Nickel issues
- Thread starter OldSparky
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- Apr 4, 2006
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I can tell you what I'd do if it were mine.
1) Call S&W and ask if they will fix it under warranty.
2) If not, I'd use a felt polishing wheel on my Foredom Tool at a lower speed and high polish the affected area with Flitz Polish. I have had GREAT success in making chipped or peeled Nickel look like the gun was brand new and never damaged. At this point if S&W will not repair free of charge you have nothing to loose. More than likely IF the damages was caused from hot loads and the flame cutting, the area might now be stabilized and not peel any further. By giving the chipped area a high polish there would be no more Nickel tp peel again and could be a permanent repair.
I've had incredible success making unavailable new blued screws and Thumb-latches looking like Nickel for use on Nickeled Smiths. When high polished with Flitz, almost no one would be able to tell and the high polish keeps the piece rust free even though it is really bare metal. The edges where the bare metal meets the Nickel must be "feathered in" on lower speeds. Use light pressure, check often before gong further. Works like a charm!
Feel free to PM me if you want to try this.
1) Call S&W and ask if they will fix it under warranty.
2) If not, I'd use a felt polishing wheel on my Foredom Tool at a lower speed and high polish the affected area with Flitz Polish. I have had GREAT success in making chipped or peeled Nickel look like the gun was brand new and never damaged. At this point if S&W will not repair free of charge you have nothing to loose. More than likely IF the damages was caused from hot loads and the flame cutting, the area might now be stabilized and not peel any further. By giving the chipped area a high polish there would be no more Nickel tp peel again and could be a permanent repair.
I've had incredible success making unavailable new blued screws and Thumb-latches looking like Nickel for use on Nickeled Smiths. When high polished with Flitz, almost no one would be able to tell and the high polish keeps the piece rust free even though it is really bare metal. The edges where the bare metal meets the Nickel must be "feathered in" on lower speeds. Use light pressure, check often before gong further. Works like a charm!
Feel free to PM me if you want to try this.
BigBill
Absent Comrade
Simi chrome polish has more polishing compound, I’d use it first. Then fritz last.
BigBill
Absent Comrade
Don’t they copper plate before they nickel it?
S&W does not, as for other gun manufacturers and refinishers, that's a different story.
Arquebus357
Member
No, but Colt did. Once had a Nickel plated Python. Holster wear on the muzzle showed a layer of copper.
Seems to me that the polished "Bright Nickel" Colt finish had a base layer of copper. Not certain about the satin "Coltguard" finish, that might have been nickel directly to steel.
Sid V.
Member
Stop using Hoppes#9, it desolves the copper plating under the nickel. Sid V
I thought Nickel was what you coated metal with before gold plating etc. At least that is what my Caswell gold plating kit said you needed for a base. Don't recall anything in their various plating systems requiring the use of copper.
Rosewood
Rosewood
