What finish is used on S&W Stainless guns?

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mikemyers

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Someone I know has a S&W stainless revolver. When the grips were removed for cleaning, there were several black "pits" or something on the finish, between the gun and the rubber grips he had been using.

To remove them, he used Scotchbrite, which had the unexpected result of changing the finish of the gun - now it looks like a lot of tiny scratches. I looked at it very closely, and my impression (probably wrong) is that the finish of the gun is almost like a clearcote put over the gun to cover the metal. It doesn't look anything like my stainless black powder gun, which looks more like "metal". Sorry - I don't know the actual term S&W uses to describe the original finish.

Two questions - what actually is the finish on these guns? Is something used to go on top of the metal finish, to give the gun the desired look?

Also, having used the Scotchbrite, would Simichrome be useful to remove the scratches, and get that part of the finish to more closely match the rest of the gun?

In the S&W shop manual, Simichrome is recommended for polishing the metal, but from looking at the gun, it actually looks more like a greyish "paint" that is covering the metal.


(I've got no experience with this - the only stainless gun I own is the black powder gun, which looks like polished steel, nothing like the finish on this S&W.)
 
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No coating or finish that I know of-just the way that it's polished from the factory.
 
I will find out from him later today. I know it's a small frame 357, and I'm pretty sure it has a fixed sight. I know it's light, but I don't think it's aluminum...... but I never specifically asked him about this.

If it's aluminum, that would explain another issue with it. I'll find out.
 
Could be a 340 or 386??? something like that---don't know the model numbers---smith has some aluminum and scandium guns that are stainless colored ---that is the cylinder is either stainless or titanium and the frame is aluminum or scandium.
 
"Stainless" steel is actually rust-resistant, not rust-proof, so your friend probably cleaned up some old pitting. S & W revolvers are matte polished and then have a surface process called passivation for extra rust resistance.

If you polish it aggressively with a coarse abrasive it will scratch. Nothing to do about this except to use progressively less abrasive polishing until it looks stock. There are a few threads here with photos showing methods and results. Hope this is helpful.
 
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I just found out - it's a Model 65.

Yep, "matt polished" sounds like a good description. Apparently Scotchbrite is more abrasive than I thought it was.

I went with him to a local shop, where the owner took out a stainless Ruger, "polished" it with Scotchbrite, and when he finished and wiped the gun, the finish was still smooth, with no scratches. He used a grey color Scotchbrite, rather than the brown color that seemed to cause a problem on the S&W.

I suspect the best "fix" is Simichrome, but we will check for the threads already posted here.
 
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Like you, I am no help. I do have a 638 that is Aluminum with stainless cylinder and barrel. I do not use scotchbrite pads on it.

IF, and that's a big one, I had an issue, I "MIGHT" go with 0000 steel wool.

And it's a Holiday Inn express. LOL But I didn't stay there last night either!!!

Shooting Padre said:
Well, I'm of no help here. I am not a metal finish expert, nor did I stay in a Howard Johnson's last night. Sorry. :(
Click to expand...
 
The "Scotch Brite" style pads come in differant grades/grits and are color coded as to its grit/coarseness. If my memory serves me the colors are maroon, green, gray and white with maroon being the coarsest and white having no "grit" and is used for light cleaning and polishing.
 
I have polished guns to an almost mirror finish.
Then, I used the white Scotch Bright pad to give the finish a light haze, my favorite.
Most S&W revolvers are satin or matt finish, but some are bead blasted, like the new M66. Also, I think some alloy and SS guns are clear coated, like the M642.

Best,
Rick
 
There were a number of model 65s that did not have proper passivation done on them.
They are prone to rust/pitting, especially under the stocks.
I have one, took a LOT of work to get it looking right.
Sounds like your bud has one of these, too.
 
toasted said:
The "Scotch Brite" style pads come in differant grades/grits and are color coded as to its grit/coarseness. If my memory serves me the colors are maroon, green, gray and white with maroon being the coarsest and white having no "grit" and is used for light cleaning and polishing.
Click to expand...

