Need advice on sprucing up old nickle finish

[threepdr]

I purchased a used Model 29-2 this weekend for $300.  It is an fairly early nickled gun with a 4 inch barrel and was a service revolver for a police officer for many years.  It was retired about 15 years ago and has been squirreled away in a closet since.

The bore is good, but the finished is a bit dingy with a couple of tiny flecks on the trigger guard and some holster wear on the muzzle.  The cylinder face has alot of carbon build up.  There is a little rust under the grips on the grip frame that is not visible unless the grips are removed.

If I enjoy shooting it and it will shoot straight I will probably send it to S&W to have it re-nickled.  Until then, is there a proper way to brighten up the nickle?  Can I use Flitz or some other metal polish on it? Can I go so far as to buff it on a buffing wheel with rouge or some other fine polish?

Any idea when the revolver was made?  It has a pinned front sight and the serial number is S2310XX

Thanks for you help

Mark

[John Traveler]

NO POWER BUFFING!!

That nickle plate is surprisingly thing, and power buffing is likely to eat right through it to the copper plate underneath.

Hand rubbing with Flitz cloth is okay.  If the finish is compromised with dings and even small scratches to the copper plate and steel underneath, you will have to protect it against rusting.  Rust under plating is disastrous....it will rapidly blister the plating and get worse.

I recommend rubbing it down with hard automotive wax.  Carnuba wax is good.  Just make sure it is wax, and does not contain paint deoxidizing abrasives.

S&W will provide a date of shipping letter for $30.

[Hammerdown]

Hello Mark
The Best I have found to clean up Nickel finish is Flitz. Use a Clean Bath towel that is soft and expect to get your hand's Black while doing it. The more you Polish the better it will Look. I Know S&W is no Longer doing any Nickel finish work and they also will not refinish any revolvers over 20 Years old. Yours appears to have been made around 1962-1963 by the serial number you showed. Most all model 29';s shipped with the larger Fathey target grip's, Taregt trigger and Target Hammer. The one shown shipped in 1972 and is wearing it's factory Smooth Target grips. I went over this one as well with Flitz. if you are serious about geting your revolver refinished in Nickel I can't think of a better refinisher than Ford's of Florida. Ford's Refinishing has been a family Run Business for Three decades and their work is Impeccable. Here isa direct Link to their Web Page and if you should call them with questions ask for Lranas as she is the owner and the one that does Nickel Plating. Here is also some of their refinishing in high Polished Nickel as shown on my Mdoel 17-2 K-22 revolver. I hope this helps, Hamemrdown

http://www.fordsguns.com/








              K-22 Refinished in Nickel by Fords in Florida

[threepdr]

Thanks all,

I looked at S&W's website and they do offer a "restoration package" for guns made after 1958.  It inlcudes nickle refinishing and replacement of any parts needed.  I suspect it will cost $200-$300. 

Does this 1962 gun have enough collector's appeal to justify sinking a total of about $600 into it?

I do suspect that a factory refinishing job will enhance it more than other refinishing souces.

[Hammerdown]

Thanks all,

I looked at S&W's website and they do offer a "restoration package" for guns made after 1958.  It inlcudes nickle refinishing and replacement of any parts needed.  I suspect it will cost $200-$300. 

Does this 1962 gun have enough collector's appeal to justify sinking a total of about $600 into it?

I do suspect that a factory refinishing job will enhance it more than other refinishing souces.

Hello
I am Not trying to Tinkle in your Corn Flakes Here, But I wouldn't bank on the quality of their restoration package being Better or even as good as a Top Quality re-finisher. One thing I know for certain is they Can Not re-strike the Older S&W Trademarks that may be different than the current ones. I had a friend send in his old M&P revolver for one of these restoration projects to S&W and they replaced his Older small style Trademark with the newer large style one on the Opposite side of his revolver than the Original one was. They also over Polished it and rounded off the crisp edges by doing this. He was disgusted with the work, and in turn sent it to Ford's in Florida to have them straighten it out. It cost him $300.00 to Re-Nickle and repair the damage S&W did to his revolver and when it Came back it Looked Impeccable. I know that Ford's in Florida do all the finish work for Cylinder & Slide, Magnum research and many other shop's that claim to do their own work.They also Gurantee their refinishing work for a full one Year period against defects should something arrise. I know of,  no other refinisher that offers an iron Clad warranty like this anywhere. I was told that S&W has retired their last Master refinisher and this leaves me to believe that the reason Jim's gun was so Messed up was that they had someone do it with a lot less experience, than the Previous refinishers that were employed by S&W. I would check out their services very Carefully before sending them your pride and joy, as it would be a shame to se your revolver Ruined by Inexperienced help. If you follow the Lonk I provided to Ford's Refinisshing in Florida, they have a customer Testimonial page along with Detalied Pictures of their work. Just my 2 cents worth and they have donme several for me that can not be told by experts that they are anything other than original. Here is am example of just how good they refinish at Ford's refinishing. This revolver was In Real sad shape, with Corrosion and Pitting before I sent it to them. I asked them to apply their Master Bluing to it and was In awe when it was returned at what a Gorgeous Job they did. Regards, Hammerdown

[threepdr]

Hammerdown,

Very nice revolvers.  Fords does do great work.

The old gun actually does not look too bad considering its age and hard use.  I will probably just shoot it and enjoy it for awhile before I decide to have it refinished.

This revolver does have the wide hammer and trigger, and the action is as smooth as glass.  I don't think it was shot much by the LEO, but you can tell it was carried alot.  The grips are similar to the those on the last gun you posted.  Checkered target grips with the diamond.  The grips are in bad shape with the side carried next to the officer very much darker than the outer.  There are also several chips and dings and they are generally dingy. 

I understand these older grips are getting rather scarce.  From a collectors stand point, would it be OK to strip the wood, fill the chips  and refinish them?

Thanks

happy new year!

[drdougrx]

What a great thread!

I have a Winchester gallery gun ( a 22short pump rifle) that was used in a boardwalk shooting gallery at Revere Beach in Revere MASS in the 40s.  It is a wreck!  Maybe I'll see if Fords could make it right?

[SM Bob]

Hammerdown,
Thanks a bunch for the link to Ford's Refinishing! It looks like they do fantastic
work! I have been working with metals for 35 years and I know what it takes
to do the preparation and the plating. It is a real labor of love. Their prices are
very reasonable considering all the labor involved. Do you know what their turn
around time is on average? I will definitely keep them in mind if I can get a good
deal on a Smith that might have to be refinished. By the way, I used to not have
a very high opinion of nickel finish handguns, (They reminded me of a pimp's gun.),
until I saw that picture of your model 29. That revolver looks awesome! The
smooth factory wood target grips go really well with the nickel! Outstanding job!
I could go for a nickel Smith if it looked as nice as yours does.

                                      Robert