I am looking for some ideas/help on what I can do to help reduce or eliminate this pitting. Thank you!

If that's the only area of pitting get that top area checkered.

try bead blasting the top strap, I have refinished many pitted guns by blasting to blend the surface and remove all the rust specks.

Since it's a non-critical location, I suggest living with it -- clean it well of any rust and keep it wiped down with a gun-oiled rag.

If it gnaws at you, you can carefully wet-dry sand the pitted areas down down and minimize though probably not wholly remove the pitting. You'll lose the bead blast and there's no getting it back over that large an area without a proper re-bead blast, so you have to decide if you want to sand the entire top area, then polish, to at least have a uniform look, or send it for a professional bead blast.

I would say you have only the option of "bead blasting". (NOT sand blasting !)
If you are familiar with that process, have an air compressor and a blast gun or cabinet, then five or so pounds of blast media, (proper grit/weight) will give you a very presentable re-finish.
Is that section of the top strap the only pitted area ?

There are some definite do and don't rules to follow; and since you already have your 65 completely disassembled, I expect you are capable of the job yourself.

Others will add to your options, and... if the process seems outside your scope of skills, say so, and forum members will "walk you through", and or, suggest a shop.

When you reply with further questions or comments, no need to state exactly where you live, but. a general idea of your location will likely trigger a response from someone here that can point to a "shop" right next door.

Welcome to the forum. Those Mdl. 65s are a great little K frame .357.

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wanna do right-- not right now

Is the finish bead blasting from the factory ? Or a very fine sand/abrasive...I have a small blasting unit called an air eraser. It's something that looks like an airbrush, but has a small cup to put abrasive in..and uses 220 grit stuff. Pretty neat little tool.

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

so im leaning toward bead blasting or sanding it, which would be better to try first? My thoughts are to try and wet sand it with Kroil and a 1000 or higher grit paper. I figure ill get the pitting reduced in depth with the paper, then tape the frame and bead blast the dull finish back on the top of the gun and try to polish the rest of the frame back to factory with a mag polish. Ill post pictures along the way with results. Thank you for the assistance

My experience is that 1000gr paper will not remove any metal or any pitting. It will create a polished finish with negligible metal removed.

Try a little experimenting first on scrap with 180, 220, 320 or 400 grit papers, then bead blast. I've also had good results on carbon steel with simple sandblast after a little practice.

I have done a number of pitted 64's its a easy fix if you have a sand blaster, check out some that i have done on my face book page.https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mojo-...99943136769886

Glass bead blasting. Looks real nice.

ended up: sanding, glass bead blasting, filing and grinding to get this pitting out. I started blasting with 80 grit beads from Harbor freight but this wasnt aggressive enough and I went to grinding with a stone on the top. After the grind stone I used a fine metal file to reshape the original contours.



I then sanded it with 220-400 to smooth it out. then I bead blasted the entire gun with fine grade glass beads. I polished the whole gun (except the top of the frame) with 600 grit followed by Flitz to get a shine.

Well done! That's some fine restoration work. Here's my restored 65-3 that was bead blasted. A few dings and some deep pitting remain, but it's a great shooter.




Model 65 Bead Blast Rebuild Slideshow by TheGilaBender | Photobucket

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

what 'ctb10j' did above ( fine job by the way) is how we've always done any of them rough, pitted areas...lots of
hand work' ( small files) and then final glass bead blast to blend in...labor of love and knowing just "how to" draw file and make things "line up, stay flat or when to be rounded"..........stainless is relatively soft on the surface.

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dan
NRA Benefactor,PMA

Try 400 grit first. If that is not going to do the job, go to 220.
You should not need to go beyond that. 220 will remove metal with a little work.
I would use wet or dry paper with gun oil.
I have gone up to 600 paper, and thought that I was getting more gloss than I wanted. A white 3M pad hazed it just right. Do all work "with the grain".
You can practice on a stainless fender washer, or a large bolt. I hold the washer with a vice grip while I experiment with it.
My work involved round butting a M67-1. I was happy with the results, following the above procedure.

Best,
Rick

How does a stainless steel firearm become so pitted?

Nice job restoring the finish, I think it looks great!

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"Shall not be infringed"

Good save on a good S&W !! Makes you feel good, right ?

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wanna do right-- not right now

You did a great job!

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Sure you did

thanks for the compliments, glad to save this old smith. Ive got some Ahrends boot grips on the way. Ill do more pictures on the next write up. Hope to help someone down the road with their own restoration work.

That's what is so great about Stainless.