642 Surface "flaking"

[Southampton]

I've had my new 642 about 2 months. Much carry and ~200 rounds. Always carried alone in a pocket holsterwith no keys, etc. to contact finish.

Despite my care, there appears to be the beginning of surface flaking on 1 or 2 high spots.

Is this characteristic of the materials of construction/finish.. live with it or a manufacturing defect ?

Thanks

 

[Person]

This is very common on the 642. If you do some searches you will find a lot of threads on it. I am not sure if S&W repairs it for free or not. I have heard in some cases they do and others they do not.

 

[Dragon88]

S&W does not cover finish wear on these guns under warranty, but you can call and talk to them if you like.

My 642 must have been finished on a Wednesday. After a year of daily carry, it looks as good as the day I bought it.

 

[photoman]

What products are you using to clean the gun?

 

[JR78]

My 642's clear coat has been flaking off for the last couple of years. It's going to get cera-koted here in a few weeks.

 

[357 guy]

My 642 gets a lot of pocket wear and it shows. It is a beautiful handgun. The ugliest thing about it is a damn little hole on the left side...and S & W wonders why my #1 is a GLOCK.

 

[xopher88x]

I have one that's 3 years old. I carry it all over the place (both physically on my person and geographically). Pocket, IWB, Smart Carry, all 4 seasons, and it shows lots of wear. The corners/edges of where the back strap meets the enclosed hammer area are down right polished to a shine. I have some minor flaking on the flats too. I don't mind. It's honest wear, not abuse, and I don't expect it to look as if it was new. It gets practiced with a lot, carried a lot, and God forbid if/when I need 5-for-sure, I know it's going to work. It started to show this wear after about 2 months. At first I was upset but quickly took it as "character". It's what makes it mine. To each his own.

 

[warrconn]

I kept reading about the finish flakng off on the 642s, so i bought a 442. These are black, not blued like some think. I've only had it for 9 months, but as far as the finish goes, so far so good.

 

[JR78]

Update: S&W replaced the frame. Took them 10 days from the time I sent it off until I received it back this afternoon. Looks like they are using a new process because there is no clear coat on the frame.

 

[Dragon88]

Update: S&W replaced the frame. Took them 10 days from the time I sent it off until I received it back this afternoon. Looks like they are using a new process because there is no clear coat on the frame.

Really? Can you post some pics of the new finish?

 

[kbm6893]

They refinished mine twice for free before i sold it. Pisses me off that such a distinguished gun manufacturer would continue to use such a fragile finish. The new finish sucks. When i sold my duty Glock after 10 years of bumping it around and thousands of unholstering and reholstering, it still looked new.

 

[jframe]

I think all the -2 guns have the crappy clear coat finish. I've got an early production 642-1 that is anodized, and I carry it EVERY DAY in a pocket holster, and it only shows high edge wear, and NO flaking. Some of the black writing on the right side is fading, but these guns aren't meant to sit in a safe.