I messed up my 442's finish-tried...

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by ifilef:
How much would be the cost for such work, tomcatt51?

I don't know how much but if you call and ask they'll give you an idea. I have to agree with n4zov, you start out trying to fix a little blemish and end up with a big one. Been there. Sometimes just blackening the area with a sharpy once in a while is the best route.

 

[Pinger4186]

If you carry the gun every day, you'll end up wearing off the finish worse than that.

After a few years, when the finish is worn bad enough, send it in to have it refinished.

 

[Katy]

Originally posted by ifilef:

Do you recommend progressively adding coats without applying a damp cloth in between applications or wipe it down with a water-soaked paper towel or cloth, whatever, after each coat applied?

1). Remove the screw.
2). Take a q-tip and dip it in the Aluminum black. Touch the q-tip to the blemished spot.
Just like what touch up bluing does to steel, aluminum black will turn bare aluminum to black.
3). Blot off any excess fluid and apply a lite coat of oil.

 

[Spotteddog]

Don't worry ifilef!
My 342PD has the same black finish, and looks AWFUL after 8+ years of being carried daily. If your right handed, you can get by, by saying "that's the spot my index finger rests on". In the grand theme of things, it's just a zit on Heidi Klum?

 

[ifilef]

A zit on Heidi Klum spoils her image. It no longer makes her Heidi Klum, but makes her a more human Heidi Klum.

I appreciate y'all trying to make me feel better, but I'm looking for inexpensive solutions, if any, and not solace.

.

I can be more forgiving of Heidi Klum with a zit than my 442 with an ugly blemish. LOL.

 

[ifilef]

Originally posted by Spotteddog:
Don't worry ifilef!
My 342PD has the same black finish, and looks AWFUL after 8+ years of being carried daily. If your right handed, you can get by, by saying "that's the spot my index finger rests on". In the grand theme of things, it's just a zit on Heidi Klum?

I 'd take overall AWFUL to a cosmetic ugly defect that immediately draws the eye to it and detracts from the overall beautiful sterling appearance, at least with this gun.

 

[ifilef]

Originally posted by Katy:

Originally posted by ifilef:

Do you recommend progressively adding coats without applying a damp cloth in between applications or wipe it down with a water-soaked paper towel or cloth, whatever, after each coat applied?

1). Remove the screw.
2). Take a q-tip and dip it in the Aluminum black. Touch the q-tip to the blemished spot.
Just like what touch up bluing does to steel, aluminum black will turn bare aluminum to black.
3). Blot off any excess fluid and apply a lite coat of oil.

Okay, so do strip to the bare aluminum, only apply one coat, blot off excess, apply a lite coat of oil, and then I'm done.

 

[ifilef]

Originally posted by allglock:

Originally posted by ifilef:
How much would be the cost for such work, tomcatt51?

Just get the aluminum black. It will work. That gun looks like its been around anyway. Why waste the $$ on a refinish?

Photos can be deceiving, e.g, harsh lighting, etc. can make a gun look worse, there's some excess oil on the frame. The gun's actually LIKE NEW or at the least in excellent cosmetic condition excepting some slight barrel wear near the crown and that cylinder screw area.

I'd really feel kind of foolish going to the expense of a refinish, though, at this time. Gun is less than a year old and seldom carried in anything other than a Nemesis.

Prior to my making the gun worse, as depicted in the circular faded area, I did get by using a Sharpie on occasion to cover the cavity, etc. Now, something has to be done short of a refinish.

 

[ifilef]

I spoke to S&W this morning and was given a ballpark of $150.00 to refinish, including return shipping. That excludes my shipping it to them, and that would cost me an additional $50.00, at the least, so we're talking $200.00 total, maybe more. At this time, this is not acceptable to me.

If the Aluminum Black does not sufficiently (perfection not required) remedy the situation for me, I'll run it by my gunsmith, who is always reasonable. I'm just trying to eliminate the eye-catching quality of the defect. If I can 'cover it up' so that it wouldn't be noticeable, except upon close inspection with a discerning eye, that would suffice.

