Question on Polishing Aluminum Alloy Frames

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

Can a guy accomplish anything trying to polish the aluminum alloy frame on a J-frame Airweight in order to make it look more like the stainless steel barrel and cylinder?

 

[alwslate]

I believe the aluminum receives a surface treatment upon completion
called pacification that helps retard oxidation. I wouldn't polish mine.

 

[gunblade]

You can use 150-220 grit sandpaper, followed by crocus cloth and 000-0000 steel wool to remove the old finish and take it down to the bare aluminum. It polishes up nicely but doesn't exactly match the stainless finish. I did it to the backstrap of my 639 9mm auto to remove the checkering which irritates a scar I have on my hand, but that is a small part in comparison to the entire frame. Not sure I would attempt it on a small revolver. Some Ruger Blackhawk owners have done it to their guns with aluminum frames, and it makes a nice contrast to the blued barrel and cylinder.

 

[one eye joe]

You could have the entire revolver hard chromed..

 

[terrancemc]

The finish on the aluminum frames is anodizing. If you take it off by sanding or blasting it off then there is no protection for the aluminum and body fluids and other things can stain the finish. You can only re-anodize the frame 1 time as more than that will alter the dimensions of the frame because anodizing actually uses up some of the aluminum. If you want to hard chrome it then they have to use nickle on it first because chrome won't adhere to aluminum. I had my son's Sig 229 hard chromed and they nickled the frame first and the finish matches perfectly between the frame and slide. One neat thing about anodizing is you can get colors like bright red, purple, gold. I had a 669 frame re-anodized in a clear finish and it came out OD green, looked really nice with the newly beadblasted slide and it is holding up real well. Terry