Help Me With Rust Issue / Suggestions For Re-Bluing

C

cslinger

New member
I have in my possession a very nice 586 no dash that shoots wonderfully. The problem is she has "the rot" :eek:

Basically I have dealt with mild rust before / surface rust etc. in the past with 0000 steel wool or even an aggressive oily wipe down. I have, however, never experienced anything like this.

Basically the rust is VERY copper in color and very very smooth. 0000 steel wool does nothing to it. There is no pitting or anything but a very very smooth rusty discoloration especially on he grip frame.

So basically I want to either figure out how I can address this or get some suggestions for a competent vendor to strip, clean the rust, and re-blue to a nice mirror finish. The gun itself is nothing special so I am not worried about value loss of a collector etc. Yeah, I realize when I am long dead somebody will be in a pawn shop cursing my existence for dropping the value of their great grandpa's gun from the attic from $30,000 down to $11.50 all because the expert they bring in indicates I refinished it but screw em' :D

Here are the pictures. All suggestions welcome. No I will not let you take it of my hands for a cool hundred bucks. :D

As always, thank you.
Chris

The patient on the operating table.
586_3_zpsls9trqoa.png


Does it itch? We may have a cream for that.
586_2_zpsadzqyrxp.png



Again the picture doesn't do justice to the bright copper color and perfectly smooth to the touch feel. Its like moving your finger across a polished mirror and it scoffs at steel wool, at least 0000.
586_1_zpshcfrcdls.png
 
I'm going to venture to say that in my opinion from the pictures, that is not rust and is simply discolorization do to heat treated steel taking bluing.
 
Another vote for that not being typical rust.
Besides, it gives it some character.
And we can all use a little more character.
 
It appears to be "after-rust", or "browning", a problem which appears on some blued guns after bluing. This sometimes takes years to appear. I have a Smith model 10 with exactly the same issue, only worse. My gun has after-rust in many places, which completely defies all of the measures I've taken in order to eliminate it. I believe that nothing short of completely stripping, polishing and re-bluing the gun would do the trick. I believe, though I am not certain, that the problem comes from insufficient neutralization of the bluing salts after the piece is removed from the bluing bath - the copper colour comes from a combination of the continued action of the salts and oxidation.

I also think that this (possibly) might be considered a warranty issue. You might try contacting Smith & Wesson directly, to see if they might agree to do something about it. As long as the piece has not been refinished by someone other than the factory, I think this problem constitutes a "defective" factory bluing job.

I have considered contacting S&W myself (about my model 10), but have not yet done so. My 10 was shipped in 1984, so I am a bit reticent about the prospects, after so many years (and I didn't buy it new).
 
First contact Smith and Wesson and find out if it's an issue that will be under warranty. If S&W will not take care if it. Try soaking the discolored areas with "Break Free" for 12 - 24 hours, then try removing the stains with fine brass or bronze wool. Steel wool can leave fine and almost impossible shards that can easily rust.

Good luck.

P.s. that a nice looking M-586
 
Yeah the more I look at and play with it, it appears to not be rust in the traditional sense. (I know bluing is rust technically etc.)

I have reached out to Smith.

There is nothing on the crane at all. The grip frame is the worst, with a little on the area I just pointed out, a small line of it at the frame 90 degree angles in the cylinder window (bottom) and a tiny bit I just noticed on the thinnest edge of the trigger guard. None of it comes off so to speak. (I mean it might but not with what I have done.)

I truly appreciate all the input. I really does almost appear like a Bluing issue somewhat like what happens with the plum/maroon parts you will see from time to time, I have just never experienced it other then the plum coloration.

Thanks all.

Chris
 
I am pretty certain that that gun has already been re-blued post-factory. It is a good job (too shiny, IMHO, for factory), and the fact that the discolored parts are not ordinarily visible would indicate lack of proper polishing in those areas.

You might try touching up those areas with a cold blue, but be careful not to get it on the currently blued areas. No one can do a full reblue job to just touch up the spots; they would have to strip the gun and reblue it, and that might well result in a less attractive finish than is present now in the exposed areas.

