Can I polish a 686?

[sixshooterfan]

I love the shiny nickel look. Can I polish a 686 to achieve a somewhat similar finish? I have a friend whose Dad owns a jewelry repair shop and he has all sorts of buffing wheels and compounds. Has anyone done this?

 

[Gideon]

Yes, it can be done with any stainless but I'm not the one to tell you how. I do know that it can be a painstaking job without the right knowledge. To me it's like sharpening a knife. If you know what you're doing it can be done well an quick. If you don't, you may get there but it takes more effort and you can end up working against yourself!

I've read many posts in many forums on how to so google it a bit and you'll find some instructions.

Gideon

 

[TheotherMikeG]

I'd go to wally-world or auto-zone and pick up some Mother's Mag Polish and do it by hand. It's a little more time consuming but it gets the job done. I'm just a little nervous around dremels and buffing wheels.

 

[Gideon]

theothermikeG makes a good point. I wouldn't use a dremel period. Pro's use buffing wheels but they know what they're doing. I DON'T so he makes a good point. watch a movie and polish by hand...

 

[orchidhunter]

Mothers Mag Polish, a old T-shirt and some time. It might help to post this in the Gunsmithing part of the forum, they like bright shiney things there. orchidhunter

 

[Oro]

Shiny is good. Mother's with rags works well. Do it in front of the TV when you have idle time. This photo is badly out of focus, but it's now a pretty, shiny gun now.

 

[sixshooterfan]

Oro,

Did you replace the standard case hardened trigger/hammer? I like it!

 

[easyrider604]

Can I polish a 686 to achieve a somewhat similar finish? ........Has anyone done this?

Matter of fact, quite a few have done this. Check out the link to the THR thread below.

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=353392&highlight=686+porn

 

[Oro]

Did you replace the standard case hardened trigger/hammer? I like it!

No, That gun is a "no dash" and that's the standard flash-chromed hammer/trigger that came on the -0, -1, -2, and I think -3. I don't think the h/t was case hardened until -4 and later. I have a -4 that is case hardened and I think all earlier ones were flash chromed on the 686. The 586 was always ch I think.

 

[bannockburn]

sixshooterfan

I have a S&W Model 649 that has had seven applications of Mother's Mag Polish. Very close to looking like it is nickel plated. Just need a clean cotton cloth rag, a little bit of polish, and some free time in front of the tv.

 

[goodtime]

That's right, bannockburn. I'm a believer in do-it-yourself with polish and a rag.

 

[LTR shooter]

My 686 and Ruger Single Six both have the Mothers treatment. The Single Six was rather poorly finished and the polishing was an improvement.

 

[glassman]

I bought one used that was a diamond in the rough. I used simichrome on a cotton patch to bring it back. Did it while watching tv. Did the same thing to a M64 no dash. I didn't take it to the point of looking chromed but it did improve the finish quite a bit.

 

[madcratebuilder]

The easy way is with a 8 inch or larger bench grinder and buffing wheels. You spend more disassembling than buffing. You can make stainless sparkle. Dremel is for getting inside the trigger guard and extractor rod housing.