^^^This^^^ Scotch Brite is essentially like sandpaper with different colors indicating different grits of polishing coarseness. Never, never, never use brown, maroon or green on a stainless steel Smith revolver. These are very destructive to a final finish.
Blue... if circumstances dictate. Use careful discretion.
Gray... yeah, OK. If you can find the gray pads. But nope, not my first option.
White... all day long but that is an expensive alternative to a white cotton t-shirt.

My own bottom line, well I don't really have one. Just gather knowledge and use your own best judgment. No S/B for my guns.
 
Whatever happened to the oily rag? Sorry, I meant the oily, DIRTY rag, "dirty" as in powder residue. Works for me. I just want to remove fouling, not worry about the finish. To each his own, I guess.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
TAROMAN said:
There were a number of model 65s that did not have proper passivation done on them.
They are prone to rust/pitting, especially under the stocks.
I have one, took a LOT of work to get it looking right.
Sounds like your bud has one of these, too.
Click to expand...


Thanks for all the updates. All we had was the 'brown', and this is before I knew about all the different grades, or I would have suggested we get something different. Grey is what the shop uses, when we asked.

Pitting - I didn't feel it, but he/we were under the impression it was something "on" the gun, not a pit that goes "into" the gun. Now, I think you are right as to what it was, meaning nothing would have cleaned it properly, as it was below the surface of the gun. Yes, all of it was under the grips.

The grips cover the area that he worked on, so now that they're replaced, it's hard to tell anything was done to the gun, so he's not as concerned as he once was. We were going to clean it off with Simichrome, but I doubt that's going to happen.

If you know, and can explain it easily, what is "passivation"?
 
From my observations there seem to be four broad categories of stainless finish.
Bright - highly polished, looks like nickel, no brush marks, rare on factory guns. Can be touched-upped with polish (Mother's, Flitz, Iosso) and a soft cotton cloth.

Satin - low gloss, brush marks not obviously visible at arm's length but can be seen on close inspection, lightly buffed. Common on J-frames, K-frames, N-frames, service revolvers, most standard product. Used exclusivity on all stainless guns pre-1980. Can be repaired with very fine Scotch Brite pad (gray).

Brushed - no gloss, visible and obvious brush marks, has a definite "grain" and "direction", seen on a lot L-frames from introduction, could be found on any frame from mid-80's forward. Common, but not as common IMO as the satin. Probably a cost saving measure. Can be touched-up with fine Scotch Brite pad.

Matte - Looks like a subtle glass bead blast (not "sandblasted"), entirely uniform, no brush marks of any kind. Common on Performance Center guns, but can be found on others (Lady Smiths). First ones I saw were the Model of 1988 & 1989 guns, and from 1991 on some low production K-frame **Specials** (runs of 500 or less). Used on stainless J-frames with an aluminum frame mid-90's forward (the frame being coated/painted silver/clear). All edges are sharp and nothing dished or rounded. Gun still looks stainless, not "gray" like an aftermarket sandblasted gun - which may also show refinishing signs (dished and rounded). Can NOT be touched-up with Scotch Brite - has to be reblasted.​
Even within these four categories there are variations. Not saying any of this is written in stone. These are my observations. Would like to hear other's views on stainless finishes.

Depending on when it was made, your M65 likely had a satin finish when it left the factory. Unless it was a Lady Smith, then it would be matte.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
[...] Even within these four categories there are variations. Not saying any of this is written in stone. These are my observations. Would like to hear other's views on stainless finishes. [...]
Click to expand...

I recall S&W ads or literature during the mid 1990s showing major parts being tumbled to produce a simi-dull finish that could be called, for want of a recognizable name, frosted. since it lacked the minute striations left by conventional polishing with abrasives it could not be duplicated with Scotch Brite and if polished it looked non-factory.

I believe the model 1988 & 1989 625s actually were bead blasted, but with plastic beads, not sand. As you wrote, later limited runs were surfaced the same way. I don’t know if model 1989 finish was changed in more recent years.
 
^^^^
So do you think the frosted (tumbled) is a separate finish from the matte (bead blasted)? If so, how would you differentiate just by looking at them?
 
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