What's everyone's thought? Like it? Don't like it? Admittedly I prefer the factory finish. However I have a stainless revolver that has the dreaded "pick" mark on the side cover. It bothers me. It seems everyone before the invention of the internet seemed to pry the side covers off. It's a 3" Ashland model 66 and I'm thinking of having it sanded and polished. I'm unsure who could do the work and bring it back to factory finish.
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Polishing a stainless revolver
- Thread starter swage
- Start date
Hawkeye3844
Well-known member
I like the look of polished stainless steel.
You can use Flitz, or good Ol Borraso.
Hawk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You can use Flitz, or good Ol Borraso.
Hawk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
SammyJoe
Well-known member
Swage,
Don't let just anybody do the refinish work on a stainless gun. My dad had a friend of the family who was a "gunsmith" in his retiring life polish his model 63.....big mistake
-Sam
RGNewell
SWCA Member
Do it yourself with sandpaper to remove heavy marks and polish with 0000 steel wool
Or just use gray Scotchbrite...
...Ben
sstark036
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2016
- Messages
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I had a 4” Anaconda that had lots of little scratches on it. A t shirt,some mothers mag wheel polish and a few hours gave it a nice sheen. Shinier than stock,but not like the factory polished version either.
I dislike polished stainless guns in the extreme!!!
geekeye
Well-known member
the problem with polishing stainless steel that doesn't have a super hard heat treat is that it wont take long to get full of scratches again
Fishinfool
Well-known member
Hard to say without seeing it, but I would be careful about filing / sanding away a raised "pick mark" on the side plate. You cant replace metal once it's gone. Maybe gently peen it back into place before final blending?
I am like a raccoon - I Like shiny..
Larry
I am like a raccoon - I Like shiny..
Larry
bearman49709
Well-known member
Gently peen it back in place with a small punch then blend with gray Scotch-Brite pad.
Many of us refuse to buy a stainless steel gun that's someone polished, we don't know what else Bubba did to it!
Many of us refuse to buy a stainless steel gun that's someone polished, we don't know what else Bubba did to it!
cmj8591
Well-known member
How about some pictures? You have a scarce gun. It might have been degraded by the scratches but it will certainly be degraded further if you polish it. If I did anything, I would try to get it as close to the factory finish as possible. If you decide to do something, stay away from the homeopathic cures and send it off someplace where they specialize in this kind of thing. Pay once, cry once.
OLDSTER
Well-known member
I like the looks of a polished SS revolver. I've polished several with Mothers Mag and old cotton socks. Go for it.
Polishing a stainless gun changes the factory finish which reduces the gun’s value. I always suspect other “kitchen table improvements” could have been done which will further reduce value, reliability and functioning. Just buy a nickel gun if a polished shiny look is what you want.
Put me in the same category as Nightowl and ken158. I much prefer the appearance of the original finish of stainless. My favorite is the brushed look of my 64 NY-1 or 625-3.
Want shiny? Go nickel.
Want shiny? Go nickel.
Hasbeen1945
Absent Comrade
Everyone likes a as new SS handgun. But if you use it or carry it , they all get scratched up at some point. One option is to polish it.
Which is my chosen option.
Jerry in SC
Well-known member
I've done it years ago before I learned why I shouldn't.
S&W uses passivation to enhance the corrosion resistance of stainless revolvers. That's what gives a stainless revolver that hazy or milky look in the finish.
S&W uses passivation to enhance the corrosion resistance of stainless revolvers. That's what gives a stainless revolver that hazy or milky look in the finish.
I have had this M66 almost 48 years. Over those years it has picked up some marks. It has been polished by me a few times.
It is easier to keep nice now than it had the factory finish. Over the years it has grown on me.
As for nickel, a 48 year old nickel revolver that has been used pretty hard probably will not look this good. Stainless steel has replaced nickel for corrosion resistance, I think.
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It is easier to keep nice now than it had the factory finish. Over the years it has grown on me.
As for nickel, a 48 year old nickel revolver that has been used pretty hard probably will not look this good. Stainless steel has replaced nickel for corrosion resistance, I think.
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