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S&W-Smithing Maintenance, Repair, and Enhancement of Smith & Wesson and Other Firearms.


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Old 02-26-2015, 03:39 PM
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Default Repairing Barrel Finish?

Hello All, I am a new owner of a Model 41 made in 1967. The blueing on this piece is just beautiful. However over the years the finish has taken a couple hits. It came to me this way, there are a couple of scratches down to the metal. Is there a way to repair these with out making it worse? Or is it best to leave it alone and learn to look at them as giving it "Character". Scott
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Old 02-26-2015, 04:55 PM
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Character. You can try to cold blue it, but it's hard to do that to simple scratches, no matter how deep, and effectively match the revolver's blue with the cold blue; ends up standing out almost as much as the scratch.

You'd have to reblue to get the job done right, but it costs and diminishes the value of the piece.

Suggest you love it for what it is.
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Old 02-26-2015, 06:25 PM
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Looking at the beautiful deep blue of the barrel then bright SILVER (Scratch) then deep blue. That's what is killing me. Scott
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Old 02-26-2015, 06:34 PM
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This is advice born out of hard, personal experience: LEAVE IT ALONE.Repairing Barrel Finish?


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Old 02-26-2015, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Vectorxw8 View Post
Looking at the beautiful deep blue of the barrel then bright SILVER (Scratch) then deep blue. That's what is killing me. Scott
I think everyone here understands the feeling.
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Old 02-26-2015, 07:15 PM
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Kind of like that first ding or scratch on a new car. You know it's gonna happen just not when. So now that I tend to buy used they come pre-dinged for me and I don't have to worry.

So, you just have a pre-dinged fine shooting machine and you don't have to dread putting one on it yourself.

I know, easy to say hard to do but I suspect as time goes on you will see it less and shoot it more. I don't have a model 41 but I hear they are great. And yes, I/we understand the feeling.

Last edited by Sconnie; 02-26-2015 at 07:16 PM.
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Old 02-26-2015, 07:34 PM
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Have it refinished.Years ago when these guns were still being made,highly refinished guns brought a premium in price.If you plan on keeping it don't worry what a collector might think.
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Old 02-26-2015, 08:54 PM
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I have a small gouge in one of my 41's... Cleaned it with alcohol and put cold blueing on it. Looks a lot better. Gouge is still there , but not an eye catcher
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Old 02-26-2015, 09:10 PM
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I must thank all that took time out of their day to answer my question. The pool of knowledge has spoken. Character it shall be, my biggest fear is making it worse. It was never meant to be a safe king, I have always wanted to fire it and I will do my best not to add anymore "Character" to it but, as we all know ***** sometimes Happens. Again thanks everyone. Scott
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Old 02-26-2015, 10:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Collects View Post
Leave it alone. Cold bluing will not exactly match the existing finish.

If it bothers you that much, blacken the scratch with a black Sharpie from time to time - and do not make any additional scratches on the gun.
I must admit this is what I did. Dark blue fine point sharpie. It allowed me to just touch it up just enough that its not shiny steel anymore and I know it won't damage the surrounding bluing. Scott
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