Revolver Reblueing
- Thread starter trappy
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
New member
You seem to think of rebluing as you would painting your bedroom. It doesn't work that way. Rebluing will devalue your pistol. Rebluing removes metal from the surface of the gun. Good reblues are expensive, and STILL devalue the gun. Think of what a bad (read cheap) reblue will do. You might save $25 removing the remaining blue yourself. You might also have to pay hundreds more correcting the damage you did while removing it!
Bill
Bill
I wouldn't recomend a cold blue for anything nice, but for a cheapo like my Rossi, go for it. If you have something nice, let the pros take care of the final work.With cold bluing, the results are not going to be anywhere near factory. Here's a cold blueing I did on a Rossi with Brownell's Oxpho Blue and Birchwood Casey's rust/blue remover(Phosphoric acid). I like the OxhoBlue's somewhat iridescent finish. Shows that every once in a while, a blind squirrel will get a nut.
There used to be a guy at the Saxet gunshow who could take an old revolver and cold blue it to factory looking in less than 30 minutes, so I took some notes on his methods. I then practiced a LOT (3 bottles worth) on peices of scrap metal(mostly the stock pile of Cetme bayonets that I've accumulated through my CenterfireSystems transactions) and on an old barelled receiver over and over to get my technique down before I even thought about attempting this. Once you acid dip it, there's no going back.
I use a combo of different grades of steel wool, q-tips, and a Dremel with a few polishing attachments. Mostly used elbow grease though, as the Dremel tends to be too aggressive for such a delicate proceedure. And I highly doubt I could ever duplicate the results below. I think I got lucky. Revolvers are not fun to do will all their nooks and crannies. Hand polishing inside the frame with steel wool wrapped around yout index finger gets old, very old. It's very easy to screw up and get splotchy, unever results. Preparation is 90% of the process. I'll bet your average gun person couldn't tell that this was blued on my coffe table.
There used to be a guy at the Saxet gunshow who could take an old revolver and cold blue it to factory looking in less than 30 minutes, so I took some notes on his methods. I then practiced a LOT (3 bottles worth) on peices of scrap metal(mostly the stock pile of Cetme bayonets that I've accumulated through my CenterfireSystems transactions) and on an old barelled receiver over and over to get my technique down before I even thought about attempting this. Once you acid dip it, there's no going back.
I use a combo of different grades of steel wool, q-tips, and a Dremel with a few polishing attachments. Mostly used elbow grease though, as the Dremel tends to be too aggressive for such a delicate proceedure. And I highly doubt I could ever duplicate the results below. I think I got lucky. Revolvers are not fun to do will all their nooks and crannies. Hand polishing inside the frame with steel wool wrapped around yout index finger gets old, very old. It's very easy to screw up and get splotchy, unever results. Preparation is 90% of the process. I'll bet your average gun person couldn't tell that this was blued on my coffe table.
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How bad is the bluing? If it is just worn from normal wear, a reblue job will decrease the value. Forget about it. If the gun is badly rusted or scarred, then the polish job that accompanies a reblue will improve the appearance.
Can you do the preparation yourself? Sure. I always do my own polishing, then turn the gun over to the bluing shop with a "don't touch it" warning. But I have experience in doing that, and usually want to achieve a finish that looks like the original
To do a reblue prep, you have to completely strip the gun. On a Model 19, about the only thing left on the frame would be the barrel with the front sight. Everything else comes off, including the rear sight. You then polish the frame and barrel to the right point, where the finished product will look right. Too much polishing is usually not good. Don't round any corners, and don't "dish" markings, screw holes, or screw slots. You can use a chemical blue remover, but be careful, as it will cause frosting if left on too long. The polish still has to be done, after the chemical has done its work and been washed off.
Polish the crane and sideplate on the frame. You need a special polishing wheel or head to do the flutes on the cylinder.
Do all gunsmiths do a good polish and blue job? Nope. Some can really mess up a nice pistol, which is why I asked how badly you want the gun blued.
