642 Airweight clear coat

[FLJoe]

I have a pair of 642's, both bought at the same time, just under 2 years ago. I carry them both, but one in particular has been in my pocket nearly every day, all day, since I got them. The other sometimes gets pocket duty, but usually, when it's carried, it's in an OWB pancake holster (that one has wood grips, the pocket one has the factory rubber grips). I use a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster.

The one that rides around in my pocket every day has developed a pretty serious case of clear coat peeling. The backstrap in particular has come off in flakes, and is now entirely bare aluminum.

What's interesting is that the finish on the two guns is not identical (one is a -1 and the other a -2 with the lock). If I were to compare it to varnish, I'd say it feels and looks like the peeling gun (the pocket one) is almost a gloss finish, where the other gun, whose finish is basically perfect and looks like new, is matte.

As an EDC pocket gun, I don't care *that* much that the one is peeling (but it does bother me a little), and with the backstrap fully peeled, you don't even really notice that the finish is gone. Still it gets me wondering if this is an issue with a lot of the 642's. Was the glossy, peeling one done wrong?

I've heard where I could potentially send it back to Smith and Wesson and they'll either refinish it or replace it, but I don't feel like that hassle, and I don't even want it replaced as I've gotten the trigger so nicely broken in that I love the way it shoots. I just don't want it to start corroding, if that's a concern. Finally, I've not gotten any cleaning solvent at all on the aluminum. I've been very careful about that since getting the guns.

 

[MetalMan]

My 2 cents FWIW...

You've said, "I've gotten the trigger so nicely broken in that I love the way it shoots". As this is one of your EDC's, I'm of the opinion "if it ain't broke........"

IMHO, the changes in the finish add "character".

And aluminum won't "corrode".....

YMMV.

 

[rockquarry]

Hard to imagine doing anything to such a gun, especially one that's carried (and hopefullty fired) regularly. I've never heard of solvent being detrimental in any way to aluminum, but I'm not a pro.

I'd be much more concerned about important aspects such as the mechanical function and reliability of the revolver and how accurate it was, rather than a harmless cosmetic matter, but it's not my gun.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I wore the clear coat off my scandium J frame edc pocket carry, had it ceracoated, wore that out and had it done again. Here’s the current color scheme. My buds who did the coating didn’t charge me for the second one. I haven’t carried it yet as my edc lately is a ltwt Colt Mustang.

 

[Farmer17]

The clear coat issue was very common years ago on 642's but I've not heard much about it lately and assumed they had improved the coating or finish. Regardless I prefer the looks of the blackish 442 better.

 

[FLJoe]

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I'm not really concerned about the cosmetic aspect of it. I'd rather it wasn't doing it yet, because it's not a very old gun, and it does seem like it should have held up better cosmetically than it has, but it does work perfectly and I'll not give it up for some cosmetic wear.

I was a little more thinking of corrosion on the aluminum. I live in Florida, and I do get the gun pretty sweaty on regular occasions, enough so that I changed the grip screw over to stainless because the black steel one rusted badly. I've seen aluminum start pitting and corroding when exposed to salt water or even sweat (I'm a cyclist and have seen bikes corroded from sweat), and I got wondering if the coating is on there as an anti-corrosion coating. Otherwise, why would you coat aluminum?

 

[rockquarry]

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I'm not really concerned about the cosmetic aspect of it. I'd rather it wasn't doing it yet, because it's not a very old gun, and it does seem like it should have held up better cosmetically than it has, but it does work perfectly and I'll not give it up for some cosmetic wear.

I was a little more thinking of corrosion on the aluminum. I live in Florida, and I do get the gun pretty sweaty on regular occasions, enough so that I changed the grip screw over to stainless because the black steel one rusted badly. I've seen aluminum start pitting and corroding when exposed to salt water or even sweat (I'm a cyclist and have seen bikes corroded from sweat), and I got wondering if the coating is on there as an anti-corrosion coating. Otherwise, why would you coat aluminum?

The possible deterioration of aluminum would be worth looking into. I've never heard of such a thing but have had five or six alloy-framed snubnose guns, Colt and S&Ws going back to the '50s. Their finish was intact so I can't say from experience whether exposed aluminum is impervious to damage from the elements or other sources. Good luck-

 

[Protocall_Design]

Aluminum can oxidize. Aluminum oxide is a white powder. It's the aluminum version of rust on steel. Bare aluminum will rub off black on your hands.

The way to keep aluminum from corroding is to cover it with something that keeps oxygen and moisture from touching it. Oil or grease works, but is messy and rubs off easily. Hard anodizing is a good choice. It's a pretty tough finish and very thin, so no worries about making parts not fit. Cerakote is good, but a lot thicker. You have to be careful where it's applied in some areas.

 

[BKLooney]

The backstrap on mine is flaked/worn but doesn't bother me much.

 

[BKLooney]

Cannot remember where I saw this but this guy wasn't happy with the way his finish did and polished this 642.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=647922&stc=1&d=1695854504

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=647923&stc=1&d=1695854531

 

[wood714]

I carried my 642-1 for a few years, this is the kind of finish wear I've got. Some on the back strap too. I don't think it hurts anything.

 

[Super Trucker]

I have a 340sc that looks like its been drug behind a truck for 50 miles. The finish is gone and no one including S&W will refinish it.
As I am getting older the recoil of the gun is starting to be an issue, so I have went to a different gun but due to the destroyed finish I can't sell it.
This is very frustrating as the gun was $800 nearly 20 years ago when I bought it and is worthless now.
I had a Kramer pocket holster to start then went to a mica, so its not like I went with a garbage holster. Every other day I remove the gun from the holster and look inside to make sure there isn't stuff inside that would damage the gun, I've done this since I started to carry in the early 90's.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Tannic acid from the tanning process of a leather holster will do that,

 

[Retired W4]

I have the little 317 with clear coat, June, 1998 that I stuff in my pocket often with no adverse effects. I don't use a pocket holster It has a couple dings on the backstrap with no apparent corrosion. Maybe the coat process was good that year. ??

 

[InTheWoods]

I have found that simply putting a coat of paste wax on the clear coat a couple of times a year pretty much solves this issue. Gotta wear through the wax to get to the clear coat. Works perfectly for me and much easier than constantly oiling blued/stainless steel. Voila!

 

[FLJoe]

I have a 340sc that looks like its been drug behind a truck for 50 miles. The finish is gone and no one including S&W will refinish it.
As I am getting older the recoil of the gun is starting to be an issue, so I have went to a different gun but due to the destroyed finish I can't sell it.
This is very frustrating as the gun was $800 nearly 20 years ago when I bought it and is worthless now.
I had a Kramer pocket holster to start then went to a mica, so its not like I went with a garbage holster. Every other day I remove the gun from the holster and look inside to make sure there isn't stuff inside that would damage the gun, I've done this since I started to carry in the early 90's.

I wouldn't trust that gun anymore at all. Unfortunately it looks in the pictures like the corrosion has gone right through the frame. The integrity of the metal will have been really compromised.

 

[FLJoe]

I have found that simply putting a coat of paste wax on the clear coat a couple of times a year pretty much solves this issue. Gotta wear through the wax to get to the clear coat. Works perfectly for me and much easier than constantly oiling blued/stainless steel. Voila!

Yep, I think this is what I'll do (wax). I'm not going to stop pocket carrying it, and hopefully I get a long good run of use out of it. If it does corrode to a point that is beyond just cosmetics, I'll get an all-stainless 640 and call it a day.

 

[ogso]

How would Ren wax compare to a paste wax? I've used on a couple of knives and they look nice.