It should be fun to do this and post pics of the results. Whatever the outcome it may be helpful to others in deciding whether to DIY, or not, with the Aluminum Black. Of course, results may differ, depending upon the user and his ability, so YMMV.

 

[ifilef]

Originally posted by n4zov:
This probably is not what you want to hear, but a lot of "touch-up" jobs end up looking worse than the problem they are intended to correct! I would just continue using the gun, but if it bothers you enough, sending it back to the factory is the only complete solution. You mentioned having used the correct screwdriver, but at some point somebody did not! The screw slot has been widened by an poorly fitting blade.

I'm the only owner of the firearm. It was a replacement frame they sent me as the original was defective-trigger stud broke loose after shooting it numerous dry-fires and about 300 rounds, and I never would've noticed it (absent a failure) had I not gone into the original frame during a clean and flush, as the sideplate had kept it in place.

With this replacement frame I had removed the cylinder screw perhaps half a dozen times, and I always used a Grace #4 or #5 screwdriver. It must've slipped a number of times while removing or attaching the screw; I don't know how that 'cavity' developed.

I've since learned the cylinder screw can be backed-out somewhat and one can still remove the cylinder and yoke while the screw remains in the frame.

All I know is that I had to go into the action anyway as this new one from the factory had problems cycling the action new out of the box. I removed the sideplate and adjusted parts more flush, also removed the 'flag' on the internal lock. Later, I did some polishing of the internals and the rebound slide; it's been totally reliable with the stock mainspring and a Wolff 14# rebound spring with well over 1000 rounds through it.

 

[allglock]

I wish I had before and after pics of a model 37-2 that I bought from a guy that carried it in his pocket with no holster. It had nicks all over it. I used aluminum black, and the gun looked almost new. The stuff WORKS. Try it.
I apply it with a toothpick. You can be more specific that way.(Not over applying).

 

[ifilef]

Encouraging post, allglock!

I ordered the Aluminum Black online but will not receive it until after my departure tomorrow.

Toothpick application to the wide and faded circular area surrounding the screw (see my third photo in original post)? Seems it might be a bit much of an area for a toothpick?

Thanks!

 

[Katy]

Originally posted by ifilef:

Originally posted by Katy:

Originally posted by ifilef:

Do you recommend progressively adding coats without applying a damp cloth in between applications or wipe it down with a water-soaked paper towel or cloth, whatever, after each coat applied?

1). Remove the screw.
2). Take a q-tip and dip it in the Aluminum black. Touch the q-tip to the blemished spot.
Just like what touch up bluing does to steel, aluminum black will turn bare aluminum to black.
3). Blot off any excess fluid and apply a lite coat of oil.

Okay, so do strip to the bare aluminum, only apply one coat, blot off excess, apply a lite coat of oil, and then I'm done.

NO,NO ! Do not strip to bare aluminum !
Just wet the blemish spot as it is.
The chemical will automatically react to the metal that no longer has the original finish and hopefully blend everything together.

What I meant about "bare aluminum" is that any surface that no longer has it's original finish will look silver and just applying the solution will turn it's color immediately to black.

Also remember to take some acetone to clean off the paint you applied with the black paint stick
and the ink from the sharpie pen.

The stuff you applied earler:
1). Bluing solution does not work on aluminum.
It will only work on steel because steel has some iron (ferrous metal) in it and bluing solution is just "rusting the iron content".
2). Black paint stick.
Just black paint that won't match the original finish and just sits on top of the metal like a second layer.
3). Sharpie pen.
Same as black paint stick, just a thinner layer of black ink.

Clean all this stuff off first with acetone so the aluminum black will penetrate the metal.
Aluminum black works similar to bluing solution.
It "rusts" or "stains" the aluminum. The benefit in your case is that the color will be a matte black and hopefully it will be a close match.
Don't worry if the solution gets on the original
finish it will be tough enough to resist it, but still blot off the excess.
After that nothing else will work except for refinishing the frame if you want total uniformatty.

