To Re-Blue or Not to Re-Blue ? That Is The Question !

[Gun Master]

I recently purchased a S&W Combat Masterpiece (Pre-Model 15) .38 Special, 5 screw with very good checkered walnut grips. The timing, tight action, and function all seem nearly perfect.
I have not had the opportunity to shoot it yet.

The only problem, if it might be considered a problem, is that it is a cold re-blue job.
The finish is a sort of dark brown, kind of maybe a little bit of blue. Some body almost buffed off the S&W on the right side, between the grip and the cylinder. The finish, although not pretty, is mostly extant.

My conundrum is, "Do I try to do another re-blue (cold/hot) job, or not" ?
I do not have the $ for a hot blue, costing maybe more than the gun.
I have an old unopened bottle of Birchwood Casey cold blue.
I've re-blued many a gun using this product, with good results, several years ago. None recently.
I also recall working long hours and having more energy than I do now.

Do I try to do another cold blue job or not ?
What do you think ?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Can't hurt

 

[357 Terms]

Pics?

 

[stringnut]

It's only value is as a shooter due to the previous work. If the finish drives you crazy it can't hurt to blue it. If you can live with way it is leave it. I would shoot it first and then decide. If throwing it is more accurate than shooting you might not keep it anyway!

 

[kozak6]

The collector's value is already trashed, and you even have a jar of cold blue ready to go.

Go for it!

 

[bannockburn]

I would say if you have the time and the know-how (and the Birchwood Casey Cold Blue), why not do it? The gun's a shooter not a vintage collectible.

 

[CraigC]

Do the cold blue. To do a proper refinish in hot bluing would require metalwork and cost a lot more than it would to buy one in new condition.

 

[Sunray]

Any cold bluing is made for touching up. Not complete firearms. Cold bluing does not protect as much as a hot blue finish either. In any case, the quality of any bluing job is dependant on the amount and quality of the prep work done. Isn't easy to get a good even colour coverage either.
"...almost buffed off the S&W..." Means the thing has no collector value so you can put any finish you like on. I'd be inclined to go with industrial hard chrome myself. Comes out as a bluish, brushed Al.

 

[Gun Master]

Pics?

Sorry, can't do pics. Wish I could.

 

[MikeJackmin]

It might not cost much it parkerize it. I always liked that finish.

 

[bannockburn]

Sunray

I had the same thought. Years ago I had a Beretta Model 70S that had problems with it's factory blued finish that still remained even after Beretta refinished it under warranty. Found I could get Ron Mahovsky to do his Metalife Hard Chrome finish for less than getting it reblued (yet again), and have a much more durable finish when it was done. Cost nowadays is $150 for a revolver so I don't know if the OP would want to spend that much on his used S&W Combat Masterpiece.

 

[joed]

Can't beat a hard chrone finish. Don't own one but have seen many and they do look sharp in my opinion.

 

[AeroDillo]

I do caustic bluing on a decently regular basis, so I'm biased.

That said, cold bluing is a product with a very limited utility. It works (somewhat) for making dings, wear marks, and light scratches less apparent. Very rarely have I seen it hide those effectively, as the color of the cold-blued part seldom matches the rest of the (usually) caustically-blued gun. I can't begin to tell you how much money I flushed on Birchwood-Casey solution.

The only stuff I ever found to work remotely well was Blue Wonder. Downside there is the cost and scarcity.

So I guess this is a long way around a short point. If the present finish doesn't bother you, I'd leave it as-is. If it does, I'd either sink the money into caustic or possibly look into Cerakote...they have a couple of colors that match bluing reasonably well, plus any advantages paint may offer.

My two bits on the subject.

 

[Speedo66]

I agree with others, whats been done has erased most collector value. Blue away.

I had very good luck re-blueing a Uberti revolver with Van's Instant Gun Blue. It did a better job than I expected, and better than other cold blues I've used. It comes with detailed instructions, different technique than most.

Here's a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vans-Instan...191134?hash=item41ccb3845e:g:C-cAAOSw8d9UvyaD

 

[Hoppes Love Potion]

I would shoot it before making any cosmetic decisions.

 

[Gun Master]

Thanks, guys! I probably will shoot it before making a final decision.
I've owned a Luger that had previously been Black Hard Chrome finished. Looked nice.
As far as Parkerized, it pretty much looks that way already. It has a protective finish, which looks more like Browning than Bluing, but a little of both.

When considering cost of time, labor, and money, I'm leaning more to "leave it like it is". It looks old and weathered, kind of classy, if you understand what I mean ? Like me.

I just really HATE that the circled S&W logo was almost totally buffed off !
Dang it !

 

[bannockburn]

joed

Can't beat a hard chrome finish. Don't own one but have seen many and they do look sharp in my opinion.

Not only look sharp, but still look like new as well, even after many years of service!

 

[P5 Guy]

Another vote for chrome.

 

[jmorris]

I have not had good luck finding a decent place to send a firearm to be blued. Have sent a few out over the years "to the best guy I have ever seen" suggestions and none have came back great. So the decent guns That I would have refinished sit in the safe for now.

Virgil Tripp did the best hard chrome work but he quit years ago now or I would likely have a few more examples of his work.

"Cold blue" isn't the same across the board. I used 44/40 for years and it's slightly better than a sharpie pen.

I put together a .22 contender barrel for my Daughter a while back and didn't want to leave it in the white so I did some more research and tried Oxpho-blue creme and it looks pretty good for "cold" blue, even better than a few "hot" examples I have, like the factory finish on the receiver.

 

[Flyer898]

If you decide to refinish the revolver take a look at Brownell's Ospho Blue. It is a cold applied rust blue. Results vary, but I have had good results on old guns where collector value was not an issue. It does not smell like the Birchwood Casey product and is more durable.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO your worst choice would be Birchwood Casey Cold Blue. It's a terrible treatment and it stinks.
If you cold blue I would highly recommend using Brownells Oxpho-Blue. I only use it for touch ups personally.

Sending it to S&W for a good factory reblue is your best choice if you want to pay.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/customer-service/precision-gunsmithing
Standard polish and blue is listed @$220. I have seen heartworm and it's just amazing!