5of7
Hunter
Anybody here know of a good place to get a SS Smith 657 glass bead blasted?
Glass bead blasting
- Thread starter 5of7
- Start date
WESHOOT2
Hunter
I suggest a look in your Yellow Pages under 'Machine Shops'; check if they have a blast cabinet and can do what you want.
Only takes a few minutes.....
Only takes a few minutes.....
chris_
Blackhawk
You can buy the stuff at Harbor freight and do it yourself fairly easily. It's really not challenging at all.
anachronism
Single-Sixer
Remember to disassemble everything, and to remove the sights & the latch in the ejector rod recess that locks up the front of the ejector rod. Taping things off never seems to work. Specify low pressure blasting, with a fine media for best results. Some guys prefer to simply wire brush the exterior, or even Scotchbrite it to clean it up & take off the shine.
One of the very nicest revolvers (plural) I ever saw--within reach of us mere mortals anyway--was a pair of stainless Vaqueros at a gun show that'd been beadblasted to a fine satin nth degree. They were adorned with other "improvements" including Bisley hammers, roundbutt fripframes with ivories on one and black micarta the other--that made the beadblast "work" even more. I've seen a few posted on RF that had a similar "wow" factor. I've not been able to quite bring myself to do that (beadblast) to my 5.5 .44 Mag or .44 Special Sheriff for some reason--maybe as I like the guns the way they are, they seem destined to retain the nickel/cowboy look, and they make the .44 Mags no more (special distribution runs aside). However, I would love to get a regular NV just to do that. Hmmm...maybe my next .44 Special purchase!
cphilip
Bearcat
Here is my "hunter" Redhawk I did this one myself. The gun was rather scratched and pitted anyway when I got it and I was making a field hunter out of this 7 1/2 inch 44 magnum anyway. Was kind of tedious and fiddly but not hard to do. It came out pretty good I think. Not sure exactly what size beads there were but rather coarse ones as those things go IIRC. I had to oil it and take a real good high resolution picture to show the grain it leaves. Otherwise try and exaggerate it a bit for the picture that is... Really came out nice and very useful. I am sure it will sort of smooth off in places as the holster wear starts getting to working on it in the future but... perhaps it will stay for a long while?
chris_
Blackhawk
The only problem with doing it as shown, rather than covering the cylinder where the latch drags, is that you induce roughness into the trigger pull.
cphilip
Bearcat
As to the trigger pull, I can't tell any difference before and after on this one Chris. If it is then it was not significant. At least I couldn't tell any difference. Its still rather smooth surface. Its smoother than I can make it look in the picture anyway.
Of course doing it still requires some areas be taped off and not blasted. There are many surfaces you don't want to change in there or... at least you don't need too. Like those on the ends of the cylinder, all the internal parts and inside edges of the grip frame to name a few.
I suppose you could not do the cylinder if it worried you or if you felt it was going to be a disadvantage to you... but its a fairly large piece of exposed metal your attempting to dull down so I certainly wanted the Cylinder to be done too for my uses. It was partially to reduce its glint and reflection in sunlight plus the gun needed cosmetic help anyway. Most of the ones I have seen had the cylinder done as well. But point taken!
Of course doing it still requires some areas be taped off and not blasted. There are many surfaces you don't want to change in there or... at least you don't need too. Like those on the ends of the cylinder, all the internal parts and inside edges of the grip frame to name a few.
I suppose you could not do the cylinder if it worried you or if you felt it was going to be a disadvantage to you... but its a fairly large piece of exposed metal your attempting to dull down so I certainly wanted the Cylinder to be done too for my uses. It was partially to reduce its glint and reflection in sunlight plus the gun needed cosmetic help anyway. Most of the ones I have seen had the cylinder done as well. But point taken!
chris_
Blackhawk
Cphilip, that's interesting to hear that. I have blasted three guns but have always taped off the back of the cylinder, a look I don't care for. Yours sure looks nice. Might have to do the next one all the way.
cphilip
Bearcat
By back you mean a back portion? I would love to see that effect Chris. Might be interesting for sure. I did tape off the rear of the cylinder as well as the front but I think your talking about the area just fore and rear of the Latches from what I am comprehending. And your theory does make some sense. Sure glad I didn't think of it when I was doing mine.... :0 I was nervous enough! I have done a lot of kit build guns (well, not a lot by many standards, 6 or 7) where I was cleaning with beads before prepping for Norrel's Molly Resin but this was the first one I beaded intending to leave it like that. Couldn't have driven a needle...well... you know.... I don't intend to do any more and push my luck!
What size beads are you using?
By the way... I am still coveting that 44 magnum Bisley you have for sale. It keeps calling to me...
What size beads are you using?
By the way... I am still coveting that 44 magnum Bisley you have for sale. It keeps calling to me...
chris_
Blackhawk
You should buy the Bisley.:D I mean the back half of the cylinder, and the faces as well, although in truth, I see no real need to leave the faces undone.cphilip said:
cphilip
Bearcat
.... yea... but I couldn't see any reason TOO do them either.... since they don't show (reflect or shine) so I simply did only what showed. Seemed the safer and even perhaps easier thing to do. Kept the cleaning out of the insides of the chambers easier too just to tape em off and keep it out of there altogether was my thought there.
I wish I could. It would really complete (or at least round out) my set of .44's which now consists of this Redhawk and a Super Redhawk Alaskan... what better addition but a Cowboy variant? Its just a matter of timing and money is all. Ya know? Maybe I will pick up a consulting job here soon. I have been hoping someone else would buy it and take the temptation away.
I wish I could. It would really complete (or at least round out) my set of .44's which now consists of this Redhawk and a Super Redhawk Alaskan... what better addition but a Cowboy variant? Its just a matter of timing and money is all. Ya know? Maybe I will pick up a consulting job here soon. I have been hoping someone else would buy it and take the temptation away.
