S&W CS: 3rd Gen Alloy Frame Refinish?

TTSH

TTSH

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I am giving serious thought to having the anodized aluminum alloy frame on one of my 3rd Gens refinished by the mothership. This is a pistol I agreed to buy going by photos only. Unfortunately, the frame turned out to be in worse cosmetic shape than the photos had revealed, but I took it anyway. As I examined the gun more closely later, I realized I had made a big mistake. :( The flaws were not only holster wear as I had thought, but surface corrosion also. :o

The on-line price list (below) says it should cost $150.00 to get the frame refinished, but I'm sure there are other charges involved, including shipping.

  • High Bright Polish - $275
  • Bead Blast Stainless (Slide) - $110
  • Bead Blast and Blue (Frame) - $110
  • Bead Blast Stainless (Frame) - $110
  • Bead Blast and Blue (Entire Pistol) - $170
  • Bead Blast and Stainless (Entire Pistol) - $170
  • Anodize Aluminum Frames (3rd Gen. or newer) - $150
  • Glass Bead Nickel (except Stainless) - $220
Click to expand...

If anyone has done this, I'd like to know how you made out and if you were satisfied with the turn-around time and result. I'm especially interested in how the mothership restores the serial number and other markings after re-anodizing. In this case, the markings are laser applied, not roll-marked. :confused:

Anyone else go through this? Or am I going to be the first? :D

Thanks! :)
 
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I think they may send you a label to ship it back at the corporate rate, something like $12 if I recall.
I used to drop guns off at the guard shack back when, being two hours away, and visit the area, do they still allow that?

Btw, I'd like to have my CS45 slide refinished
 

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ladder13 said:
I think they may send you a label to ship it back at the corporate rate, something like $12 if I recall.
I used to drop guns off at the guard shack back when, being two hours away, and visit the area, do they still allow that?
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I believe that was stopped a while back. I remember the old man (R.I.P.) doing that several times... but again, we lived just 4 miles from the mothership. :) Those were the good old days. :D
 
TTSH said:
I believe that was stopped a while back. I remember the old man (R.I.P.) doing that several times... but again, we lived just 4 miles from the mothership. :) Those were the good old days. :D
Click to expand...

Wait, nothing was returned in the good old days. ;)
 
ladder13 said:
Wait, nothing was returned in the good old days. ;)
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Oh, Dad managed to come up with a few things from time to time for the mothership to do. :D Remember, he only owned three Smith & Wessons in total, but he worked them hard and often. :)

This wasn't ever a case of poor workmanship or defective materials that I remember. It was mostly a case of him keeping them in tip-top shape, whatever it took. :D

He was very into the free parts and maintenance that the mothership provided to him back in the day. :D
 
sar4937 said:
I do not think they can simply laser etch over the top of what's there.
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... and hence my question. :confused:

I looked into re-anodizing before (by a local outfit), but that was for a roll-marked frame. Shouldn't have been an issue at all in that case.

The frame in question is a laser-etched frame and I would imagine that the serial number will disappear completely during the prep process. So do they just re-apply the information via laser after the re-anodizing process? :confused: I don't have a clue. :o

If no one here has had the mothership refinish their anodized aluminum laser-marked frame, I guess I'll just have to call and see if I can find out how it works. :) I need to go over the pricing and schedule issues anyway. :cool: Sure wish I could first see a photo or two of how it all comes out, but maybe I'll be the first one ever to have it done. :D
 
ladder13 said:
The factory must have the specs to re laser, if that is a word, even for those antiquated guns. :D
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One would hope so. :) But I'd sure like to understand how the finished product would come out. Is it still going to be a reasonable match for the original, un-refinished, laser-marked slide? Or is it going to end up looking a little funky? :o

The other option, of course, is to dump the pistol I bought and try to find one in better shape at some point in the future. Economically, that might make more sense. But then I'll never learn about the mothership's anodized aluminum refinishing capability. :)
 
GaryS said:
They stopped allowing guard shack drop off and pick up a few years back. Now everything needs a shipping label.
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Yep. Would have been nice since I am out that way every week now, but I can deal with shipping provided it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. :) That is the least of my concerns regarding this possible mothership refinish job. :cool:
 
If you do it, take some good before and after pictures, so that the rest of us can make a better decision about it. I've been curious about it in the past, just not enough to roll the dice on it.
 
To drift this thread just a tiny bit more - I wonder if S&W would refinish just the slide on a TSW? I have two TSW's - 3953 and 4013 - the frames on both are great but both slides have scratches in the (sorta cheesy) "TSW" laser etching. I saw here on SWF - a year or so ago - that it appears that S&W just replaces the slides when a complete TSW is sent back for re-finishing. Or, maybe someone out in the aftermarket is re-marking slides??
 
GeoJelly said:
To drift this thread just a tiny bit more - I wonder if S&W would refinish just the slide on a TSW? I have two TSW's - 3953 and 4013 - the frames on both are great but both slides have scratches in the (sorta cheesy) "TSW" laser etching. I saw here on SWF - a year or so ago - that it appears that S&W just replaces the slides when a complete TSW is sent back for re-finishing. Or, maybe someone out in the aftermarket is re-marking slides??
Click to expand...

Don't the TSWs have different rails than regular 3rd gens? So... it would have to be replaced with a TSW-specific slide. Which would be kinda cool to have, without the laser etching...
 
ladder13 said:
Well, did ya call the mothership?
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Not yet. Very busy today with other pressing matters, medical in nature... plus the good wife is home after a full weekend of on-call work. Had to take care of her "Honey Dew" list too. ;)

With luck, I'll have time to get on the phone with them tomorrow after my dentist appointment. :D
 
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