Polishing stainless steel to remove scratches?

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04-03-2018, 12:25
Martinjmpr

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Polishing stainless steel to remove scratches?

I have an old S&W M64 revolver. I bought it years ago as a "camp gun." Nothing fancy, it's a .38 SPL, 4" barrel revolver (the 64 is the stainless steel version of the Model 10.) It was previously used by either a police dept or a security company and they had the action converted to DAO and a spurless hammer put on. Pretty sure it's the same kind of gun the RTD security personnel used to carry when I rode the light rail from 2006 - 2011 (apparently they carry Glocks now - my stepson is working for them.)

ANYWAY, as you would imagine from a "working" gun like this, it's got the usual handling scratches, nicks, etc. So I'm thinking it might be nice to restore this old Smith to it's original glory, and in that regard I'd like to know if it's possible to have the gun polished or otherwise refinished to remove the scratches and nicks. I'd also be interested in restoring it to the factory SA/DA configuration with a full hammer and maybe even a wide target trigger (my M19 has one and I love it!)

So is refinishing stainless guns even possible or cost effective? Would it damage any residual value that an unmolested gun might have? (I know on blued guns, re-blueing sometimes diminishes the collector value.) What would the approximate cost be and can anyone recommend a gunsmith to do it?

Thanks in advance!

Pics of the gun in question:

Attachment 74211

Attachment 74212
04-03-2018, 16:34
Bailey Guns

Be very careful about polishing. It's way too easy to screw it up and remove too much material, losing the sharp edges and lettering.

I can tell you from experience that the S&W Custom Shop are masters at refinishing/restoring these guns. And the price is very reasonable. You can ship it to them and get it sent right back to you. It really would be worthwhile to give them a call.
04-03-2018, 16:39
Doc45

To restore it shouldn’t be any more difficult than having a standard hammer installed. Smith can restore the original semi brushed finish but there are more than a few local quality gunsmiths than can do so as well. A good friend has one of the NY-1 2” 64s that looked pretty bad after he got it. TJ’s in Aurora did a great job on the finish as well as installing a red ramp-3 week turnaround last year.

Yours isn’t terribly collectible (unless it’s from NYPD to le gun collectors) so do what makes you happy.
04-03-2018, 17:33
encorehunter

I think it looks horrible, and you should send it to me so it can help my model 66 look better. This is some great info that I believe I may use as well. My model 66 has been used and carried, but I love it, and I think sending it back to Smith and Wesson is an excellent idea. Thank you for the topic.

P.S. if you need my address to send it to, PM me, I can take care of the BG check. Nice little gun, and I would love to find one, one of these days.
04-03-2018, 19:18
ray1970

I’ve heard good luck touching them up with Scotchbrite pads. Been a while so I can’t remember if the white or the green ones are the ones that match the original finish. Pretty sure it’s not the red ones.

Anyhow, I love DAO revolvers with thin triggers so I’d likely just spiffy it up with the Scotchbrite pads, replace those hideous grips, and call it good.
04-03-2018, 19:44
henpecked

Bead blast cabinet with fine media will make it like new
04-03-2018, 21:36
BPTactical

Send it to Smith & Wesson. All roll marks and edges will be preserved and it will likely be cheaper than a local resource.
A SS firearm that has not been properly refinished looks like ass.
04-03-2018, 21:43
sampson

Had good luck with the blue scotch brite pads and polish for scratches.
04-03-2018, 21:51
Ah Pook

Another "send it to S&W".

I've used green jewler's rouge (or finer) and a buffing wheel with good results. Use a very light touch.
04-03-2018, 21:53
sampson

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ah Pook

Another "send it to S&W".

I've used green jewler's rouge (or finer) and a buffing wheel with good results. Use a very light touch.

Would they take a Ruger? Lol
04-03-2018, 22:24
Ah Pook

Quote:

Originally Posted by sampson

Would they take a Ruger? Lol

I'd hit up Ruger. Bet they still have a custom shop.
04-04-2018, 06:28
Bailey Guns

Quote:

Originally Posted by sampson

Would they take a Ruger? Lol

After I got a S&W 29 back from them I actually did ask if I could get the same guy to do a Colt New Service!

Their response was a very polite... [hahhah-no]

Some time around 2004 I sent them a nickle-plated model 29 with a 6" barrel. I wanted the nickle finish stripped, a 4" barrel installed and blued/polished. Having nickle plating stripped locally was gonna cost several hundred dollars alone. They returned the gun to me, it was stunningly beautiful (think a flawless, royal blue Python-type finish), and perfectly done.

