a special base I created. When you make a metal "base" texture, you NEVER want a over contrasted, highly grunged up base with a lot of texture. It's a mistake I see a lot. You want your base to be neutral and low contrast so your grunge doesn't simply blend in with the base.
I also rarely ever use photos when creating metal for weapons. I have 500+ grunge brushes from the web and some that I made, using those lightly along with slight color variation and the smudge/sharpen tools, I can create the texture I want without using photos. I always keep photos for environment and prop work or for taking shortcuts on details that would take way too long to hand paint in photoshop. (for example logos and stuff)
Color realllllly defines stuff, get that down first! I begin by giving my metal a blue tint at like 2% opacity. I then go add extra color in the specular when I am done with the diffuse (unless im doing old stuff, then i add it directly into the diffuse!) to make things really pop! Brown on down angles and a layer with some random color blobs at a VERY low opacity on the spec.
I see so many weapons every day that are bland and monochrome, when all they need to do is add a little color and it will come to life.
99% of my edging is done with a 1px white brush and a tablet. I lay it on very thick and then erase it with a special grunge brush on various opacities. The rest of the 1% is done with a few brushes I have.
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