Rebluing a Smith revolver

[Kensterfly]

Have any of you had a revolver reblued recently? I was considering a purchase of an otherwise perfect revolver that someone had spilled something on, making the blue splotchy all over. For a range gun, it probably doesn't make too much difference. Still....it would be a beauty with a new coat on.
Can a good gun smith do a new factory quality job?

What are your experiences with factory or other refinishings?
Costs?

Thanks!

Kenster.

 

[roughedgekid]

Any good gunsmithing shop should be able to reblue and do a good job. Prep is secret to a good blue job.I like the slow rust blueing, it takes longer but it looks better.

 

[Kensterfly]

Any idea what it might cost to do a Model 17?

 

[Hapworth]

Kensterfly, suggest you run a search here with terms "reblue", "refinish", "rebluing", etc. -- this is a much discussed topic and there's plenty of good reading.

 

[dfariswheel]

No, most local gunsmiths cannot do anything like a factory job.
95% of a good blue job is in the metal polishing done before bluing. Most locals just don't do enough polishing to obtain or maintain the necessary skills and "feel".
What you wind up with a a gun that's blue, but has been poorly polished, leaving washed out lettering, rounded off edges and corners and looking like **** to anyone who knows what good bluing looks like.

You can send the gun to S&W for a genuine factory re-blue, or send it to a company that specializes in gun refinishing. They have people who polish metal all day every day, and have done so for years.
Since most of a good blue job is the polishing and polishing is 100% hand labor, you're paying for a persons time.
The people with these level skills don't work for minimum wage, but you get a good no-BS job.

Smith & Wesson

ACCURATE PLATING AND WEAPONRY | APWCOGAN

Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing - Ford's Desert Eagle Sights

Glenrock Blue

Elite Custom Plating --  Re-Finishing, Custom Work, Competition Guns

Remember, these days you can get GOOD bluing, or you can get CHEAP bluing.
Choose ONE.

 

[TINCANBANDIT]

I have done two model 19s and one model 29, I think they came out great.

The model 29 had the exact issue you describe, someone used a cleaner that removed the blueing from the barrel and front part of the frame.

Here is a before & after comparison



you can see more of my work here: http://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/

 

[Kensterfly]

Beautiful, Bandit. I'll check out your blog.

 

[usnrigger]

Ive re-blued a few S&W Revolvers and they all turned out great. As many said it is 95% in the polish and metal prep. I mainly start off with a hand polish only using backed paper. If it has rust pits or dings I will use a set of stones with different grips and types of abrasive materials. after every thing is worked out with stones and paper(350/400 and then I wet sand up to 400. then I start on the buffing wheels with 555 wax polish. Sorry not going to give away my buffing wheel secrets or the wheels I use. Bottom line it takes a lot of hand work and time to get a polish that is not wavy and keeps corners sharp and markings deep. Then into the blue salts. If done right, you do your research on how factory finish looked on that time, and you take your time it will be very hard to know if it has been refinished unless you spend sometime looking at the pistol, even a magnifying glass may be needed. I will be restoring a 44 Hand Ejector this next semester and will try and keep photos of the project over time and the finished project.

 

[steelslaver]

I have done some bluing and am going to do some more. I think the remark about the backed paper is really important. That is what keeps you from having the rounded corners. IF the only thing wrong is missing blue from something getting on the finish you don't need to do much sanding or polishing. I would rather use fine grit paper than use polishing wheel. Once you have a good 400 grit, the 600, 1200 and 2000 grit don't take long and then a quick buff with fine rouge and a spiral buff. I do custom knives and I get a better finish with more paper and less buffing. But, thats me.

Be careful with buffers, if you don't know what you are doing or are careless they can grab things and fling them around the shop at light speed.