bead blast finish: hard to clean, durable?

wheelyfun66 · Apr 18, 2013

Hey All,
I wanted to start a new thread, regardless of any search results that I may have seen, because updated info is always good!

Please only respond to this thread if you own or have experience in cleaning bead blasted revolvers!

I just sent a revolver off to Gemini Customs, for a makeover and bead blast finish....

I am curious if: Bead blast is very difficult to clean (without rubbing it back to shiny finish)?

and: what is your method of cleaning bead blast finish?

and: how has it held up over time?

Thanks very much!

Mule Packer · Apr 18, 2013

I don't have a bead-blasted revolver, but I do have a stainless, bead-blasted rifle.

That's the beauty of bead-blasting. It's virtually a maintenance-free type of thing. Wipe it down with a slightly oiled rag and call it good. Throw it back in the truck and you're ready to go again.

Gunhacker · Apr 18, 2013

My routine.... soak with a cleaner (I like to use simple green as it cuts oils and crude better than what I previously used), use an extremely soft bristle tooth brush to work the cleaner into the pores of a blasted area... let it marinate, then rinse out all of the dissolved crud with water heated in microwave just to the point of boiling. This cleaning method carried over from when I used to shoot CAS with black powder cartridges.

I've been doing it for 10+ years with my blued and stainless firearms... not getting heavy handed (with the toothbrush or whatever you use) is the key to not burnish the surface of the beaded surface into being shinny, let the cleaner do most of the work.

Lou_NC · Apr 18, 2013

I assume you're talking about a stainless gun here?

I have satin stainless S&W revolvers, and several bead blasted S&W revolvers (the bead blasted ones are 625's).

Both finishes "clean up" equally well when it comes to removing powder fouling using solvent (Shooter's Choice, Hoppe's, etc), rags, and a plastic GI cleaning toothbrush.

In my experience, the bead-blasted finish is much more prone to cosmetic marking up from dings and holster rubs, as well as gun safe rubs.

I also cleaned the burn rings off of the cylinder face of one of my 625's using Flitz one time, and I noticed that the finish is now satin stainless, not bead blasted stainless! I didn't really care, but you should be aware of the potential for that happening.

Bottom line is that I prefer satin (brushed) stainless to bead blasted stainless from a cosmetic standpoint. To me, it looks good longer, and is easier for me to "restore" with a white scotch brite pad, than having to re-blast to restore the finish.

Lou

S&W Fan · Apr 19, 2013

Here's my late father's 686 no dash that was bead blasted somewhere around 1990, I inherited it in '92. It's been shot a lot with both mags & special.

My routine started out with Hoppes No. 9 & a brass brush, later changed over to MPro 7 & nylon brush, then finished up with the Birchwood Casey lead removal cloth on the front of the cylinder & under the topstrap to finish up the carbon clean up. No shiny spots, this system works great for me.

bead blast finish: hard to clean, durable?

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