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Thread: Painted My S&W 642's Front Sight

  1. #21
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blues View Post
    I think nail polish remover might eat through the allegedly crappy finish applied to the 642. I'll explore other options for the rear sight if / when the Sharpie wears off or is perceived as unbecoming of a retiree of my stature. /major sarcasm
    The 642's finish is anodizing, which is basically a honeycomb-like lattice of aluminum oxide grown on the surface of the base metal. If the anodizing is colored, these cells are filled with dye. The "sealing" step is where the tops of the cells are closed over, making the surface non-porous and locking in any dye. The oxide is very hard (aluminum oxide is used to make sandpaper), but it's very thin. It has good abrasion and wear resistance and, AFAIK, will withstand any common hydrocarbon. However, it is extremely susceptible to chemical attack by acids and bases. The total anodizing layer thickness is usually on the order of 0.001", with the "sealing" portion where the cells are closed being a small fraction of that. So it takes very little to open the cells. Once opened, the dye, if present, can be substantially removed, so you get streaks in the color, and the corrosion resistance is diminished. It is also susceptible to staining due to absorbing new materials, such as inks or nail polish diluted with solvent.

    Some caution regarding what gun cleaning chemicals are used on anodized surfaces is wise, as many of them may be acidic or basic. (I can't even remember how many incidents I've dealt with of "professional" car detailers causing cosmetic damage to expensive wheel and brake components by spraying them with acidic wheel cleaners. Let's just say that complimentary wash at the BMW dealer may not be your friend.)

    AFAIK, nail polish remover is primarily acetone, so you shouldn't have any direct worries. If you want to be safer, you could buy a small can of just acetone at a hardware store to ensure there are no added surprises. However, if the surface of the anodizing wasn't perfectly sealed in production, or has been compromised at any point, it could absorb streaks of the color. So some care is warranted. It might be a good call to put down a layer of clear nail polish before any color, just to be sure that any material that's absorbed doesn't stain the finish. Wiping down the area with penetrating oil awhile before using the solvent would be another layer of insurance, as it would tend to fill any pores and prevent new materials from wicking in.
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  2. #22
    banana republican blues's Avatar
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    Thanks, OJ. This is going to be (an occasional) carry gun so I'm not particularly worried about the finish. It's just that on the S&W forum I've seen several threads featuring a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth about the "clear coat" finish on the guns, peeling and a variety of issues.

    I figured I wouldn't add to them unnecessarily though I'm sure somewhere along the line I will when I have to use some Hoppe's instead of just using CLP.

    I do appreciate the extensive info you provided. I know on a couple of my anodized knives the makers have told me to just use Windex on them to bring back the finish. (I haven't bothered as yet.)
    There's nothing civil about this war.

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  3. #23
    Site Supporter Irelander's Avatar
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    I took a black Sharpie to the front and rear sights on my 642. I like the black on black sight picture and I found the orange front could get drowned out in bright sunlight. I find the blacked out sights easy to pick up in most lighting conditions. I'll have to post a pic at some point and it would probably be best to use black paint on the front sight instead of a Sharpie.
    Jesus paid a debt he did not owe,
    Because I owed a debt I could not pay.

  4. #24
    banana republican blues's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Irelander View Post
    I took a black Sharpie to the front and rear sights on my 642. I like the black on black sight picture and I found the orange front could get drowned out in bright sunlight. I find the blacked out sights easy to pick up in most lighting conditions. I'll have to post a pic at some point and it would probably be best to use black paint on the front sight instead of a Sharpie.
    Interesting. My front sight glows like the orange HD sights on my Trijicon HDs. I couldn't be more pleased unless they glowed in the dark all night long.

    That said, whatever works for you is all that ultimately matters.
    There's nothing civil about this war.

    Read: Harrison Bergeron

  5. #25
    Site Supporter Irelander's Avatar
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    Maybe drowned out was the wrong wording. More like just hard to make out the edges of the front sight. I can quickly make out the sharp edges of the black front.

    Maybe I need to try a brighter orange.
    Jesus paid a debt he did not owe,
    Because I owed a debt I could not pay.

  6. #26
    Member eb07's Avatar
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    I painted my 442 with glow on paint. Using a toothpick, then after it dried I sealed with clear nail polish. Has held up pretty well.

    It shows up fine during the day as a light green/white and one pop with a light and it is pretty bright for about 2-5 minutes depending upon the brightness of the light and the length. I ran it through a night course and was pleased with the results.



    Last edited by eb07; 07-11-2017 at 12:07 PM.

  7. #27
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    Finally got enough nerve to paint my 442 front sight this past weekend. Two coats of white fishing lure paint and two coats of fluorescent orange lure paint applied sparingly with a toothpick. Generally pleased but I wish the orange "popped" a bit more.
    Might try some different shades on my next several sights that need to be done.

  8. #28
    banana republican blues's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by deputyG23 View Post
    Finally got enough nerve to paint my 442 front sight this past weekend. Two coats of white fishing lure paint and two coats of fluorescent orange lure paint applied sparingly with a toothpick. Generally pleased but I wish the orange "popped" a bit more.
    Might try some different shades on my next several sights that need to be done.
    Share an image when you get a chance.

    I know some folks have commented that they like the Tester's (model) paint on the S&W forum. I've been happy with the Birchwood Casey "pen" applicators thus far. Back in the day I used some neon reddish nail polish my wife used to have on hand but she no longer had any.
    There's nothing civil about this war.

    Read: Harrison Bergeron

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by blues View Post
    Share an image when you get a chance.

    I know some folks have commented that they like the Tester's (model) paint on the S&W forum. I've been happy with the Birchwood Casey "pen" applicators thus far. Back in the day I used some neon reddish nail polish my wife used to have on hand but she no longer had any.
    Photobucket and I do not get along well. Need to get one of these young'uns with better computer skills than I to tutor me on how to post pictures.

  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by deputyG23 View Post
    Photobucket and I do not get along well. Need to get one of these young'uns with better computer skills than I to tutor me on how to post pictures.
    When you're replying to a post, there is a toolbar above the area you type your message. To the left of the message bubble icon, you can see what appears to be an icon of film, and to the left of that is a square with a tree in it. Click on that icon. You can link a picture directly from your laptop/pc/phone without the need to go through an external host.

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