I kinda jacked up my Redhawk a few months ago. After I roundbutted my m64 and used my Dremel to do a really good job finishing it I thought I'd try to touch up my Ruger. That was a mistake. Now I've got some wavy uneven surfaces. It's mostly just on one side of the frame ahead of the cylinder. I stopped before I tried other parts which is not like me but I guess I've learned.
What are my options to fix the finish?
Without seeing the actual damage this is only an educated guess: the only way to fix what you've done is to grind undersized and blend the wavy spots. Probably best left to a pro.Originally Posted by 03RN
Last edited by Alpha Sierra; 05-27-2019 at 03:41 PM.
I've been meaning to send it out for a while to get refinished. I'm thinking bead blasting. Anything else worth looking into?
Like any metal surface, you can use progressive grits of sandpaper (using hand-power only) to achieve the desired results, and I like to use a light machine oil regardless of the sanding/polishing medium I'm using.
Use a block to keep your flat surfaces flat and be slow an deliberate with your work. If you want a factory type "brushed" final finish, the desired result can be achieved with Scotch Brite type pads of a grade that will give you the look you're wanting. Lastly, auto body paint and supply vendors will have everything you need.
ETA: I've got some grey (Ultra Fine, I think) Scotch Brite pads that I've used with good results. Shoot me your mailing address in a PM and I'll send you some.
Last edited by 41magfan; 05-27-2019 at 04:31 PM.
The path of least resistance will seldom get you where you need to be.
Either remachine it or replace it.
gold... Make it gold, bro!
If you've got the dremel out - I've had really good luck with Dremel's Detail Abrasive Brush -
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/product...abrasive-brush
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/product...abrasive-brush
https://www.dremel.com/en_US/product...abrasive-brush
They have three grits and progressively polishing with them at low speed (~5000 rpm) will produce a medium satin finish on stainless steel.
I'd try that, before just about anything else. Make sure your pull the brush in the same direction and towards an edge to keep the finish even.
If it's just the frame ahead of the cylinder, the good-ish thing is that section may not need to be blended perfectly with larger, flatter areas. I'd look at hand rework with fine grits of wet-dry paper and oil, with long, skinny sanding blocks for convex areas and dowels for concave areas. Glue strips of sandpaper to the blocks so the paper stays flat and the springiness of the paper doesn't round edges.
I'm not sure what finish you have to start with. It's worth getting some stainless scrap metal or other samples to try your procedure on, so you can get a process that matches without working on the actual gun over and over.
One trick I learned for fixing dings in metal is to peen the raised areas back down just above flush with the surrounding material. This forces metal back into the indented area and reduces the size of the remaining divot when it's cleaned up flush.
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Not another dime.
Scotchbrite pads, as mentioned above. They make a brown/red color (very different from the normal green) that is a lot finer than the green ones and I've used those to even out a lot of stainless surfaces. Metal shops use them all the time to even out things appearance wise.
Bead blasting works well too, it just costs money and will look gray and flat.
I'll check those out thanks
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