I just picked up a very used not well maintained M27-2 with a nickle finish and it needs a good cleaning BAD!

Any dos and don'ts for cleaning nickle?

There is really no secret or special technique to caring for or cleaning a nickeled S&W. Treat it just as you would treat a blued one.

__________________
Pisgah

Thank you.

I was concerned that maybe brass wool might scratch the finish but I guess its tougher than I thought.

I cannot speak to the use of brass wool but I can recommend Flitz. Either on a clean cotton like cloth or your bare finger. Light pressure.

__________________
Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

I’ve heard that certain solvent/cleaners containing ammonia will begin to lift the nickel plating, others will tell you this is not so because copper was not used as a base coat plating.
If as you say it’s very well used an mostly neglected I would use bronze wool as opposed to brass and go lightly.

I must admit to having virtually no experience cleaning nickel plated firearms, but have frequently seen cautions on this and other forums warning not to use any solvent such as the old Hoppe’s #9 or others containing ammonia. It seems that the cleaning agents of choice are the German product, Flitz and the automotive product Mother’s Mag Wheel Polish, both of which are pastes and should be applied and removed with a soft cloth. If I were going to try cleaning up a nickel plated gun, I’d use one of these, but not any kind of metallic scrub pad, not even brass or copper wool.

Froggie

PS Darn, typed too slow again!

Why would you want to use brass wool? I would use the Flitz or simichrome polish, and a soft cloth. I do not think I would use any kind of wool, but then again, I do not have nickel guns

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Thanks. I meant bronze not brass. Old age is setting in.

I meant bronze.

I went to pick up my 4" 686 and a 6" nickle M27-2 snuck into my truck and came home with me.

I thought when we had a meeting of the rules committee we decided pictures were kind of mandatory

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Thanks for the heads up on the solvents. I'm going to need some kind of solvent.

This thing is gross. That black "stuff" is caked and baked on. I think I'd wear my fingers out trying to clean it just using Flitz or some other polish.

edited to remover the **** word

The price was right. I just couldn't pass it up.

I just posted pictures.

I bought a new model 638 in satin nickel back in the mid 90's. Up to that point I had always cleaned my guns with Hoppes #9, like Dad did. I also carried that little gun daily IWB, and it got sweaty (thus the reason I bought nickel over blue), so I kept cleaning it.

About 3-4 years later I started seeing the nickel flaking off, revealing a solid black undercoating of some sort. I sent it back to S&W and they re-nickeled it for me in a couple of week's time.

Not having learned what might have caused it, I continued to clean and wipe it down with Hoppes #9. When it started to come off again (starting under the rubber grips) I was able to get online and figure out what was probably causing the flaking, so I stopped cleaning it with #9 and went to CLP. It never extended past what was covered with the grips, so I left it there as a reminder. It got traded away eventually, and of course I want another one now.

However, the experience left me convinced that the ammonia based Hoppes #9 (of old) was the cause. I did use Flitz with great success on other nickel guns that followed, and would not hesitate to lightly polish and clean them with CLP and Flitz or Renaissance wax as a protectant.

Dang, There seems to be an abundance of Smith revolvers in Utah.

Maybe scrub with a nylon bristle brush with whatever CLP you use, and then Flitz. Q-tips are great. Good luck and enjoy.

Thank you.

You folks have once again saved me some serious grief.

Thank you again.

The down side..... I was hoping to get started cleaning it today.

There was. LOL!!

You are right, it does need a good cleaning!

I would not aggressively go after removing the caked on stuff. I would remove the grips, and spray the heavily caked stuff with a penetrating fluid that is safe for nickel, and then wrap the gun in saran wrap to keep it moist, and let the product do the work. I would repeat the process a couple times as needed. If I needed to rub the caked on stuff, I would use toothbrush and wood popsicle sticks.

The caked on stuff may be hard enough on its' own to scratch nickel?

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Thanks Pete. I ordered a bottle of CLP and I will do exactly as you recommended.

I don't want any scratches and I want it to look really nice when I get done.

Thanks again.

Take your time. Remember, this is like a labor of love. It did not get that way in a day

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Nickel can develop fine scratches that really show up under the right light. I would caution against using steel, brass or bronze wool.

I maintain my nickel guns with CLP and a soft cloth and then wipe them dry. I do use bronze brushes in the chambers and bore and I use Nevr-Dull on the front of the cylinder and other areas with heavy fouling.

I have purchased used collectible nickel guns that needed a good detailing. I start with the above maintenance procedure. Then I break out the fine metal polish. I’ve used Flitz, Mother’s and Nambe’ with good results. This will remove some of the fine scratches, dark spots and cloudiness. I finish it off with a light coat of Renaissance wax.

Alway use soft clean cloths and light pressure with the polish and the wax. Work on small areas at a time and don’t let the polish or wax dry before buffing. I apply the polish with patches and the wax with a finger. Rotate your buffing cloths frequently.

Here's a few nickel guns that I detailed. I didn't take "before" photos, but they didn't look like this when found!

