Every rebound slide I have worked on has deep tool marks. I like to stone / polish the bottom and back surface but I'm reluctant to go deep enough to completely remove the tool marks. Are the dimensions critical such that removing too much material will affect functioning? Would like to get a nice flat, polished surface but not at the expense of function / reliability / safety. Opinions?
Polishing Rebound Slide
- Thread starter Fullmetaljacket
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Knocking off the sharp corners and cleaning up burrs on the flat side and bottom (if there are any) is all that is necessary. Many owners who use their firearms for competition also lightly polish the interior of the spring recess. My instructors at the armorer's school also suggested checking for burrs and de-burring, if necessary, the sides of the tongue at the front of the rebound slide. Creating a mirror surface you can see yourself in is a waste of time IMO.
Some use stones for this purpose, like Arkansas, or a 6" medium or fine India (aluminum oxide) stone, similar to what the factory provides in the armorer's tool kits. Others clean up these flats and edges with very fine wet/dry paper on a flat surface, like a piece of glass, for example.
To answer your question, yes, it is possible to damage internal parts, including the rebound slide, by excessive stoning and polishing. Even very small alterations in dimensions can adversely affect a particular part's fitness and it's ability to function as designed.
Some use stones for this purpose, like Arkansas, or a 6" medium or fine India (aluminum oxide) stone, similar to what the factory provides in the armorer's tool kits. Others clean up these flats and edges with very fine wet/dry paper on a flat surface, like a piece of glass, for example.
To answer your question, yes, it is possible to damage internal parts, including the rebound slide, by excessive stoning and polishing. Even very small alterations in dimensions can adversely affect a particular part's fitness and it's ability to function as designed.
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I have not find to be the case when polishing the spring rebound.
Just don't like all the rough finish.
Just don't like all the rough finish.
Alk8944
US Veteran
All that is needed is to knock the high spots off the rebound slide. Use a heavily oiled Hard Arkansas stone. Rub the bottom and sides of the rebound slide only until you feel it "float"on the oil. It is obvious because the friction abruptly stops and the floating feeling begins very distinctly. It only takes 6-10 strokes on each side. You can polish the inside of the hole too using a small "Cratex" cylinder that will freely enter the hole and make 2-3 passes. You don't have to apply pressure, the imbalance of the polishing media will cause it to make adequate contact. Again, just the rough points need to be removed, not the surface polished smooth!
You don't want to polish any of the internals of a S&W very much as the case hardening is very thin.
You don't want to polish any of the internals of a S&W very much as the case hardening is very thin.
boatbum101
Member
Reducing fricton between moving parts is the goal & like stated above a little goes along way . Moly paste or Brownell's Action Magic helps too . Neco also makes a excellent moly paste , it burnishes into the pores of the parts & does wonders . So many think putting a spring kit is an action job .....wrong all it'll do for the uninformed is create misfires & if on a SD weapon get you killed .
If you use a hard Arkansas stone or any sharpening stone Hit the part with about 20 strokes and then stops. As mentions you just want to smooth out the high spots.
Slow is the secret to a good trigger job. Polish and then test, polish and test. Don't try to go to fast or you will ruin parts,
Slow is the secret to a good trigger job. Polish and then test, polish and test. Don't try to go to fast or you will ruin parts,
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
The rebound slide performs several functions and requires certain dimensions to perform properly. Polish the surface, okay, but do not reduce critical dimensions.
If the engineers thought the rebound slide needed to be polished smooth on all sides, it would be manufactured in that manner. I agree that a few passes on a stone will do no harm as well as a clean up in the slide pathway inside the frame.
dfariswheel
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One key part of the rebound to address is to bevel the back edge at the bottom back side.
If the edge is sharp it can dig into roughness of the frame.
As above, all that's needed is to level machine marks so they can't catch on other machine marks on the frame.
When we talk about "polishing" gun parts we really mean to SMOOTH the parts.
Polishing to a mirror polish not only doesn't do anything good, it can ruin the part by removing too much metal.
For maximum benefit you may need to also lightly stone the frame on the bottom and back side where the rebound slides.
A thin coat of grease inside the rebound and on the bottom and back side works wonders.
If the edge is sharp it can dig into roughness of the frame.
As above, all that's needed is to level machine marks so they can't catch on other machine marks on the frame.
When we talk about "polishing" gun parts we really mean to SMOOTH the parts.
Polishing to a mirror polish not only doesn't do anything good, it can ruin the part by removing too much metal.
For maximum benefit you may need to also lightly stone the frame on the bottom and back side where the rebound slides.
A thin coat of grease inside the rebound and on the bottom and back side works wonders.
series guy
Member
After stoning the slide I put some metal polish in the frame and then insert the slide and work it back and forth for 10-15 minutes. Then I thoroughly clean everything and try the parts again dry. The rebound slide should work very smooth. After this it's time for a light lube and re assembly.
OP
Thanks for all the replies. Just knocking the rough edges off makes sense. I guess I always wondered why the exposed face of the slide is highly polished from the factory when the bottom and back, the faces that actually contact the frame are so rough.
