Can't get an answer - even from S&W!

[overthehills]

I have been trying to determine the coating material used on the hammer, trigger, thumbpiece, ejector rod, & side plate screws of a brand new 66-8. I have contacted S&W customer service twice & only managed to get "they are case hardened". Though I agree the parts are most likely case hardened, I am highly skeptical the satin black finish I am seeing is only case hardening. S&W fails to acknowledge further inquiring emails about this black finish. Does anyone really know what the finish is?

 

[Kiwi cop]

Going back to my high school engineering classes, case hardening does cause bright steel to change colour. Sometimes a powder additive is used for additional hardening but not always. Look at the swirling pattern of colour on 19the century guns. It is all caused by the heat source for case hardening.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I do know, it's not their case hardening, that they have used on other models. It resembles more of a black nitride; as its pitch flat black in color.

The people on the phone I'm convinced, aren't gun people. They go by the info in front of them. And have sometimes preset responses to give for certain inquiries.

Many a day did I ponder, bead blasting those dark controls. I polished the cylinder on mine. Didnt like it. And sand blasted it with some carbon media I had at the time. By the time I got home and put it together, the cylinder looked darker than the "glass bead" finish on the rest of the gun and just left it like that.
It would have looked better with a stainless hammer , trigger , screws.

 

[Coastie762]

I'm also not a fan of the two-toned look. Another member posted awhile back they had success removing the black coating using naval jelly. I have not tried it (yet).

I have a 2.75" model 69 and a 625-8 PC that came with the black accents. I replaced the screws, thumb pieces and the 625's extractor rod with stainless parts. To date I have not touched the trigger or hammer as these don't bother me as much as the other parts.

I did remove the locks as well, again for the cosmetics.

Now if replacement hammers and triggers were available in flash chromed finish...

 

[armorer951]

I believe this may be a type of PVD or CVD coating, or what's called a "physical/chemical vapor deposition" finish. (aka: Armorguard, Melonite, etc) From what I've read, this is not a newly developed process, but has been used in various industries for decades.

I'm not certain if the parts are "hardened" during the PVD process or if the coating is applied after the case hardening process.

Physical vapor deposition - Wikipedia

PVD, CVD and DCD Coating for Firearms Industry - Armor Guard & S-Line - Richter Precision, Inc.

 

[scooter123]

I expect that they are blued, most likely a hot dip bluing. As for the satin look, most likely that is the "natural" finish produced for parts made with the MIM process. With the screws a satin blued finish is typical for blued fasteners of this type, look at any blued Socket Head Cap Screw and you will see a Satin Blue finish unless it's a Stainless Steel variant. BTW I expect that every screw used by Smith & Wesson is purchased from a contract supplier.