Colt Stainless Light Scratch - Need Advice

[westtx28]

I have a Colt King Cobra that I bought new years ago. I shot it quite a bit after I got it and then put it up. I got it out recently and noticed it has a very light but noticeable scratch on the frame. If I run my fingernail over it I don't really feel it so I don't think it's too deep. I have absolutely NO plans on getting rid of the gun but I'd like to get the scratch taken care of it I can. Also, is there anything that can be done with the cylinder line? What do you guys think would be be best thing to do? Can I have it professionally cleaned and polished or should I just leave it alone?

 

[CoRoMo]

Also, is there anything that can be done with the cylinder line?

Wanting to remove the cylinder line from a revolver is a new level of nitpick IMHO. Leave it alone.

But you might be able to buff the scratch off the side there. Brass wool maybe?

 

[Navarre]

I would recommend trying either Flitz or Mothers Mag & Aluminum polish. Both are safe for stainless (nickle as well!) and can work wonders. I have used both on my stainless S&W's and have had no issues. I have noticed that the Flitz seems to be more abrasive than Mothers but I could be wrong. Take off the grips and try some on the grip frame to be sure first. Also take your time and go slow. Don't try to take it all off at once. Just a little goes a long way.

Navarre

 

[rcmodel]

Brass wool won't do anything at all.

Use some Flitz or Simichrome metal polish on a patch or soft rag and see what it does.

rc

 

[westtx28]

Wanting to remove the cylinder line from a revolver is a new level of nitpick IMHO

Yeah, I know. I have problems. Actually the cylinder line doesn't bother me because it's supposed to be there. Like I said, I'm not getting rid of it. I just want to get it cleaned up and looking nice so my son or future grandchild can get top dollar at some third-rate pawn shop after I'm dead!

 

[Coyote3855]

i'm confused. I thought you were talking about the minor scratch on the frame, not the cylinder. Flitz it is.

 

[edwin41]

i would point you towards a diamant polish , as is used in the rvs industrie.i have some here and will ship you some if needed...
i have very little of it so i could only send you a flimsy bit though...

greetings from holland !

 

[Guillermo]

in the immortal words of Troy Landry

"choot!!! Choot it!!"

 

[ColtPythonElite]

If you start rubbing on that one spot with Flitz, Simichrome, Mothers, or whatever to remove that scratch. You will end up with a noticeable shiny spot. At that point, you will have to hand polish the whole gun to make it match. That is no big deal to me, because most SS guns turn kind of yellow with age. A little hand polishing will make them nice and bright. However, some collectors frown upon any kind of finish disturbing....I'm not really a high brow collector, so it doesn't bother me. I'd shine the whole gun up and enjoy it....As a matter of fact, I have a matte King Cobra that was very yellow when I got it. The first thing I did was hand polish it. It is now nice and shiny. It is not as shiny as a factory polished gun, but is still is an eye catcher.

I also agree with Guillermo...Shot the crap out of it. It has been shot. Not shooting it now won't increase it's value. I'd shoot it as often as I could and not baby it for the next owner.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

You will never get it to match if you polish it. Leave it alone or send it to Colt.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Ain't no way I'd send a shooter to Colt for that tiny scratch. Their Custom Shop charges $200 to refinish a matte stainless gun. By the time you figure shipping both ways, the cost would exceed $300.

 

[BCRider]

The finish from the picture appears to be the sort of matt "brushed" finish that is left by a particular grit of finishing sanding.

As mentioned the Flitz or Mother's or any other polish will simply make the area shiney and the scratch will still be there. What you need to do is experiment with various grit values of finer wetordry sandpaper on some shiney stainless test strips until you can duplicate the finish on your colt. Then you're going to "sand out" that scratch. Unfortunetly this does requre that you remove metal around the scratch until you reach the same level as the bottom of the scratch. There's really no other way since you can't easily put the metal back into the scratch that was displaced from the original marking.

 

[Remllez]

I've seen a lot worse damage done trying to "fix" a minor scratch than the actual scratch.
I'd leave it, but it's your gun.....

 

[bannockburn]

westtx28

As others have already attested to, if you try to rub out that scratch with Flitz or Mothers Mag Polish, you will end up having to polish the rest of the gun to match that one area. So you can either leave the scratch as is, or polish up the whole gun so that you have the same uniform finish throughout the gun.

Actually I kind of like giving stainless steel a high grade polish that makes it look like nickel plating, and have done it on a couple of stainless S&W revolvers that I have. I have also found for that level of shine Mothers Mag Polish seems to work much more easily and effectively than Flitz.