Jyezahn
US Veteran
For those, I used just the Dremel an Scotch-Guard type bit and a little polishing compound on a polishing bit.
How do i get factory blueing off my barrel then polish?
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For those, I used just the Dremel an Scotch-Guard type bit and a little polishing compound on a polishing bit.
When I think "polish" I think cotton wheels on a bench polisher/grinder. First a hard cotton/felt wheel with a bit of jeweler's rouge, and then a rag wheel. I cannot image polishing so much that one could ever affect lockup. It would take years, and cost millions of lives!
Dikinalaska
Member
Jyezahn has it right. Use the scotchbrite wheels for the dremel to get the finish off than some polishing compound and the polish wheels with a dremel. The safety looks dark in the picture, but it's just glare. I didn't know they made the scotchbrite wheels so I did that step with an actual scotchbrite pad and elbow grease than polishing wheel. Barrel is next when I get home in a couple weeks. If you were going to use the vinegar soak, it's been mentioned on the forums many times that it'd be a good idea to tightly pack both ends of the barrel with cotton balls to keep the vinegar out. Whether or not it would actually effect the barrel on the inside, I don't know, but being the most important part I wouldn't want to find out.
It took 19 posts??
Elbow grease and Mother Mag Polish or Flitz, either will get the Melonite coating off without removing other material effecting dimensions.
Hint; Mothers is a little more aggressive and will save you some time...your call though.
JNewell
Member
When I think "polish" I think cotton wheels on a bench polisher/grinder. First a hard cotton/felt wheel with a bit of jeweler's rouge, and then a rag wheel. I cannot image polishing so much that one could ever affect lockup. It would take years, and cost millions of lives!
Chalk it up to language?
When I think 'polish,' I think of really eliminating all the tooling marks rather than just making the part bright. What you're describing would definitely be hard to make affect lockup, though I'm sure there are some who could manage even that. 
at this point there is too much info on here that i am lost. Do i use vigegar or not, Markush said no vinegar just start rubbing away with mothers and a rag and the Melonite will come right off? Im doing this by hand, no dremell.
Jyezahn
US Veteran
Just Mother's and a rag is going to be very time consuming. Since you don't have a Dremel, here is what I suggest to make it easier on you:
1. Soak in vinegar for 3-6 hours, use actual Scotch Brite pad to remove as much of the melonite as you can
2. Use some sandpaper (fine grit at this point) to remove the spots you could not get and to even it out
3. Use 1000 grit wet sandpaper to smooth out any lines
4. Use Mother's metal polish or Mag polish and a cloth to finish it up
From what I learned trying to get a little surface rust off an old marlin my grandfather gave me, 00 scotchbrite is not the same as 00 steel wool and will quickly strip off bluing... Then the other bit I found out after trying to sonic clean the bolt and bolt handle is that vinegar will strip a weak blue pretty quickly as well. Also cold bluing is a pain in the butt for larger areas.
thanks for all the information
This is what im going to do and i will update this original thread with before and after pictures.
The main thing i wanted to learn was if vinegar was detrimental to my barrel or not, and from what i gathered, it will not damage it if i thoroughly clean it off before polishing it (i am still a little skeptical about it though).
1. Plug both ends of barrel
2. Dip in vinegar for 3-6 hours (depending on how good/bad the black comes off)
3. dry off vinegar with microfiber cloth
4. take scotch bright pad with some mothers and buff out any remaining black off the barrel
5. sand to smooth out imperfections (might sand with mothers)
6. polish the living sh** out of it with dremell equipped with a little felt polishing wheel
7. VOILA!
This is what im going to do and i will update this original thread with before and after pictures.
The main thing i wanted to learn was if vinegar was detrimental to my barrel or not, and from what i gathered, it will not damage it if i thoroughly clean it off before polishing it (i am still a little skeptical about it though).
1. Plug both ends of barrel
2. Dip in vinegar for 3-6 hours (depending on how good/bad the black comes off)
3. dry off vinegar with microfiber cloth
4. take scotch bright pad with some mothers and buff out any remaining black off the barrel
5. sand to smooth out imperfections (might sand with mothers)
6. polish the living sh** out of it with dremell equipped with a little felt polishing wheel
7. VOILA!
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me sees a mess...right around the corner...
me sees a mess...right around the corner...
explain yourself
Mine only took a 20 minute soak to remove the blueing. Remember, vinegar is an acid, yes a mild acid, but an acid nonetheless. The less soaking, the better. The rest of the steps are fine.
Dikinalaska
Member
Your steps above are fine, except don't use mothers until the polishing step. It'll just gum up your scotchbrite pad and sandpaper. I'm guessing that's the mess mentioned. But the scotchbrite pad works amazingly well dry. Your first sanding step can be dry as well, than when moving up to 1000 grit sanding paper do it wet. If the wet sanding isn't working as well as you'd like, use some Mothers with it at that point. All together I'd really suggest picking up a Dremel if budget allows. You can get the Dremel and all the wheels needed for around $60 and you'd be amazed at how handy those things are. It'll probably save you a couple hours. But best of luck to you either way.
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i have a better idea...you have nine posts here and already your language has been censored....that being said you explain yourself...
We're all adults here, and i can see your an uptight one, if your not gna contribute to this topic i would appreciate it if you said nothing at all
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there you go!see?you CAN post without being censored!
now...back to the finish stripping
My thinking is if Smith & Wesson blued the barrel there must be a reason. Since so little of it will show it seems to be a bit of a bother to me. It's your handgun & if that's what you want then God bless you. If I were to buy a used gun I would certainly turn down one that had the bluing removed since it adds nothing to the efficiency of the weapon. Besides I carry concealed so nobody sees it anyhow. I think there are some after market barrels available that come without the bluing. Maybe that would be your best route. Then you'd be able to restore your gun to factory original appearance.
Denversteve
Member
I would simply purchase a stainless barrel, polish and install it. Keep your stock barrel for ... whatever. You'll save a lot of time, unless that's what you have the most of.
Jyezahn
US Veteran
The only reason the factory made them all black is for looks. Besides, if he wanted to return it to factory, he'd just have to buy a factory barrel from S&W, wouldn't he? Why does everyone chime in about selling their guns? I didn't buy my guns with the thought of selling them. To me, they're a source of fun, protection, and a tool. Do I go to the store to buy a tool with the thought of selling it? No. You're entitled to your opinion, but dang, let others enjoy customizing their stuff the way they want to. (Buying an aftermarket polished barrel takes the fun out of it.)
