What is the best way to get a scratch out of a SS slide?

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bernse

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I bought an Equinox a couple months back, and from brand new it had a small, albeit bothersome scratch on the slide and I would like to get rid of it.

Ideas? I was told to experiment with "fine grit" sandpaper, and to be honest I don't feel like experimenting on my pistol... and I really don't have a chunk of stainless kicking around to play with (let alone who knows how the hardness would compare).

I was thinking of a dremel and some rubbing compound.. but I am not so sure.

Ideas on the best way to work this bugger out?
scratch.JPG
 
Most stainless doesn't really have a finish on it, apart from the last mechanical treatment at the manufacturer. If you use a dremel, and go after the sspot, you will probably make the mark go away, but leave a small patch that stands out, because it is different from the surrounding area. You can see linear marks on the slide form the final polish. You would have to duplicate this to make the mark disappear. I know that you don't want to hear this, but personally, I wouldn't be bothered.
 
They look fairly deep in the pic (could be deceiving). I think anything you do to that area will show unless the entire side is done evenly. Fine sandpaper either will be too fine to take out the scratches or will leave swirling marks in that spot, if you polish that area it will leave a shiny spot.

I personally would leave it as is or go back to who you bought it from maybe they will do something for you.

Edit - experimenting opens possibility of errors and more marks on your gun.

AP
 
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Put a full sheet of 600 grit sandpaper sand side up on a sheet of glass on top of a clean, flat table or workbench. Run the side of the slide on the sandpaper in one direction only, applying moderate pressure. Lift the slide, put it back at the leading edge of the paper and repeat until the mark is gone.

By the way, a dremel will ruin the existing finish on your slide
 
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Pick up some lapping compound in various grits. You could get a lapping table, but they're rather spendy, so a pane of glass or two (the glass will get scuffed up pretty good from the compound) will do the trick. Use a VERY small amount of the lapping compound, spread out evenly on the pane of glass, and very GENTLY set the slide on the pane. do about 25-50 figure eight passes, and rotate the piece a quarter turn. Wipe the piece clean (I recommend windex and some lint free tissue to get the lapping compound off, runnign water dos well too) and inspect. to get the insuing swirl marks out, you can go to finer grits until you have a high polish shine. if you want, you can even use jewellers paper (it's an ULTRA fine grit emery cloth) as a final touch, unless you've got some seriously fine grit compound.

I used to do this on stainless valve seat parts when I was still doing valve repair. it does work.
 
A scratch goes below the surface of the steel. The only way to get rid of it is to remove enough steel from the surface that the scratch is gone. Lapping plates, glass with fine abrasive sheets on them will do this, and keep a flat surface flat. So will a Dremel, but the likely result will be a localized depression. The catch is that you are removing metal, and want to leave the surface looking like other similarly finished parts of the slide, unless you are prepared to treat all surfaces the same to get a match.
 
Musky Hunter said:
just leave it alone....a gun is a tool and will get scratches and dings. It is inevitable.
Click to expand...

Amen brother. It sucks, 'cuz we all like pretty toys, but at the end of the day they are tools.
 
Do nothing!!! it may look shallow but going after only one small area will put a small groove in the metal. My advice would be to find some manufacturers in your area who work with S/S and ask them to re finnish the piece. They have the right tools.
 
I once had a deep scratch in a stainless 22/45 - I managed to buff it out but I had to buff the entire barrel to match the new "mirror look".

I see it has a wired brush type of finish... not much you can do to hide it I'm afraid.

I feel your pain bro :)

I don't get so anal when a rifle or shotgun get scratched, but for some weird reason if a pistol get scratched it bugs the hell out of me.
 
If you do one side you will have to do the other side to keep both sides looking the same. If the etching is deeper than the scratches it will still be there. If the scratches are deep you will need to remove metal until they are gone.
 
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