Attached Images

	IMG_0236.jpg (129.2 KB, 299 views)
	000_9531.jpg (63.9 KB, 299 views)
	000_2214.jpg (112.5 KB, 297 views)
	000_1658.jpg (128.5 KB, 308 views)
	000_9393.jpg (122.4 KB, 299 views)

__________________
"I also cook."

I once used peroxide and white vinegar to remove lead from a nickel bore.
The solution came out yellowish.
I never tried that again.
But I never noticed any damage, either - and the gun continued to shoot just fine.

Thank you very much. This is my only nickle gun and I am looking soo forward to getting it all cleaned up.

No brass wool for this one. Thank you again.

You folks are awesome. Thank you very much for helping me out.

VERY nice looking guns. Luck man. JIM

__________________
S&WHF # 602

I found naval jelly is effective on powder burns around the front of the cylinder and other places on a good nickel finish. Just a Q-tip and it rubs right off.

Just remember...nickel plating is NOT chrome plating.

I don’t know about nickel, but the manufacturer cautions not to use it on chrome, stainless steel, aluminum or painted surfaces.

I do know that it will remove bluing.

I looked your photos over closely. I suspect you’ll be amazed how well that gun cleans up with a little TLC.

Please post photos when you’re done!

__________________
"I also cook."

AAAH! No bronze wool etc.unless you're very careful and use some very fine stuff (0000)with oil. I only use bronze and oil for spots inside the frame window etc. never on polished exterior finishes. Bluing is controlled rust, nickel plating is just that, plating.

Flitz and a rag and time gets good results without scoring the finish- and only for an initial deep clean. Flitzing isn't part of regular maintenance for me. FWIW, I use nylon brushes on my nickel guns (and the more rare blue ones)

No ammonia based solvents (hoppe's , shooter's choice etc.) BoreTech has no ammonia and works quite well. NOTE- Boretech attacks bronze and copper so do not use bronze brushes with it. Nylon only.

CLP is a good follow-up to Bore tech. I treat CLP more as a preservative than as a cleaner.

I do not try to get my guns back to that pristine look by removing every last trace of carbon on the cylinder face. I'm just wearing the finish on a gun I'll be shooting again in a month or three- kinda pointless.

Hondo44 recommends Naval Jelly on Nickel guns where the plating is gone and the steel underneath has turned black. I haven't tried it.

YMMV.

__________________
SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

This thread starts anew about once a month. You might do a search.

Thank you and I will post pictures when I get it all cleaned up.

Thanks for the advise. I just ordered some nylon brushes for cleaning guns.

I would but I enjoy the interaction with other forum members.

Like with you.

Mineral spirits and a tooth brush will safely clean a blue, stainless, or nickle plated gun without doing damage. Be aware that all metal polishes are abrasive, and remove metal or bluing every time they are used.

After cleaning, a coating of CLP or wax and you are done.

I might even have some mineral spirits here.

Thanks

Glad you picked it up.
Some guy in the older forum was happy with 3 27's good to see it wasn't you.

__________________
Paul
S&WCA #2726

I've been using the Hoppes #9 Synthetic-Blend solvent. Safe on chrome, nickel, blued, plastic, and titanium. Does a good job of cleaning. Probably not as aggressive as the original #9. I did recently find out though Hoppes is discontinuing it, but that their Hoppes Elite Cleaner is essentially the same formula.

__________________
Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

Me too. Now I'm happy with 4.

Okay. I've been cleaning S&W nickel revolvers with Hoppe's #9 (and lately Ed's red also) since 1973 without problems. I clean only, no soaking. If a finish is harmed by any solvent, it's because of soaking or a break in the finish which includes "flaking". I wipe down with a lightly oiled cloth.

Lots of non-fact based rumors gets passed along especially on the Internet, but experience is worth far more. Abrasives, polishes, waxes, etc., may do harm but I have no experience with these products.

I scrub the cylinder face of revolvers with a brass brush or toothbrush and solvent, only to clean, never to get all the way to the finish. Until I find something wrong with this method, I'll continue. The overtly fastidious may cringe at the thought of such an unsightly cylinder face, but I enjoy handloading and shooting more than busy work.

Thanks.

I appreciate your input. I was scoffed for using Flitz on my older blued S&W. They turned out beautiful with zero trace of any bluing being removed.

I think there's a of of good advise here. I need something that will remove the carbon build up but don't want to damage the finish. I have always be more than happy with Hoppe's 9.

We have posts from both sides here in this thread.

I think a lot of times it depends on the user and the gun as much or more a the chemical being used.

I'm not a big shooter. If some folks knew how little I do shoot they would scoff me again for having the guns I have. LOL

Went shooting this morning; cleaning blue guns at the moment; a 25-5, a pre-23, a 36 snub nose, and a 15.

Oh, I forgot about this other great product. Great on stainless and nickel. Go gently.

Attached Images

1a07f108-ac50-432d-b9e8-86f125bcdb57_1.071bbe54669db21b56a49168f7fc708f (1).jpeg (23.5 KB, 18 views)

Cousin who had a gun shop/pawnshop swore by Blue Magic Metal Polish Cream. Says for chrome, aluminum and mag wheels. But it works like a charm and seems better than Flitz which I have used in the past. Does a fine job on nickel.