How to revove sharp edges off new guns

A lot (or most) new guns have very sharp edges. S&W PPK, Charter Arms and the new Remlin 1894. One could shave with the S&W Walther copy.
I hear that even the new Colt 1911 have the same issue, for lack of whatever step is needed to prevent that.
How can one remove those edges without sanding into the blueing?

 

Normally, new gun parts are tumbled with an abrasive of some kind to remove burrs and sharp edges before finishing and assembly. With speeded up production, it seems that some factories are skipping or shortening that process. (The worst guns, in my experience, were those from FEG in Hungary; they were the Band-Aid's best friend!)

The normal way to deal with the problem on a new gun is to stone the sharp edges. With a stainless steel gun, that normally leaves few or no signs but with a blued gun some blue will be removed and cold blue used to darken the spots.

Jim

 

Zerstoerer

I have several new Colt 1911s and none of them exhibit any sharp edges or rough spots. The only problem I had was with a Colt New Agent which had some very sharp edges on the corners of the grips. Some quick work with a file took care of that problem.

 

Well, if the offending edges are blued, removing them will remove the bluing.

I suppose that with some exposed edges you could attempt to carefully peen them into a more friendly shape.

 

I know a guy that sliced the hell out of his finger on a sharp edge on a brand new stainless mini14, it was just inside the groove where the charging handle slides back and forth. I carefully felt it, and yeah, it was a razor.

 

Stone the edges as in sharpening stone?

 

Gunsmith stones.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/stones/india-stones-prod9618.aspx

rc

 

All you need to do is break the sharp edges. In most places, it won't even show, even on a blued gun. I cut my hand on the frame of a FEG in the area under the grip where the frame is cut away at the magazine well; stoning that area doesn't show at all unless the grips are removed.

Jim

 

I have rubbed the top portion of an unused drill bit with some pressure over some sharp edges and it seems to peen them down enough so I don't get cut. Does not remove metal or bluing to any extent.

 

That technique is called burnishing. Hardened steel burnishing tools used to be sold but I haven't seen one in years.