Jim
 
James K is probably correct.
Regardless, the discoloration hurts nothing. If you just can't live with it, you need to look at some other finish, as blued guns will rust and wear. Upgraded finishes like hard chrome, nickel, or nitriding cost very little more than a good reblue, and last for many years.
 
It looks like a patina to me. If it's not harming anything, especially if it's not ordinarily visible, consider leaving it alone. Refinishing isn't that expensive for a cherished handgun, and it can be done anytime.
 
That horribly ugly "rust" discoloration will certainly have an adverse effect on how well it shoots. Certainly to the point that it's very sight is so repulsive that it makes shooters around you that are unfortunate enough to see it actually throw up.
It must be immediately taken out of service, and disposed of properly. Such a disgraceful firearm should never be allowed to be seen by anybody!

Or, you could just enjoy this beautiful S&W revolver, and not be so OCD about it's appearance. It is just fine the way it is. I would be proud to have it in my collection!:D
 
If it were mine I would contact S&W to see how much they would charge to re-blue at the factory. At least you could still say that it is a factory bluing for future value's sake.
 
I remember in the early 80's I got a few new blued Smiths with weird blueing issues. If you rubbed them, with an oily rag, the rag would turn red (rust colored). And, it kept doing it. The blue would finally look a little foggy, but the rust color kept coming off.

I seem to recall it happening on a 586 and a 36. I sent the 36 back and, it came back the same.

I think they just had some bad batches of blue back then.

I'd use it until it wore off and finally drove me nuts and then get it hard chromed.
 
Under the grips is a good area to get rust . The grip to steel dimension is small so it promotes capillary action drawing moisture into the area !! I first clean the area then put silicon grease there to prevent incursion of moisture .

You can have the gun coated to prevent rust . Hard chrome plating is about the best .Make sure any coating is applied by an experienced company.
 
I have had great success rescuing a model 58 with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover. Go over all the surfaces , follow the directions, and when all the discoloration is gone give all the surfaces a coat of Carnuba Automotive car wax...any brand (I used Meguiar's Gold) and give it a protective coat.
I thought the model 58 was toast, but the chrome polish and carnuba wax brought her back. Try it first.
By the way...your gun doesn't appear to be in that bad a shape, I think the chrome polish/wax treatment will do the trick and wax is a great protector.
If the finish is a bad one call S&W and see what they can do.
Gary
 
HMMMM

By chance is that only under the grips? Just looking at the picture could it be from the wood stocks could that be stain varnish something that over time has leached from the grips?
bb
 
"I have had great success rescuing a model 58 with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover...."

His gun is blued, and rust remover will remove the bluing.
 
Actually the Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover only removed the red rust, any remaining bluing was left. I did it with a rag , by hand, and when the rag stopped picking up reddish-brown colored stuff, I stopped and moved to another area.
I'm sure if you polished it enough you could remove the blue but it takes a bit of elbow grease and by just watching the color of the rag you know when the rust has been removed and can then stop.
Gary
 
There is no rust on that gun.

What you see in the area of the crane and on the frame are areas where the blue has been worn away by contact with another surface and a discoloration has occurred. The discoloration is similar to rust in that some oxidation has taken place but it isn't rust or "the rot". It's normal wear and not the result of neglect.

There is nothing wrong with that gun what you see is normal.

However, the more you mess with it and rub it with 0000 steel wool etc. the more blueing you will remove. All you need do is remove the stocks occasionally (are they impregnated with oil by the way? if they are use another set) and wipe with a lightly oiled rag or silicon cloth.

I wouldn't send it back to S&W. That gun will not need a re-blue for another generation if properly treated.

If you can't help yourself and you must do something about this normal thing than do it on a small patch on the frame under the stocks and see what happens.

tipoc
 
Thanks all. I am going to leave it as character. It's definitely not rust that comes off. So I will keep her oiled and shot.
 
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