Toothpaste action job

[messerist]

Has anyone ever heard of using toothpaste to smooth up the action of a revolver? I brought my new S&W Model 27 to work after I bought it to show the guys. One fellow thought the action to be kinda rough and told me that Jerry Michulek(SP?) uses toothpaste to smooth up his actions. I assume he removes the side plate and squirts toothpaste in and among the moving part. Would this be wise or am I asking for trouble? I personally feel the revolver is just fine so I am hesitant to even consider it. Is he pulling my leg or is there such a proceedure?

 

[EnsignJimmy]

Put the Colgate down and step away from the gun.

Throwing toothpaste into the action of a gun is like throwing any other abrasive polishing compound in there. Do it wrong, and you're liable to wear things out of alignment in a hurry. If you're not familiar enough with the action to know where and what parts can be polished to achieve a smooth, yet reliable, action, then your best bet is to either take the gun to someone who is, or wait for natural wear to fit the parts for you.

 

[Drail]

If you don't mind the hassle of cleaning all that stuff out of the action it probably won't hurt anything. It also will not help and is not an "action job." Toothpaste is such a mild abrasive when used on hardened steel it would be like sanding all the paint off of an old house with 600 grit sandpaper. And I seriously doubt that Jerry Miculek has ever put toothpaste into a firearm.

 

[Eightball]

It might make it smell minty fresh in the end, but I've never heard of this.

 

[Dienekes]

Did it once on a co-worker's M36 that he wanted smoothed up. As I recall it was toothpaste mixed with copious amounts of gun oil. I knew it couldn't do any damage. The only place I used it was in the action under the sideplate. It helped in a minor way, but was fairly messy to clean up. Haven't done it since.

It's more in the nature of a trick than a practical technique.

 

[GRIZ22]

Would this be wise or am I asking for trouble?

It would be asking for trobule. I was in one of Jim Cirillo's classes and someone asked him what putting toothpaste in the action would do. Cirillo responded "make it smell good".

This toothpaste in the action thing has probably been around since Wild Bill Hickcock. I've always heard it from someone who heard it from someone. Never met anyone who actually did it or at least anyone who would admit they tried it.

 

[BCRider]

Toothpaste IS a mild abrasive. So if it cuts into any of the metal it would do so to all the parts and that's not what you want in this case unless your goal is to just plain wear out the gun. By far the best way is to get in there and do just the bits that need it as was already suggested by Jimmy in the first reply.

 

[sm]

Semichrome by Happich is what I would recommend instead.

I grew up with Semichrome, and have used it for 53 years.

Revolvers, from "hardware store" makes, such as those by H&R, Iver Johnson, and Hi-Standard...

Semi Autos too.

Single Shot Shotguns, such as H&R Topper,

Semichrome polishes, it does not remove metal like some other polishes, being more refined.


True Tidbit:

Too many years ago, Hints for Heloise, shared using toothpaste to clean Jewelry.

Toothpaste is abrasive. LOTS of opals, coral, pearls and other soft "stones" were abraded so bad, the opals, coral and similar, had to be re-polished by lapidary means.
Pearls, had to be replaced.

Investigate & Verify.

Not all "hints-n-tips" are shared by persons that know of what they speak.

I continue to use Semichrome and recommend it over other metal polishes.
Only recently did I find another I will recommend, and that is Super distributed by Ritz.

I was sent some obtained through Smokey Mountain Knifeworks to test and give my opinion.

Winol ( I think I got that name correct) to me has changed from what it was 30 years ago, and while back then it was pretty good, Semichrome is what we in the USA, still suggested to our friends in Europe use.

Just a wee bit of Semichrome to polish.

Rule: Only mess with what is touching, what is not touching does not need messing with.
Mentors, when I went through Apprenticeship, beginning at age 8 ...err legally age 13.

I was not allowed to use powered tools until I could do by hand.
There were no Dremel Tools back in the day.

Another truism.
The reason Smith & Wesson and Colt had the deep bluing they were known for, was because of Master Polishers.
The metal has to be polished correctly, in order for bluing salts to give the finish these guns were known for.

Semichrome was one of the "tools in the toolbox" Master Polishers used.

I know, as I have done this by hand, and the bluing on the Colt, and Smiths turned out fine, in doing refinishing work.

Dang.
I "are" getting old.
Nah...I just started too young is all.

The other trick on actions, is using bee's wax with the ashes from the cigarette ash tray.

Again, all we want to do, is "polish" what is touching.

One cannot go too slow, in doing quality "polish" work.

 

[Rodentman]

I dabble in wristwatches as well as firearms. Toothpaste comes up often as a minor scratch remover and crystal polisher.

I never believed in it for those uses and still dont'. Best to use the proper product for the job. Toothpaste is best limited to its intended purpose.

