Trying to decide what to do with this pocket heater, a 642. This is the "Airweight" alloy-framed model. These are well known to have the clear coat over the alloy frame peel, wear badly, and also discolor routinely. There's also a lot of wear-through on the clear coat on the top strap, back strap that isn't shown in the photo below. I've read ad-nauseum old threads on the major gun forums and the answers about it are all over the place so I thought I'd check with the savvy crowd here.
Apparently S&W is still taking them back under warranty to do a re-finish, but it's the exact same original process repeated. That is eventually going to wear again with use, and I do indeed to pocket this thing a fair bit or it be a "truck gun." Or more accurately, "Volvo gun." It's amusing that "Volvo gun" is now a thing.
Anyway, I have a blast cabinet, etc. and refinish many things myself routinely. I am wondering if it might be easier to just find a thing like Cerama Coat and not bother with reinforcing failure. The other thing is that some say the failure is from using certain cleaners, and with others, it's not a problem. So that makes a good argument to check with S&W. If I did go the DIY method, I wouldn't be using cerama coat itself as they don't make a silver/steel looking finish and I definitely want that - the barrel and cylinder are stainless steel so they will be either polished or I will scotch-brite matte them or media blast them myself. Brownell's Alumahyde comes in silver, but I've had mediocre with that in the past on frames as it is chip prone IME, even with proper prep, application, and oven curing.
So:
a) ways to get that clear coat off myself? Sand, wire brush, or possibly acid bath?
b) Good coatings DIY?
c) anyone have one refinished, either at S&W or elsewhere, and did it last?
I'm very tempted to send it back to S&W, as I know getting a great finish on it with the barrel still fit is a little problematic all on it's own. I don't have the proper jigs to remove a J-frame barrel, nor do I want to do so.
Apparently S&W is still taking them back under warranty to do a re-finish, but it's the exact same original process repeated. That is eventually going to wear again with use, and I do indeed to pocket this thing a fair bit or it be a "truck gun." Or more accurately, "Volvo gun." It's amusing that "Volvo gun" is now a thing.
Anyway, I have a blast cabinet, etc. and refinish many things myself routinely. I am wondering if it might be easier to just find a thing like Cerama Coat and not bother with reinforcing failure. The other thing is that some say the failure is from using certain cleaners, and with others, it's not a problem. So that makes a good argument to check with S&W. If I did go the DIY method, I wouldn't be using cerama coat itself as they don't make a silver/steel looking finish and I definitely want that - the barrel and cylinder are stainless steel so they will be either polished or I will scotch-brite matte them or media blast them myself. Brownell's Alumahyde comes in silver, but I've had mediocre with that in the past on frames as it is chip prone IME, even with proper prep, application, and oven curing.
So:
a) ways to get that clear coat off myself? Sand, wire brush, or possibly acid bath?
b) Good coatings DIY?
c) anyone have one refinished, either at S&W or elsewhere, and did it last?
I'm very tempted to send it back to S&W, as I know getting a great finish on it with the barrel still fit is a little problematic all on it's own. I don't have the proper jigs to remove a J-frame barrel, nor do I want to do so.
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