DIY spray for aluminum alloy frame (S&W Airweight coating failure)

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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.

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Is this finish issue only on certain range of serial numbers? I have an old 642 and the finish looks like new still. Maybe they didn't even coat them on older models - ??.
 
Is this finish issue only on certain range of serial numbers? I have an old 642 and the finish looks like new still. Maybe they didn't even coat them on older models - ??.

It's been random across the years - some guns do it right away, some never do. I've read owners who had multiple of the same model in identical usage - one out of three would do it. Much peculation as to whether it was different alloy runs, bad surface prep, etc. but no real answer.

I think I'll try S&W first. If no luck, then I'll put a stainless GunKote on it myself.
 
It's been random across the years - some guns do it right away, some never do. I've read owners who had multiple of the same model in identical usage - one out of three would do it. Much peculation as to whether it was different alloy runs, bad surface prep, etc. but no real answer.

I think I'll try S&W first. If no luck, then I'll put a stainless GunKote on it myself.
I bought mine new in 1998. Just looked at it, and the frame finish looks good - still like new. The frame color looks a shade different than the stainless barrel and cylinder.
 
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I think I'll try S&W first. If no luck, then I'll put a stainless GunKote on it myself.
Yep, if S&W is still fixing them under warranty then trying that first would probably be the best route.
 
I have the black Airweight and the finish is worn from carry to the point it looks like it has been through WWI , II, III ,,, I like the wasted look.
 
I remember reading about issues with I think it was the 317 kit gun. Thus I never got one. But I recall reading that folks used harsh cleaners and removed all of the baked on finish.... and left it natural.
 
i’m happy with my similar, cosmetically distressed, used, s&w 642: i bought this otherwise highly functional, everyday, tool from its displeased original owner for a song.
 
Get S&W to refinish it then try not to carry it with a pocket full of change or keys?;) Maybe you'll get the good clearcoat this time. If that fails you can bead blast the barrel, frame, and slide and apply the coating of choice to the frame. I bead blasted the frame and slide of a Kimber Compact stainless pistol that had handling and the idiot mark and it looked outstanding, much nicer that brushed finish IMO.
 
Mine was turning yellow and chipping so I just took a wire brush to it and stripped the rest off. It now has a uniform brushed/distressed finish all around.
 
I would pimp it out by polishing it. Maybe not a mirror finish since you’re using and abusing it, but a polished bare metal finish will look a lot better with few scratches than a scratched up coating IMO. Plus it can be much easier cleaned up with some hand polish then re-coated again.
 
Brownells has Aluma-Hyde in matte clear. Don't know if you have to remove the existing clear or not (probably so).
 
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