Cleaning a Nickel finish handgun

[Tazman1602]

I recently aquired due to dads ill health his S&W Model 10 - x (haven't even had time to take it down and clean it good yet) .38 Special with a nickel finish.

I have all manner of experience with blued and stainless, but have never owned a nickel finish before.

The old geezer as we affectionately call him, is the guy who taught me how to clean and shoot guns, but I don't think he has even touched this gun for 15 years. There are some spots on the nickel plating, I've gone over it with WD40 just to make sure it doesn't get any worse, but can anyone recommend something to clean it with? On chrome, etc. I'd use 0000 steel wool and cleaner -- do that on my motorcycles all the time but I'm scared of making the finish here any worse than it already it. See if I can get a pic up from photobucket:








Now that is a great picture of how bad it looks -- that is not pitting I don't think, it's a discoloration of the metal.

Anyone has any ideas please shoot them my way please, still gotta slug the barrel and find out what the cylinders like. Lock up is tight, trigger is excellent, just need to pull it down and clean it up!


Here's one more where it doesn't look so bad:



Thanks,

Art

[Calamity Jake]

You might try Flitz metal polish.

[44man]

I understand most bore cleaners like Hoppe's can damage nickle. It seems as if anything that works on copper fouling can also work on nickle.
Do NOT use WD 40, it can promote rust and is the very worst thing to use on a gun.
Try Flitz and then wax the gun.

[EMC45]

Flitz. I had one exactly like that one years ago. Said "Detroit P.D." on the back gripstrap. Locked up tight and shot great.

[August]

Yes, Flitz or Iosso Gun Brite Polish or Semi Chrome Polish. (all three are similar)

I use Iosso Gun Brite on my Colt's Nickel gunz.

[MtGun44]

Note that all the mentioned "cleaners" are fine abrasives and will remove some small layer of the
nickle every time you use them. Hoppe's #9 and other copper removers will slowly dissolve
nickel, too. Wiping for cleaning the chambers and bore is OK, but it needs to be totally
removed.

I'd mix up some Ed's Red and use that to keep it clean. Only use the mild abrasive cleaners
as necessary to even up the polish and remove tarnish and staining. Nickel is a moderate
PITA and slowly wears off at any "heavily traveled" areas. It was pretty good to protect agaist
corrosion many years ago, but is much softer than steel so will wear.

Bill

[subsonic]

Just leave it like that. Some people will think it's worth more because it "looks old". LOL

[cuzinbruce]

Anything I ever used to polish nickel also changed the color a bit. Went from slight warm color to a bluish tone more like chrome. I just wipe my nickel guns with Ed's Red.

[Tazman1602]

OK guys just thought I'd update you. I've done a LOT of work on chrome (into bikes also.....) and tried everything suggested but could not get the "gunk" off.

I finally picked a small spot on the butt of the gun and tried an old chrome polishers trick. Worked like a CHARM and gun looks almost NEW now with NO finish deterioration or scratching.

I know some of you are going to say I'm nuts.............but..........

0000 steel wool and some Mothers mag and aluminum polish and a few light rubs and it came right back to shiny bright.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Art

[MtGun44]

I think the Mother's or Simichrome without the steel wool will be kinder to the nickel
and may give the same results.

Good that you are getting it back to normal.

Bill