I’m sure this has been discussed ALOT. But I can’t get search function to work. What are you guys using to clean nickel plated S&Ws? I’m talking barrel, cylinder face etc fouling. Also nooks and cranny’s on exterior of gun where it is nickel plated. I know how to lightly polish or wax finish. But I’m interested in cleaning it first. Thanks in advance for guidance.
Cleaning Nickel
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Lonestar57
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Clean it using any good quality CLP. I use EEZOX to clean all my firearms.
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Back in the day, (45 years ago) I used Hoppes 9 - before discussions were around claiming Nickel could possibly be compromised from it. I never did have a any issues at all, but today I use G96 synthetic or Breakfree CLP’s.
I rarely use Hoppes anymore because the smell WE like is not a favorite of my wife’s. I reserve Hoppes 9 for really filthy and leaded guns and use it outside on rare ocassion now. My go-to recently is synthetic G96 Works great & no oder. The regular. G 96 also works well and smells great!
I rarely use Hoppes anymore because the smell WE like is not a favorite of my wife’s. I reserve Hoppes 9 for really filthy and leaded guns and use it outside on rare ocassion now. My go-to recently is synthetic G96 Works great & no oder. The regular. G 96 also works well and smells great!
Hair Trigger
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Flitz worked well for me in cleaning a badly oxidized nickel finish that had sat stored for ??? time. Made the gun shine like show car '58 Cadillac bumper.
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Use a cleaner with NO ammonia. Something like a CLP works well.
The older plating is usually done over copper. Some of the newer stuff, like on the nickel 442, this is not so much of a concern.
If you have any kind of ding in the nickel plating the ammonia based cleaners will start eating away at the copper under the nickel.
I also went to a music store and bought a soft cloth used to clean nickel instruments. It is soft and shines it up nice.
I am not a waxing kind of guy, even though I know I should be but here is a pic of my 19-5 and it is holding up well. I have owned it for about 8 years or so.
The older plating is usually done over copper. Some of the newer stuff, like on the nickel 442, this is not so much of a concern.
If you have any kind of ding in the nickel plating the ammonia based cleaners will start eating away at the copper under the nickel.
I also went to a music store and bought a soft cloth used to clean nickel instruments. It is soft and shines it up nice.
I am not a waxing kind of guy, even though I know I should be but here is a pic of my 19-5 and it is holding up well. I have owned it for about 8 years or so.
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If is is a factory S&W nickel plating, don't worry about solvents lifting the nickel. S&W plated the nickel directly to the underlying steel or aluminum, so no copper intermediate layer for solvent to dissolve and cause the nickel to lift. To get the cylinder face and forcing cone area really clean, a little Flitz metal polish or Mother's Mag & Aluminum Wheel polish and a soft, cotton cloth. Gently polish until the nickel is clean.
Thanks for all the input. My concern was the nickel finish itself. Seems as though the consensus is that there’s no copper under it to damage. So I’ll clean internals with a solvent but be careful not to let it sit on nickel just to be safe.
Pisgah
Member
There is no real Tooth Fairy, and a nickeled S&W can be cleaned just like a blued one. Even WD-40, destroyer of worlds, won't hurt them...
I use Flitz on a toothbrush for initial cleaning on all guns I acquire regardless of finish...Good results with no issues for me...
...Ben
max503
Member
I once put vinegar and peroxide in a nickel revolver barrel to get out the lead.
The solvent came out orange-colored.
You probably shouldn't do that.
The solvent came out orange-colored.
You probably shouldn't do that.
This is kinda what I thought. I only have a few nickel guns. They are safe queens mostly and rarely need cleaning. I’ve recently read some things about solvents and thought hmmmmm have I been doing this wrong my whole life.
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I was just going to mention what you did about the S&W Nickeled guns not containing Copper but you beat me to the punch.
Yes - Flitz can be used gently, HOWEVER I'd not use it more than once - twice at the max. Although Flitz is about the best polish out there and I use and love the stuff, it is however still an abrasive - albeit a very mild one.
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