Prowling the auction sites and forums today I came across two different reference to flute pitting caused by "improper storage." This isn't pitting in the trough of the flute, but rather on its edges and behind it.

The comments caught my attention because a couple of months back I picked up a 5-screw K38 Masterpiece that suffered from exactly that kind of damage on and adjacent to one flute. It is basically the sole flaw on what is otherwise a pretty nice satin-blue finish revolver. The counterman said he thought the damage resulted from being left in a holster. I speculated it might have been laid down on a damp surface and not attended to for a period of time. But I don't know.

What kind of "improper storage" might result in this limited, very site-specific damage? I'm not sure if the holster argument holds up because I would expect to see pitting on opposite sides of the cylinder and maybe at other points of contact between metal and leather. One-sided damage seems to me to indicate storage in a box that got wet on the bottom, or an extended rest on an unoiled rag that got wet at one point.

Here's a photo of the damage on my K38. The lighting makes this look like the craters of the moon, but the pitting is actually pretty shallow. Running a finger over it gives a much different impression of the severity of the damage.



I bought this gun as a shooter and at the time didn't much care what it looked like. But I'm beginning to wonder if there is anything that can be done to smooth out the pitting and restore the cylinder. If the rest of the gun showed major wear, I wouldn't even consider this. But it's a better-than-95% gun if you leave the cylinder out of the equation.

Thoughts or recommendations? Whether I refinish or leave it alone, it's not a collector's item. I just want to know if those with refinishing experience think this scar is too ugly to repair.

This is what it looks like when you're not focusing on the trouble spot and illuminate with direct flash rather than taking the time to set up a proper photographic stage.



David Wilson

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David Wilson

You'd have to turn the cylinder down past the pitting and reblue it. There is'nt a way to fill pitting, and blue it, that you can't see it. There is'nt a filler that I know of that will take blueing.

Your best bet is to buy a cylinder.

I think SHOVELWRENCH is right. Maybe try Numrich Arms.
There are more places to look but I am haveing a senior
moment right now. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

Thank you both. I was pretty sure someone would tell me to consider a replacement cylinder, but I was hoping to hear otherwise.

Can anyone clarify for me what exact type of "improper storage" would lead to the kind of pitting seen in the vicinity of single cylinder flutes? If holsters are a problem, why is the damage just on one side?

David W.

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David Wilson

The pitting does seem to be in an odd place.

I was just starting to research about what to to with minor pitting. I have an unfired Colt Detective special 38 that I bought new in the mid 90's. Its sad as I've never had any of my guns ever rust on me like this one has. I attribute it to improper storage and attention. I did put it in a nylon ankle holster and wear it for a very short time and then pulled it off and put it in the top of my gun safe that was stored at my brothers at the time. The safe was sealed and had the GoldenRods in it. I di neglect to oil it after wearing it and sweating heavily. It layed there for several years before I picked it up again and the damage was done. Its nowhere as sever as what you have pictured but it scattered around the gun and is in the muzzle end of the bore a ways. It is minor but there. I'm trying to find out what the fair value is for it and would rather most likely just sell it to someone that would just use it as a carry/shooter gun. It realy saddens me to have done this to such a fine gun.

Laying on some kind of paper or cloth that was acidic and gradually attacked the bluing.

This is EXACTLY what happened to my model 12-2 snubbie. I figure it was laid on a piece of newpaper or something, because that's the only blemish on the little guy, other than typical holster wear on the cylinder and muzzle. A little freckling won't hurt ya! I just sanded it down to where the pitting was somewhat smooth, removing all the bluing from that one particular spot between the flutes, and called it good. Nowadays, I just carry it, shoot it and love it.

Check with David Chicione (sp) and ask him what he would charge to remove all the pits possible and refinish to the original satin blue.

I have done this on two Smiths and I see little if any difference between the reblue and the original.
Gary

DCWilson,
I believe the pitting of the cylinder was caused by storage in a leather holster. I remeber purchasing a S&W 44 HE 2nd model Target many years ago which had spent it's entire life in a holster and exhibited pitting at the edge of on chamber and at the very tip on one side of the barrel.

I have the same pitting on a nickel model 10. Unfortunatly it is much deeper, I had to buy a new cylinder. There is also some deep pitting above the cylinder on the frame. does anyone have any suggestions about what to do about the pitting on the frame.

Repair to the finish of a plated gun is somewhat easier than on a plated gun. On a blued gun, polishing to the bottome of the pits is needed to prepare the surface for rebluing. If the pitted location and the polishing skill is favorable, little or no changing of the frame or cylinder contours is affected.

With a plated gun, the orifinal finish is chemically stripped, and the plated areas can be built up by selective brush plating, polished, and then plated all over to hide the repaired areas.

I've also heard that manufacturer's plating shops also select specimens to be plated that are less perfectly polished than the guns to be blued because the plating process hides blemishes better than bluing.

I have had two go this way. Long storage and contact with the box lid without the factory paper between was the culprit for both. Both were pristine,NIB, a model 48 and a 58 nickel. Both sat for more than a year. I can't say enough about checking ALL pieces at least every month or so. It's the only way to be sure. Especially if the safe is in the basement or cool space, where moisture is more common. Your's? Shoot as is, and keep an eye out for a cylinder is what I would do. For myself, the plus is I now get to fire my "safe queens" with no worries.

ischia

A good freind of mine does decorative chrome restoration for cars (we polish guns here and there too).

You'd be amazed what you can fill with silver solder over copper plate, then repolish, recopper, and buff. Then the finish of your liking. All that old pitted stuff comes out lookin new.

I have a model 15 with pitting from being stored in a leather holster

A little late now, but those Vapor bags, normally blue or yellow plastic, do a great job of preventing rust for up to 2 years. They are the size of a ziploc, just throw the gun in there and forget about it. No oil needed.
Normally a couple of dollars. Cheap protection.

I would check with Jim Stroh of Alpha Precision in Comer, GA. Jim does fine welding and should be able to fill in the worst of the pits and refinish the cylinder to look very nice. Jim is a craftsman of the first order and a pleasure to work with.

I have a similar problem with a Win 101 Super Grade. It has what may be a silver nitride finish on the receiver with a lot of engraving. I shot a round of skeet with it and got really hot and sweaty. I called myself wiping it off before I broke it down and put it back in the felt lined case. I intended to give it a thorough cleaning when I got home. Somehow got side tracked and it was about 4 days later when I pulled it out to clean it. Too late. The sweat, I suppose, had literally eaten the finish off of a lot of the side that was down in the case. It turned black. The top side looks pristine. Gotta find someone who may can fix this one.

Pits can be TIG welded if the welder has the proper equipment. It takes one of the newer inverter type machines that can sustain an arc at less than 3 amps. This allows precision welding and eliminates the crater at arc shut off when the weld is finished. The down side is that the welds will show up as a different color when the gun is hot blued. Rust bluing will usually color the weld just like the surrounding metal and make them invisible.

WOB