Picked up a stainless 60-15 this week and, on further examination, I'd like more uniformity in the satin finish. Don't care if it is high polish or satin, but I'd like the frame and barrel to be more uniform...like my Rugers. My 60-15 varies from high polish to fairly dull, particularly around the rear frame.

What materials and process do you use to even out the finish?

Welcome! You can try milder polishing compounds first (Flitz, Mother's) and then proceed to Scotch-Brite pads, but be aware the factory uses a process called passivation that is a thin protective metal coating. Too much abrasion will remove this and the gun will be more likely to rust under the right (wrong) conditions.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Below is a link to a post on hand refinishing S&W stainless revolvers. There's different techniques, based on weather you want that bright shinny nickle look, brushed stainless look, or a flat matte look which is done with special super fine glass beads (nothing like "sand blasted") - it's how a lot of the Performance Center revolvers are finished now days.

Your gun sounds like it's in good shape and you want to blend the brush finish so it all looks the same. I'd use a wet/dry 1000 grit sandpaper, back by a small piece ridged foam cut to the size of a pack of gum. Then I'd finish it with the fine gray synthetic wool sold by Brownells.

Passivization is something I've never seen discussed here, but it is an important property of stainless steel. Basically, IIRC, it's a layer of oxidized chromium, only a few atoms thick, that forms on the surface of SS and gives it, to a large degree, it's non-rusting properties. SS will passivate naturally over time. Or, if you feel it's necessary, you can accelerate passivization by applying a weak acid solution to the surface of the metal. White vinegar, diluted one-to-one with water will work. It takes about 8 hours for the full affect to be achieved.

Model 627 is an eyesore!

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

When I get a stainless revolver that doesnt have any real collector value and the polishing job is so/so or it has much wear, I just bead blast it. With the right equipment, you can get outstanding results. I already had an air compressor, a guy gave me a harbor freight blasting box and gun. I just had to buy the glass bead media. It was about $25 from harbor freight and you can use it over and over and over and over. Ive probably blasted 15 of my rescued S&Ws over the years and love them. Here is my latest. It is a 60-9 that had a little corrosion, scratches and uneven polishing. about 45 minutes worth of work, which includes tear down, taping up and reassembling and she looks like this.

Here are some others, I have done.
617-1

625-3 and 625-4

Those look great, qballwill!
I've done the high polish and that was fun - I like that finish.
But, I've been wanting to try bead blasting. I already have a compressor...hmmm, Harbor Freight, eh?

qballwill,

Do you remove the front sights and the parts inside the ejector lug?

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I remove every pin, spring, screw, sights and internals. There is nothing left but the frame. I put masking tape over the muzzle to protect the crown and rifling. I also put empty cartridges in the cylinder. I tape over parts of the yoke that go into the frame and cylinder so they stay as smooth as possible. I do put the sideplate back on and screw it in and blast the frame as one piece. If the gun you blast has laser etchings instead of rollmarks, you need to move over those areas fairly quickly or it will remove them. I blast at about 85-90 psi.

Your work looks great, and by taking them down to every last component molecule you're doing it right. Can you post which HF gun you're using?

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I just use the one that came with the cabinet. It looks like there is a bench top cabinet on sale for $119. Not exactly the same as what I have, but about the same size. It says it comes wit a gun. I bet its the same. Just a simple suction feed that circulates the media.

Passivation is actually used to even out the finish from the factory brushing. It may be billed as an added rust preventative , but that is just hype. A 3M metal finishing pad will put a uniform surface brushed finish, which can be then toned by by Flitz cream or a Cape Cod cloth.The latter requires no hard rubbing and will not polish to a mirror like Flitz will.

It's not hype. It's a fact of nature. That's like saying gravity is hype. You can understand it, or ignore it, but it's not "hype".

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

In 1986 our gun club went on a tour of the Smith &Wesson factory. We got to see a line of model 65's that just finished getting their final brush.an acid wash was then performed to give a more uniform look This is how it was described then.The hype is the explanation why this process is done and not the process itself.Colt does not perform this step in their ultimate stainless finish for obvious reasons.

How To Passivate Stainless Steel Parts : Modern Machine Shop

Stainless Steel is not rust proof it is rust resistant. SS needs this surface treatment to increase its rust/oxidation resistance.

The chromium is able to self passivate continuously just by being exposed to oxygen.So if the OP wanted to perform a refinish himself, either polished or brushed his revolver should not rust.Self passivation does not have to be the last step in the manufacturing process.

Thanks guys! Never did anything but clean my other SS revolvers so I spent about an hour with some automotive rubbing compound & Flitz and the S&W looks great now.

The factory finish was so uneven I considered selling it unfired! Glad I didn't...nice little gun.