Re-Bluing a Model 13 Cylinder

[ThirdGen9623]

Hey all!

I have a 3" Model 13 that had some notable damage to the bluing on the cylinder in two spots. I touched those spots up with some cold blue which darkened the damage but made the blued finish look irreversibly blotchy.

I brought it to a local gunsmith I trust and while he is clearly knowledgeable in his craft of bluing chemistry, he can't replicate the same or substantially similar to the factory finish…which means he has already stripped and attempted a refinish of the cylinder and it's now hopelessly obvious that it won't match the rest of the revolver (I haven't seen it yet…). He is not charging me for this attempt because he feels it doesn't meet his own standards.

Here's my dilemma: I'm fine with S&W doing a factory reblue - their refinishing work looks great from past experience. I'm fine with their cost. I'm not as fine with the likely 1 year turnaround time they will have. Turnbull was suggested by the gunsmith, but it seems from my research that they will cost *way* more AND take even longer than the factory.

Does anyone have recommendations on a gunsmith/business that can due a close-to-factory finish on the cylinder (or the whole revolver, should it be necessary) in a reasonable timeframe? I'm not looking for super cheap and super fast…just reasonable cost for the service and reasonably fast.

Open to any suggestions, and if no one has any good experiences, off to the S&W factory it'll go as Plan B.

 

[stansdds]

Bluing one part of a firearm and getting it to match the rest of the firearm is really difficult at best and often impossible to accomplish. If your Model 13 was made before 1980, then it has the old Carbona oil finish, which was more blue than black. S&W's current blue is a very black finish, so it does not look the same as the old finish and S&W advises to avoid solvents that contain ammonia with this current finish. That may factor into your decision.

 

[ColumbusJBR]

Reminds me of the sign we had hanging in our gun shop. It read "Service Offered: Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick 2 of the 3"

At this point you'll likely be better off rebluing the whole firearm. As mentioned, matching the old school S&W blue is going to be a difficult endeavor.

My old shop used the Du-Lite Oxyblack chemicals. When done right it looked great (prep work and polish are critical!), but to be clear, they came out as a deep, glossy black. If customers asked for old S&W blue we simply couldn't help them.

I'd call around gun shops in your area that have gunsmiths and ask what, if any, refinishing services they offer. Most these days are solely Cerakote commandos; hard to find 'smiths with a true hot bluing setup. Hard to blame them, it's messy, expensive, tedious, etc…

Good luck on your quest. At least you have plan B in your back pocket, Smith & Wesson can certainly make your 13 look good, albeit not quickly.

 

[s&wchad]

I'd phone Glenrock blue and ask if they'd do just a cylinder. Their "Deluxe" finish is about as close as you'll find...

Glenrock Blue

 

[ThirdGen9623]

Bluing one part of a firearm and getting it to match the rest of the firearm is really difficult at best and often impossible to accomplish. If your Model 13 was made before 1980, then it has the old Carbona oil finish, which was more blue than black. S&W's current blue is a very black finish, so it does not look the same as the old finish and S&W advises to avoid solvents that contain ammonia with this current finish. That may factor into your decision.

It's a 1982 Model.

 

[URIT]

Check here... https://foglesgunsmithing.com/ They even include a price list.

 

[ken158]

Sounds like you have a keeper and are ok with sending it back to the guys that made it… Just suck it up and do it and you will have it looking new and you can have it checked out for timing, end shake and other such conditions. If you part it out it may end up looking like a repainted fender on a car. Perfect finish but does not match.

 

[stansdds]

It's a 1982 Model.

Then that would be the hot dip black oxide process, which produced a blacker finish, but still quite deep and durable for a blued finish. You might want to look at what your local smith has done with your cylinder. If it looks good, you might want him to do the whole revolver.

 

[ThirdGen9623]

Then that would be the hot dip black oxide process, which produced a blacker finish, but still quite deep and durable for a blued finish. You might want to look at what your local smith has done with your cylinder. If it looks good, you might want him to do the whole revolver.

I certainly will! He seems convinced it's not a good match, but now I feel even better about just sending it to the factory - I've heard their current bluing process causes a blacker hue, but it's nice to know this is already likely the case with my factory finish relative to their older methods.

 

[T112-4]

American Bluing & Guns, is on Google, Did a K22 for me. It's excellent work. 10 to 12 months. very reasonable