touching up M&P slide

[rbuzz]

This question would apply to any M&P with with the black finish on the slide, but I have a 40 Shield that just recently a small blemish appeared on the slide near the rear serrations. It is a light circular spot about 1/8" that looks like the finish has worn off. It can't be a wear mark because the gun hasn't been shot that many times and it can't be felt, so I can't see how it could have been caused by bumping anything. I know that a lot of you guys will say don't sweat it, it doesn't affect the operation and that nicks and dings will inevitably appear. I know that you're right, but still it can be irritating.
I still can't imagine how it happened as I am usually so careful with my guns. When not in use, the gun is holstered in a soft lined holster, and when at the range I never even sit the gun down on on any surface that isn't covered by a cotton towel. But regardless how it happened, it is there now, and I would like to know what is the best way to touch it up so that it is completely hidden, if that is possible. I have used a felt tipped pen, and it still shows and is only temporary. Does anyone know of a more permanent way to touch up the black finish on a M&P slide? I thought about using a small dab of a flat black paint, but decided to wait until someone with more knowledge than me tells me what they have tried that works.

 

[Bkreutz]

This question would apply to any M&P with with the black finish on the slide, but I have a 40 Shield that just recently a small blemish appeared on the slide near the rear serrations. It is a light circular spot about 1/8" that looks like the finish has worn off. It can't be a wear mark because the gun hasn't been shot that many times and it can't be felt, so I can't see how it could have been caused by bumping anything. I know that a lot of you guys will say don't sweat it, it doesn't affect the operation and that nicks and dings will inevitably appear. I know that you're right, but still it can be irritating.
I still can't imagine how it happened as I am usually so careful with my guns. When not in use, the gun is holstered in a soft lined holster, and when at the range I never even sit the gun down on on any surface that isn't covered by a cotton towel. But regardless how it happened, it is there now, and I would like to know what is the best way to touch it up so that it is completely hidden, if that is possible. I have used a felt tipped pen, and it still shows and is only temporary. Does anyone know of a more permanent way to touch up the black finish on a M&P slide? I thought about using a small dab of a flat black paint, but decided to wait until someone with more knowledge than me tells me what they have tried that works.

You can try all kinds of coating to minimize the appearance, you might even get lucky and find one that you can live with. But if you want it to completely disappear the only way that's going to happen is to have your slide completely recoated. Like you said, that wouldn't be of interest to me since I treat my pistol like a tool, it does get some marks.

 

[OKFC05]

It comes with a nitride finish over stainless steel, and it does not come off easily. Mine have holster marks IN the finish, but there is no place the steel shows through, even after several years.

If it is just a shiny spot, a coat of wax may help blend it in.

 

[Rdgallo]

This question would apply to any M&P with with the black finish on the slide, but I have a 40 Shield that just recently a small blemish appeared on the slide near the rear serrations. It is a light circular spot about 1/8" that looks like the finish has worn off. It can't be a wear mark because the gun hasn't been shot that many times and it can't be felt, so I can't see how it could have been caused by bumping anything. I know that a lot of you guys will say don't sweat it, it doesn't affect the operation and that nicks and dings will inevitably appear. I know that you're right, but still it can be irritating.
I still can't imagine how it happened as I am usually so careful with my guns. When not in use, the gun is holstered in a soft lined holster, and when at the range I never even sit the gun down on on any surface that isn't covered by a cotton towel. But regardless how it happened, it is there now, and I would like to know what is the best way to touch it up so that it is completely hidden, if that is possible. I have used a felt tipped pen, and it still shows and is only temporary. Does anyone know of a more permanent way to touch up the black finish on a M&P slide? I thought about using a small dab of a flat black paint, but decided to wait until someone with more knowledge than me tells me what they have tried that works.

I just bought a new 9mm shield and am not that impressed with the way my slide looks either. The black color is not a consistent shade and I have a circular area on the slide about 1/8 to 3/16 in diameter that is slightly lighter in color than the rest of the black slide. Looks like some kind of locator spot used in manufacturing. I have only had my Shield one day.

 

[Khurrle]

Mine came out of the box a great even color for the most part but on the left side of the slide where the M&P is there is a rectangle that is lighter than the rest with two circles in it that are the same color as the rest of the slide.

I assumed it was where it had been clamped to be dipped or something.

Overall I'm not all that worried as this is a work gun and not a safe queen.

 

[NacsMXer]

Mine came out of the box a great even color for the most part but on the left side of the slide where the M&P is there is a rectangle that is lighter than the rest with two circles in it that are the same color as the rest of the slide.

I assumed it was where it had been clamped to be dipped or something.

Overall I'm not all that worried as this is a work gun and not a safe queen.

The majority of the Shields I have seen have the two "ghosted in" circles. Here is how mine looked when it was new.

 

[VonHoffmann]

Have you tried the Birchwood Casey black finish touch up pen for guns?

Update: now I see the pic above and I am not sure the touch up pen would help or make the whole slide look worse. I would keep it oiled as these marks tend to appear more when the slide is dry. That or pick a new refinish job to try.

Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk HD

 

[Rastoff]

Without pics, it's hard to know exactly what the problem is.

It comes with a nitride finish over stainless steel,...

No, the M&P slides are finished with a process called Melonite. It is super hard and really quite difficult to damage. Everything will show wear over time, but Melonite is extremely tough. Most scratches that people think they have are really material left behind from whatever the object was that tried to scratch it.

Also, it's not a finish that's applied to the metal. It's a metal hardening process that is infused and changes the properties of the metal.

So, if you have a place on your slide where the "finish" is worn off, send it back to S&W to have it refinished.

 

[Stratajema]

The majority of the Shields I have seen have the two "ghosted in" circles. Here is how mine looked when it was new.

The "ghosted" circles are very light abrasions caused by the machine press that is used to insert the front and rear sights during one of the last manufacturing steps. The sights are put on after the slide receives the Melonite treatment.

You might want to be less focused on the ghosted circles and more watchful of rust forming in the striker block safety hole and spreading under the rear sight, despite the fact that the slide is stainless steel. The striker block hole is drilled out after the slide has been melonited, thereby eliminating any rust protection in the drilled/exposed surface other than the protection arising from using stainless.