Good Luck.

 

[Katy]

The "dished" blemish surrounding the screw hole came about because the screwdriver used had a blade wider than the diameter of the screw head. Whether or not the blade fit the slot, what happened was that as the screw started to lower and become even with the surrounding metal the "bubba" gunsmith kept turning and the overhang of the excessively wide blade gouged into the surrounding metal. He kept turning and gouged a circular "trench" around the screw head.

 

[ifilef]

That "bubba" was me!

That's an understandable explanation of what must've happened. I'll note that for future reference.

 

[ifilef]

To strip or not to strip to the bare metal? That is the question...

"Whether 'tis nobler to... "
Oh-wrong thread!

There seems to be a divergence of opinion here, unless I am misunderstanding some of the posts.

So, what say you-before application of the Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black, should one strip the faded finish to bare metal or merely apply it on top of that faded finish?

 

[ifilef]

Katy-

Concerning use of the Aluminum Black, do you believe the so-called "dish blemish" caused by use of too wide a screwdriver blade would be eliminated?

 

[ifilef]

Originally posted by Katy:

Originally posted by ifilef:

Originally posted by Katy:

Originally posted by ifilef:

Do you recommend progressively adding coats without applying a damp cloth in between applications or wipe it down with a water-soaked paper towel or cloth, whatever, after each coat applied?

1). Remove the screw.
2). Take a q-tip and dip it in the Aluminum black. Touch the q-tip to the blemished spot.
Just like what touch up bluing does to steel, aluminum black will turn bare aluminum to black.
3). Blot off any excess fluid and apply a lite coat of oil.

Okay, so do strip to the bare aluminum, only apply one coat, blot off excess, apply a lite coat of oil, and then I'm done.

NO,NO ! Do not strip to bare aluminum !
Just wet the blemish spot as it is.
The chemical will automatically react to the metal that no longer has the original finish and hopefully blend everything together.

What I meant about "bare aluminum" is that any surface that no longer has it's original finish will look silver and just applying the solution will turn it's color immediately to black.

Also remember to take some acetone to clean off the paint you applied with the black paint stick
and the ink from the sharpie pen.

The stuff you applied earler:
1). Bluing solution does not work on aluminum.
It will only work on steel because steel has some iron (ferrous metal) in it and bluing solution is just "rusting the iron content".
2). Black paint stick.
Just black paint that won't match the original finish and just sits on top of the metal like a second layer.
3). Sharpie pen.
Same as black paint stick, just a thinner layer of black ink.

Clean all this stuff off first with acetone so the aluminum black will penetrate the metal.
Aluminum black works similar to bluing solution.
It "rusts" or "stains" the aluminum. The benefit in your case is that the color will be a matte black and hopefully it will be a close match.
Don't worry if the solution gets on the original
finish it will be tough enough to resist it, but still blot off the excess.
After that nothing else will work except for refinishing the frame if you want total uniformatty.

Good Luck.

Thank you, Katy. Good post.

 

[Katy]

ONE MORE TIME !
DO NOT STRIP THE BLEMISH AREA TO BARE ALUMINUM !
And when I mean bare aluminum that means it's all silver colored, no more of the original black finish remains.

You want to leave whatever black original finish is left to stay there so that when you apply the aluminum black there will some blending in of the colors. You don't want to have a ring of aluminum black treated metal stand out from the rest of the original finish.

All the preparation you need to do is to clean off whatever stuff you originally applied: blueing, paint stick, sharpie pen with acetone so that the aluminum black can penetrate.

 

[Katy]

Originally posted by ifilef:
Katy-

Concerning use of the Aluminum Black, do you believe the so-called "dish blemish" caused by use of too wide a screwdriver blade would be eliminated?

The dish blemish is called "dish" because metal has been physically removed and can never be put back. All you can do now is to cosmetically minimize the blemish by blending it into the surrounding area that has the original finish.