Total cost was in the $150 range (don't remember how much exactly but was in that neighborhood).
04-04-2018, 08:56
BPTactical

OP- are you seeing a trend here?

Send it to S&W
04-04-2018, 09:38
Martinjmpr

Quote:

Originally Posted by encorehunter

I think it looks horrible, and you should send it to me so it can help my model 66 look better. This is some great info that I believe I may use as well. My model 66 has been used and carried, but I love it, and I think sending it back to Smith and Wesson is an excellent idea. Thank you for the topic.

P.S. if you need my address to send it to, PM me, I can take care of the BG check. Nice little gun, and I would love to find one, one of these days.

I got this one about 7 years ago from J&G Sales in AZ. I think it was maybe $265. Part of a bulk sale, I'm guessing from either a police department or security company that traded in their revolvers for semi-autos.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc45

To restore it shouldn’t be any more difficult than having a standard hammer installed. Smith can restore the original semi brushed finish but there are more than a few local quality gunsmiths than can do so as well. A good friend has one of the NY-1 2” 64s that looked pretty bad after he got it. TJ’s in Aurora did a great job on the finish as well as installing a red ramp-3 week turnaround last year.

Yours isn’t terribly collectible (unless it’s from NYPD to le gun collectors) so do what makes you happy.

Yeah, it's definitely not a "collector" piece but I don't want to diminish any residual value it might have, regardless.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPTactical

OP- are you seeing a trend here?

Send it to S&W

Yup, I'm getting that! [Coffee]

BTW I was quite surprised when I went onto the S&W web page and saw that the M-64 is still in production? At least it appears so as it has an MSRP listed:

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-64

I had thought they "retired" all the old K frame .38 caliber guns in favor of the NEW! IMPROVED! J and L frame platforms but I guess not.
04-04-2018, 09:53
Martinjmpr

BTW it's nice to see that I'm not the only one who seems to have an irrational attachment to these old S&W wheelguns. They're not sexy or "tacti-cool" but I still like them!

My saying has always been: A semi-auto pistol is a MACHINE, but a well made revolver is a WORK OF ART! :D
04-04-2018, 11:12
Guylee

I love my revolvers. They make up close to half of my pistol collection, and most folks my age are only interested in plastic guns and scary black rifles.
04-05-2018, 07:45
Doc45

This is my 686 no dash my late father bought new in September of 1981. It was a hard use, daily carry gun and looked pretty beat up. He put Pachmyer grips on it so the originals are in very nice shape. Shortly before he passed in '92 he had a shop local to him bead blast it, I think it looks great. It's also the gun I used to teach my sons how to shoot a handgun. While I don't carry it I do take it out regularly to the range.

https://s19.postimg.org/eu6a1eisj/IM...ps2c6dcf22.jpg
04-05-2018, 08:53
henpecked

The bead blast finish looks nice.
01-15-2019, 00:25
DireWolf

bumping this thread, as I find myself looking into this very issue at the moment (gettijg some scratches polished out & edges/lines sharpened)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPTactical

OP- are you seeing a trend here?

Send it to S&W

Assuming some custom trigger tuning has been done, will S&W mess with or alter that in any way if only requested to do a complete polish?

Concern is just about the potential for them to "reset" a trigger/hammer release which may be beyond any further improvement, but barring that seems like a no-brainer.
01-15-2019, 11:44
rbeau30

Polishing stainless steel brings me back to boot camp days. *shivers*
01-15-2019, 13:09
Great-Kazoo

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbeau30

Polishing stainless steel brings me back to boot camp days. *shivers*

Till you can see your face in the shoe tips, you're not doing it right.

2 of the guys in boot were from down south. They could spit shine shoes till you needed sun glasses for the glare off them. They did rather well money wise shining the barracks shoes. Very well indeed.
01-16-2019, 06:41
encorehunter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martinjmpr

I got this one about 7 years ago from J&G Sales in AZ. I think it was maybe $265. Part of a bulk sale, I'm guessing from either a police department or security company that traded in their revolvers for semi-autos

I ordered 5 model 10s from Sportsmans Superstore about 6 years ago when they had them on sale for $200 each. I waited two weeks, nothing. I called them, they said they will be shipped in a week. I called them two weeks later, nothing. It took me almost two months to get my money back from them. I've been looking for a 4" .38 since then. (Or two or three, great truck/camper guns.)