 

[Leanwolf]

MESSERIST - "... One fellow thought the action to be kinda rough ... " QUOTE]

Is this fellow a revolver expert so that he can make the legitimate judgement that your new S&W revolver is "kinda rough??"

What are his bonafides??

BTW, no toothpaste in my S&W, Colt's, or Ruger revolvers. I reserve my Colgate for my teeth.

L.W.

 

[Oro]

I personally feel the revolver is just fine so I am hesitant to even consider it

This is all that needs to be said to realize you should leave it alone.

The act of simply opening the sideplate on a S&W should not be attempted unless 1) you have experience, or 2) explicit directions, some machine work experience and have fabricated your tools. Unless you are in one of these categories don't open it.

Also, in my experience, there's no need to attempt an action job until you have a few hundred live fires and several hundred dry fires on the action - it smooths up on it's own.

Lastly, for readers, doing anything to accelerate the wear on the case hardening on the trigger and hammer hooks or sear is crazy - it puts, to quote a published expert on the subject "a lifetime of wear" on the action for no good effect.

 

[BCRider]

Simichrome is also a very fine abrasive. Yes it's superfine since it does a nice job of shining up metal surfaces but it's still an abrasive all the same.

Bottom line is that there is no way that any polish, toothpaste or any other abrasive agent should be just dumped into the works and then cycle the action. Sure, it'll polish up the spots that could use it. But at the same time it'll also be removing metal where you don't want it to be removed.

A quick test to determine if any type of "polish" is abrasive. Apply to some aluminium or brass and rub it around with a paper towel. If it comes away black then it has removed metal and it is abrasive.

 

[45ACPUSER]

You have one the best places for an action job minutes to the west of Faribault.....Ahlmans!

 

[1911Tuner]

In times past, I've used several polishibg agents to smooth out the rough spots in DA revolvers, and bolt-action rifles...and even frame rails on autopistols...from 606S Du Pont polishing compound to Pearl Drops Tooth Polish.(tm)

Since the introduction of J&B Bore Cleaner, all that has gone the way of the T-Rex. Mix it with a good teflon-based oil like CLP Breakfree or FP-10 until it's semi-drippy...slather it into the entrails...replace the sideplate, and go shoot. About 500 cycles later, the gun should be as slick as buttered glass, unless there are more serious bugs lurkin' in the shadows. Rinse thoroughly, and oil normally.

Luck!

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I tried it on my Ruger Vaqueros; they were both pretty smooth already from use, but it did seem to help some. I haven't had any problems with either gun since then either.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've used it. The trick is to use it right.

1. take the gun completely apart. Clean and degrease every part.

2. Then use stones or fine abrasive paper to polish the non-working surfaces -- the sides of the hammer, trigger, and so on.

3. Next, reassemble, lube and install Wolff springs.

4. If you still have problems, repeat step 1. Reassembe, squirt toothpaste in, and dryfire 1,000 times.

5. Completely disassemble, clean thoroughly, lube and reassemble.

 

[peacemaker45]

4. If you still have problems, repeat step 1. Reassembe, squirt toothpaste in, and dryfire 1,000 times.

Or, skip the toothpaste, and dryfire 2,000 times.

~~~Mat

 

[CoRoMo]

Yes, I've heard of it, but as many here know, there are better compounds made just for this. They'll do the job right and they don't give your gun an embarrassing smell.

 

[polekitty]

Really smooooooth triggers

Hey, the comments all you guys have made are an education and revelation for me!! I've learned a lot. I thought my 1911 was as smooth as any of the high priced "thingies" I've found in various stores. You know, I don't really have a good memory of what the trigger felt like, way back some dozen years ago. But, I do know, that about the time the sear broke it had umpteen 1000's of rounds through it! I guess it just polished itself! Anyway, the "new" trigger does not feel as smooth. I was worried i might have to have a "trigger job" to get back that smooth feel. Now, I'm enlightened! I'll just go shoot the thing and wait for it to smooth itself again!! Not that it isn't smooth---it just isn't as smooth as it was before it broke!!

 

[orionengnr]

I would pay attention to posts #14 and #16.

 

[X-Rap]

What, nobody like Flitz?

 

[22-rimfire]

You won't have to worry about it having bad breath for a while.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Yes, I've heard of it, but as many here know, there are better compounds made just for this. They'll do the job right and they don't give your gun an embarrassing smell.

If the mugger is close enough to smell my gun, he won't be telling any embarassing tales.

 

[Average Joe]

No, I would not use toothpaste. Use a metal polish, or do it the old fashion way, SHOOT IT !

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You can't just fill the innards with the toothpaste and dry fire it. It may abrade spots that you did not want abraded. Also, S&W revolvers have case-hardened (only the surface is hardened) action parts. If you wore through this you would expose relatively soft steel underneath.