I picked up a 14-4 with the lettering painted white, has anyone seen this before and know of a way to remove without damaging the finish?
Came with original box and looks unfired so I did not want to pass on it.
Thanks
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Fingernail polish remover.

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Pisgah

Acetone or lacquer thinner and a solvent-proof toothbrush should instantly remove it.
Either will NOT harm bluing.

Make sure to apply a lube after to prevent rust, the solvent will remove all oils.

This is a response from someone who's advice I'd take
especially heed the wifes toothbrush part

Toothbrush. Fine and clean. Toothpastes have abrasives in them.
Acetone or a good powder solvent.
Patience.
Use your wife's toothbrush. They both taste terrible.
Go slow and let it soak.

"Stabbing" with the bristles removes stubborn spots that brushing won't. Choke up on the handle, put your finger on back of the brush's head, and make like a woodpecker.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

The use of white shoe polish used to be common. Either way, solvent will take it off together with a nylon brush and some elbow grease.

Actually I did that to my model 12 when I first got it. Ready for this....
With white out. It's still there.
I've gotten smarter since then.... A little
fuzzy

I have used mineral oil with great success.

I'm the odd man out, but I'd leave it and shoot the heck out of it.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

WD-40 worked for me.

I used to do this to my Glock mags with quick dry white out :-D

Some nail polish remover will do the trick, use a nylon brush :-D

Give it some elbow grease *not much though* and she'll be clean as a whistle in 3 minutes.

* accidentally removed the white dots on a pistol with solvent once in under 30 seconds* and that was factory :-p

ATF will probably do the job, it also works on magic marker.

I'd dab it with a Q-tip wet with some Hoppes 9.


Russ

Thanks for all the advice, I will get to it as soon as I round up some supply's and let you know the out come.
Thanks again

I removed some gold that was used on this one. Used finger nail polish remover old fashion kind, acetone based. Applied it with a Qtip let it set for a minute or two then used stiff nylon brush, working it in all directions. Wipe it with cotton ball with more polish remover, when it gets soaked then change to new cotton ball repeat. If some of it gets left behind and the brush is not working any longer use a old fashion pointed tooth pick. With a little time and patients it will all be gone. Here is a before and after pic to show the results. Just wipe it down with some oil after it is dry or use some Renaissance Wax and done.
Hope this helps many good people here on the forum passed this along in a past thread that I got info. from.


Thanks RB

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Is it paint or wax?

In days of old, to help weatherproof our revolvers, we used to wax them, and the white stuff collected in all the nooks and crannies on the revolver, hence "highlighting" the letters and emblems. Most of us just left it there, and we'd add to it the next time we waxed. I used plain old everyday automotive Turtlewax on those days, and it helps greatly preventing a lot of rusting on the surface of the revolver, in highly humid areas of the country. It seems getting in and out of an air conditioned patrol car caused moisture to condense on the surface anything metal, and your revolver was the least protected item. Anyway, the wax method was a common practice anywhere along the Gulf Coast in them days of old. That's why I prefer stainless steel guns these days.

A white grease pencil works if you want it back in. I have used it on some old mauser rifles but never on a smith.

I always take care to specify a solvent-proof toothbrush.
Not all toothbrushes are solvent proof.
Lacquer thinner or Acetone will dissolve a non-solvent proof brush very fast, while it's in your hand.

Ended using a non acetone based finger nail polish remover because that's what the wife had and it worked very well. The gun cleaning oil was working but not near as fast. I think its a huge improvement, thanks again.
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Much better.....good job

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

Personally, I like the white inlay---not to start a fight---just sayin.
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

I know this is an older thread, but I just wanted to share I just purchased a older S&W 19-4 in great shape but someone had put the white inlay in the lettering back in the day. I used my wife's nail polish remover, non acetone, with an old soft bristle tooth brush and it took the white out almost immediately. No harm to the blueing.

I like it with the white. Popular to do in 1970s and 1980s . I have a 29-2 with it and I just left it. Brownells still sells white lacquer I think for this.

Yes, it comes as a crayon in various colors...Just fill in the lettering, and wipe off the excess...Change colors like ladies change their fingernail color......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Now there's a man who's "Been there and done that!".

I had a 125th Anniversary whatever it was once upon a time---with a "gold" filled logo of some sort. I was wiping it down with Hoppes, just to remove the fingerprints, oil residue, and whatnot. The "gold" came right off---no problem!!

Ralph Tremaine

Lol.. I almost left it on the gun because it is kind of cool looking and retro, but I can't help being a purist. I'm an old muscle car guy too and it's like leaving the old "day 2" spider webbing paint job on the car. Cool stuff and a lost art that some painters today don't know how to replicate.

Did not realize this was such an old thread until Dirty Harry mentioned it. I've never been a fan but, depending on what was applied, acetone usually takes care of whatever it is. Same with red finger nail polish on front sights.

I would also have suggested WD-40.

Recently picked up a beautiful 3.5” 27. The only issue was the white paint in the roll marks. It was well done, but just not right on that revolver; more appropriate on a Glock. I found non acetone polish remover worked better than the regular stuff.

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213th FBINA

White or gold paint was popular in the lettering on S&W revolvers. I don't recall that on a Colt revolver.

Actually, the "ATF" might take the whole gun!!!

( Old original posting -- with new original humor )

Old No7

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The 2nd Amendment = Freedom!

I have some stubborn white on an old model 15 I have . Just like bell bottoms this was a fad that some thought looked really cool

Is there now a bureau for automatic transmission fluid?

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Front sight and squeeze