Can anything be done about minor scratches?

[douk]

1947 K-22 with the 6 inch barrel.
It has been well used, but cleaned after each use. There is some wear (on the finish) that is visible on the end of the barrel (from the leather holster).
and....
My 1947 K-22 has some fine scratches on the right side. I don't know how it got scratched
Is there anything I can do to restore that metal?
Please see pictures
Respectfully, Douk

 

[Hondo44]

Douk,
Your pics are too small to see anything. If the scratches are thru the bluing, the only thing you can do is go over them with a cold blue so the shiny metal doesn't standout. If not thru the blue you can polish with Flitz, Mothers or semichrome very gently.

 

[douk]

Sorry, I thought the thumbs were links to the full size.
Thanks for the tips. What on earth could have caused these scratches?

cold blue.......i'm going to look that up.

 

[markeb]

Very nice one liner K-22 you have there. As for the scratches, maybe from a holster with a thumb strap. If it was mine, I would just clean with some CLP and enjoy and admire. You could also wax it with some Renaissance Wax. Your gun just has what I call character.

 

[dangt]

Please dont use cold blue on your gun! It is FINE as it is. Dont clean with paper towels and dont use any polish on it.

 

[gdauth]

The only way you can prevent scratches and normal wear and tear is to lock it away in a safe and never use it. Keep it clean, oiled and takeout to the range and use it. I have guns that are over 70 years old and they show their age, but they are still beautiful works of art in my opinion.

 

[H Richard]

Holster carry is most probably the culprit for the scratches, if not the holster snap, the rubbing against your arm, jacket, etc while you carry it. I wouldn't cold blue it, may look worse than not touching it. A little gentle Flitz or renaissance wax may subdue the look.

 

[Texas Star]

Some ding-a-ling may have put the gun in a box with empty .22 brass and that might have scratched it. I know of one gun store where the near-minimum wage clerks used to scratch guns all the time by putting them in a safe every night. The guns rubbed against each other a lot.

Someone might have shoved it under a car seat, where anything might scratch it.

I'm glad that it''s now in better hands. One reason why i prefer stainless guns is that one can often buff out scratches with metal polish.

 

[douk]

Thanks for the replies and comments everyone. I will never know for sure about those darn scratches, but I do know I'm probably to blame. I did let my nephews borrow it on two separate occasions for range trips, but I won't blame them. You hand someone a gun, and you deserve whatever you get.

Hmmm........I'm qualified to be a Ding-a-ling.........at least I recall having the name flung at me once or twice.......yes, I accept the blame this time.

I don't think Dad bought it used, but I don't want to spend $50 for the letter to make sure. Darn inflation.

I'm leaning towards the metal snap for the thumb strap as the source of the scratches. They seem to be consistent in that one area.
Thanks again everyone. The cold blue is off the table, but I will leave open the other options for now.

 

[snubbyfan]

The only way you can prevent scratches and normal wear and tear is to lock it away in a safe and never use it. Keep it clean, oiled and takeout to the range and use it. I have guns that are over 70 years old and they show their age, but they are still beautiful works of art in my opinion.

It's a sad gun that spends all it's time in a cold dark safe. Leave it as is, shoot, clean and enjoy.

 

[douk]

I came to the right place for opinions on my scratches. Maybe in the hands of a seasoned gun smith some careful touchup might lessen the impact of the scratches, but I have decided I won't try. Sometimes when I try too hard, things go wrong.
I love the gun, and it would take an astronomically high price for me to sell it. I'm talking about an "I don't want to sell it price" like maybe thousands of US Dollars, or some Gold Eagles.
You guys know I'm telling the truth when I say "I can hit what I'm aiming at" with that gun........very accurate.
One time while hiking in the Rockies we stuck an empty aluminum can on the branch of a log that fell into the creek. We sat on the bank about 25 feet away and (how do you say?) did some plinking. After a few rounds we wondered if we were on target, because there was no movement in the can. Well I stepped out onto the log to get a look, and sure enough those longs went right through (dead center). Or at least one of them did.
To follow up on that story, I later got reminded that pumping lead into a mountain stream is not cool.
So many years ago, so young, so many mistakes.

 

[alaskavett]

I'm thinking (and that can be dangerous) that some of the scratches are from reusing of a rag that has been compromised with some fine grit. I have also seen a holster that had dirt inside it literally wipe the blue off a fine early 29. Holsters can be a death sentence to a fine gun. Nice K22 that you can enjoy for many years to come and be proud to own it at the same time. What a win win situation. Kyle

 

[raw6464]

Take the advice of not trying to remove the scratches on a blued gun. You'll only thin out the bluing and compromise the guns finish some more.

DO NOT use cold blue other than very small touch ups. Depending the size of the wear such as holster wear on the muzzle I'd consider it. But scratches on frame never.

If the scratches bother you that much I'd consider polishing and hot bluing, but get recommendations from friends and dealers first.

 

[DAinTX]

I agree with those who recommend NOT to use cold-blue on that. You'd likely wind up with an area that looks very noticeably different than the rest of the gun.

 

[Nightowl]

That is a great looking gun as is. I don't think there is anything you should try to ease the scratches. The one time I tried to do something with a scratch on a blued gun, I made it worse.

Just use it and clean it and accept that there will be some wear with use.

 

[Hondo44]

Well now that I can see the very minor scratches you're referring to, they definitely do not warrant cold blue or anything else. They are clearly random, careless handling scratches; carrying or putting the gun in a bag together with other metal objects, etc. A gun should be treated like a photograph, always padded or wrapped so nothing can come into contact with the finish. A gun is a work of art like a painting, not a tool like a hammer thats put in a toolbox and jostled around with the other tools.

 

[douk]

I'm getting a feeling here of yes, no, maybe.....with some heck no thrown in.
The scratches, like all my chronic pains are messed up, but not enough to do surgery on.
Collects.......obviously a purist
AlaskaVett......I'm thinking you might be right about the dirty rag theory but the death sentence may be a bridge to far.......leather holster and unnecessary wear most assuredly, that's why I bought the little zippered pouch with the simulated sheep skin lining (or is it real?)
Raw......not afraid to journey into uncharted waters
DA.......conservative common sense
Nightowl......safe advice
And Hondo.......I was hoping you would reload and take another shot at it.

BTW: Is the pouch the best way to store the gun? It can sit for many months between uses.

Oh my.......how did that SW9 get in the shot?
I am greatly enjoying this topic and all the great advice. Browsing the Internet I found this that might interest some of you.


Nerdgun - A Gunsmith's Blog: Restoring Great Grandpa's Smith & Wesson

 

[MIKELUVR]

how in the world did he make Grandpa's gun look so good with that much damage ?

 

[dant]

those appear to be normal wear & handling marks, and the scratches , "on the curve" tells us, some one used the WRONG thing to clean & wipe down the gun, the repeatedly wiped around the top of the grip panels, maybe had a few metal burrs on a rag or used steel wool, something , abraded the surface in that area, same up front , at side plate screw OR they slipped with a screw driver?? if only it could talk...the rest is mormal wear and tear , handling marks... the front of the barrel tells us a holster may have been used, oh well, same in the back, maybe something got "under" the strap of the holster?? maybe the owner wore a ring and handled the gun?/....whatever,leave 'em be, keep the gun well oiled....all in all a fine looking gun........