That would make it more concealable.You just don't want to start sanding with good intentions and then find out your pistol is 1/16" thinner when you're done.
Don't worry, sanding this one side is enough for me.
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Surface Rust on Slide
- Thread starter SSSTANG
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Don't worry, sanding this one side is enough for me.
That would make it more concealable.
Haha!
It may not matter to you, but the big difference with bluing versus coating is that even small imperfections are not covered by bluing. Scratches and sanding marks show through clearly. You might consider sanding both sides to make them match, because they will look very different otherwise.
To lessen the sanding marks and other imperfections, I'd use a buffing wheel on a dremmel with flitz on it. Impossible to remove to much material with this method and it will blend out a lot of the scratches. Most people use this method to mirror polish barrels and actions. Just another idea.
Its time consuming but after awhile its actually fun and relaxing
Its time consuming but after awhile its actually fun and relaxing
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The 400 grit as stated will give you a really nice surface, watch the markings, don't thin them too much, then either blast it for a Cerakote paint or leave it for a bluing. Some folks touch a blued gun and rust in hours. I think a coating will serve you well.
Hot parking worked for me, hit it with 800 grit first and stripped the original finish with ospho (a phosphoric acid like Naval Jelly). Another plus to this finish is it holds oil. I did the slide on my daily carry in black (Manganese) and didn't care for it as much as another pistol which I did in green (Zinc).
Yesterday...
View attachment 200738
Today after a lot more work...
View attachment 200740
Looks better but still has a couple bad places but I don't want to remove anymore material. Potassium nitrate came in today so tomorrow's the day. Wish me luck.
View attachment 200738
Today after a lot more work...
View attachment 200740
Looks better but still has a couple bad places but I don't want to remove anymore material. Potassium nitrate came in today so tomorrow's the day. Wish me luck.
Good luck!
I don't think you will need it looking from the prep work you have accomplished so far. Take your time, don't touch the metal with bare fingers (white/no color paper towels) and de-grease the parts properly then your success is pretty much guaranteed if you follow the steps correctly.
A hot nitrate blue once the salts are mixed and heated (then can be re-used) makes for a quick (30-45 min) finish that will rival and often exceed original blued finishes applied at the factory.
I bought one of those 5 gallon buckets with the rubber seal from Lowes to store my used salts in to use later for other guns. Pour it in while the salts are warm but not 250 degrees or the salts will crystalize and harden. I used my wife's rubber hamburger flipper when the salts became too cool and started forming thick crystals to scrape it out of my pot and get it into the bucket.
When your slide needs touched up, degrease it, heat up the salts again and it will look new again.
I don't think you will need it looking from the prep work you have accomplished so far. Take your time, don't touch the metal with bare fingers (white/no color paper towels) and de-grease the parts properly then your success is pretty much guaranteed if you follow the steps correctly.
A hot nitrate blue once the salts are mixed and heated (then can be re-used) makes for a quick (30-45 min) finish that will rival and often exceed original blued finishes applied at the factory.
I bought one of those 5 gallon buckets with the rubber seal from Lowes to store my used salts in to use later for other guns. Pour it in while the salts are warm but not 250 degrees or the salts will crystalize and harden. I used my wife's rubber hamburger flipper when the salts became too cool and started forming thick crystals to scrape it out of my pot and get it into the bucket.
When your slide needs touched up, degrease it, heat up the salts again and it will look new again.
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Well, I got started this morning and the first problem was my $14 thermometer melted after the temp went above 270*. At that point the mixture was boiling about 2" from the top of the pot. Anyway, after 20 minutes I lifted the parts out and was very disappointed. They were orange/rusty looking, not blue/black at all. I thought I might have the temp off so I put everything back in for 10 more minutes. When I took them out They didn't look much different but I shut it down anyway.
I moved the parts to rinse in clean, hot water then sprayed with WD-40 then drenched in oil and started wiping everything down.
Here's the slide...
I'll get better pics later.
I moved the parts to rinse in clean, hot water then sprayed with WD-40 then drenched in oil and started wiping everything down.
Here's the slide...
I'll get better pics later.
They were orange/rusty looking, not blue/black at all.
Yup That's how it works. Nice job.
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Looks great!
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