Refinish rebuild on 27/28

[Model29-26.5]

I have a couple that I may want to learn on and maybe even have rebuilt and refinished although I’m looking to learn how to work on them myself first.
Not sure yet.
What would be the best email address to contact S&W? I can’t see one on the site.

Best to just call 800 number?
Thanks

 

[Fishinfool]

I just recently read that Smith & Wesson no longer offers refinishing? You might want to call the 800 number and check. It doesn't sound right, but who knows?

If I were in your shoes, I would look for a well-worn model 10, pick up a shop manual, and have go at it. I'd hold off working on a model 27 until I had a little experience under my belt.. you might also want to Google rust blueing. I think it is a good method of obtaining a nice looking home blue job.

Larry

 

[Model29-26.5]

I just recently read that Smith & Wesson no longer offers refinishing? You might want to call the 800 number and check.

If I were in your shoes, I would look for a well-worn model 10, pick up a shop manual, and have go at it.

Larry

I have an already bubba polished 28-2.
Has some end shake. My learning tool

 

[colt_saa]

If you are looking to actually learn how to work on Smith & Wesson revolvers, there is a shop manual that was written by Jerry Kuhnhausen many years ago. It is called "Gunsmithing the S&W J, K, L, & N Frame Revolvers"

There is also a DVD that runs for about an hour that was produced after the manual was written

Additionally the American Gunsmithing Institute has many instructionally armorer course DVDs on various firearms including Smith & Wessons



Calling the Factory always works much better than email

 

[steelslaver]

Go to centerfire systems and pick up a cheap beater and start learning

S&W 10-5 .38 SPL 4" TPR BBL SQUARE BUTT BLUE WITH BOBBED HAMMER,REFINISHED - Centerfire Systems

Years ado I bought a beater 10-2 with a cracked forcing cone. I replaced the barrel, then I reamed the cylinder to 357, then I stuck on a model 18 cylinder, then a 2 1/2" barrel, then I machined it and stuck on adjustable sights. I learned a lot from that gun which isn't going to win any beauty contest but it shoots

Now I built guns like this pinned and recessed 5 screw 45 colt, with correct throats using an old 5 screw pre 28 and a model 39 cylinder

and this pinto Smolt 357 from a beater model 15 frame

 

[2152hq]

Any Bluing, (Hot Salt, Rust, Charcoal, ect) will only look as good as the metal polish you prep the gun surfaces to underneath it.

Learning to do the bluing is one thing, but can be done much easier than the metal polishing.
(Rust Bluing in any of it's forms is the easiest to set up to do and least expensive to get in to.)

The polishing itself,,as far as working on handguns,,I'd start out polishing semiauto pistols of the 1911 style.
They are much easier ,,and I hate to use that term as it's misleading. Easier than a DA revolver in that there are many flat surfaces on the 1911 style pistol.
You will not find that on a DA revolver, only lots of complicated contours needing meticulous polishing to keep things from getting rounded over and looking anything but original.

There are some tricky shapes on the 1911 as well, but nothing like a Smith or Colt DA.
The big name Restoration Shops don't even do DA revolvers as a rule. Takes too much time to polish them to get them correct,,not a $$ maker so they don't bother with them.
1911 and Colt SAA (another fairly easy shape to polish) are completely different and can be done efficiently/quickly.

Plenty of 1911 clones around in need of a new look.
It's all practice material and the only way to actually learn is to go at it.
Hand polishing and some machine polishing (belt grinder) when it can be used will keep things in order.
Belt Grinder work can get you in trouble real quick. So w/o any experience, I'd avoid the use of one till you feel confident after working w/one polishing pieces other than gun parts.
..And don't get your hand caught in the belt&idler like I did one time.

Polishing is one of the most difficult things to do in the trade and make it look correct. They were the highest paid labor in the gun factorys back in the day for their fine work.

No buffing wheels for a quick shine. There's plenty of gun candidates out there that have already been through that. Those are the guns that you can use as practice in polishing the correct way to restore them to their original contour and shape.
Nice clean sharp lines, Flat surfaces, no dished out holes or rounded edges.
Then what to do with the orig markings if they have been polished down in the process?..
Even more work for you to learn before you get to re-bluing them.

 

[steelslaver]

If a gun isn't rust pitted, scratched or dented, but simply finish worn their look can be improved by simply blueing. One the surface has defects it is a whole different story as pointed out by 2152hq. Even the flat surfaces pose problems. You need to keep your abrasive dead flat which is a problem around stud heads, frame lugs and the recoil shield. The side plate has to be held down tight. Things like the stamping get faded. The curved areas by the barrel screw in, the back sides of the recoil shield, the yoke, the back of the frame all take special care

Then there is the hassles of hot blue. Just mixing the solution you need to wear protective gear as it is highly caustic, it takes mineral free water. Some distilled water comes from copper stills and has trace copper which is hard on the solution. You are supposed to add the caustic to the water, at the correct ratio, but that becomes impossible as the water boils away. The OXYNATE 7 type salts need to be at a roiling boil at around 290F. If they boil below that you need to slowly add solution to cause the boiling point to rise. Problem is if solution doesn't boil at 290f or as it boils and water goes away and it quits boiling you have to add water to it. This is great fun because as water boils at 212 and as it hits the hot caustic solution lots of it flashes off as steam and *** out hot caustic solution. WEEEE. I use a container with a valve and a long stainless tube and try to trickle the water down the side of the container. Your parts must be sparkling clean. I was mine in dawn soap and hot water scrubbing with fine steel wool. Then I get them ready by hanging them on wires and boiling them in a slightly caustic solution. When you go from there to the blue solution you get more popping and sputtering as that water flashes off in the hotter blue solution. Weee Then I check them after about 10 minutes and sometimes if there is a spot that is uneven put it back in the boiling wrak solution to cool it off then I will scrub the area with fine steel wool before going back to the blue solution. I were a heavy duty rain coat, heavy duty rubber chemical gloves safety glasses and a face shield. I set everything up outside, because the fumes cause anything nearby to rust and they are not healthy. A slight breeze or a fan set up to lightly blow the fumes away from you is advised.

Rust blue works, but is much more time consuming. You really need a hot box, set up do you can hang the parts and create a slightly salty humid environment. I do not doubt that mares urine used by some old timers worked well, I also believe water with chicken manure mixed in would do a great job as any exposed steel in my chicken coop turns blue in the winter when I provide them with water heated to prevent freezing.
But, I am temped to try it just using a weak solution of blue salts in an old crock pot set on low with a controller that only turned it on and off every couple hours

 

[sigp220.45]

I have a couple that I may want to learn on and maybe even have rebuilt and refinished although I’m looking to learn how to work on them myself first.
Not sure yet.
What would be the best email address to contact S&W? I can’t see one on the site.

Best to just call 800 number?
Thanks

Did you try the online contact form?

https://www.smith-wesson.com/customer-service/contact-us