Jim
Can you do the preparation yourself? Sure. I always do my own polishing, then turn the gun over to the bluing shop with a "don't touch it" warning. But I have experience in doing that, and usually want to achieve a finish that looks like the original
To do a reblue prep, you have to completely strip the gun. On a Model 19, about the only thing left on the frame would be the barrel with the front sight. Everything else comes off, including the rear sight. You then polish the frame and barrel to the right point, where the finished product will look right. Too much polishing is usually not good. Don't round any corners, and don't "dish" markings, screw holes, or screw slots. You can use a chemical blue remover, but be careful, as it will cause frosting if left on too long. The polish still has to be done, after the chemical has done its work and been washed off.
Polish the crane and sideplate on the frame. You need a special polishing wheel or head to do the flutes on the cylinder.
Do all gunsmiths do a good polish and blue job? Nope. Some can really mess up a nice pistol, which is why I asked how badly you want the gun blued.
Jim
Yea, I forgot to mention that I got good results due to a weekend of polishing, and I was lucky the little Rossi was pit free. It looked like a chunk of chrome after I was done. It just had a lot of holster wear and I get borred easily. Why a $90 Rossi .38sp would have holster wear, I don't know.
Dfariswheel
New member
For a low cost blue job, check with the S&W plant.
They offer refinishing for their guns at prices that are almost always lower than commercial re-finishers.
If you're going to have it re-blued let the re-finisher do the old blue removal. They do it as part of the polishing stage, and they can do it a LOT better then you can.
What makes a good blue job is about 98% polishing and prep, NOT the actual chemical bath process.
Unless you're a professional re-finisher who's spent 8 hours a day for YEARS actually polishing metal, there no way you or any local gunsmith can do a job as good.
Nothing in the gun world looks worse than a bad polish and blue job.
S&W can make your revolver look like it's factory-new again.
If you need a re-blue, Call S&W first
They offer refinishing for their guns at prices that are almost always lower than commercial re-finishers.
If you're going to have it re-blued let the re-finisher do the old blue removal. They do it as part of the polishing stage, and they can do it a LOT better then you can.
What makes a good blue job is about 98% polishing and prep, NOT the actual chemical bath process.
Unless you're a professional re-finisher who's spent 8 hours a day for YEARS actually polishing metal, there no way you or any local gunsmith can do a job as good.
Nothing in the gun world looks worse than a bad polish and blue job.
S&W can make your revolver look like it's factory-new again.
If you need a re-blue, Call S&W first
Dave Haven
New member
+1.
It will look like new and likely cost less than having a local gunsmith re-blue it.
At one time or another I have used just about every cold blue on the market. I have used them like rust bluing (carding and boiling) and out of the bottle. I have achieved some nice looking finishes that would stand comparison with any hot tank or factory blue. FOR A WHILE.
I have never found any cold blue that will last or will stand up to normal handling for very long. The color is just too shallow. With an S&W revolver, I agree that S&W will do the best job.
Jim
I have never found any cold blue that will last or will stand up to normal handling for very long. The color is just too shallow. With an S&W revolver, I agree that S&W will do the best job.
Jim
Dfariswheel
New member
Refinishing prices for revolvers from S&W's web site:
High Bright Polish (blue, stainless steel or nickel) $200
Glass Bead Nickel (except Stainless) $166
Standard Polish & Blue $166
Glass Bead Blue & Stainless Steel $123
This is VERY competitive with the commercial re-finishers who I'd care to trust to refinish one of my guns.
Remember, not everyone who offers re-bluing can do a nice job. WAY too many are hacks.
High Bright Polish (blue, stainless steel or nickel) $200
Glass Bead Nickel (except Stainless) $166
Standard Polish & Blue $166
Glass Bead Blue & Stainless Steel $123
This is VERY competitive with the commercial re-finishers who I'd care to trust to refinish one of my guns.
Remember, not everyone who offers re-bluing can do a nice job. WAY too many are hacks.
Dave Haven
New member
Did he wash out the screw slots and "ripple" flat-sided receivers, too? I think I've seen his work!