[HNTFSH]

Yes! I am an idiot. and could use some advice.

I bought this Colt Combat Elite .38 Super new about 15 years ago. I have put less than 200 rounds through it and cleaned it twice. Stainless frame and blue slide.

In the reassembly process managed to create my idiot trademark with the slide stop. I can't really 'feel' it but you can sure 'see' it!

Is there any known metal 'repair', 'buff', or 'make-up' you guys would suggest? :yes:

 

[ALMODUX]

YOu can buy paste metal polishing compounds at most home depots, Lowes, etc. YOu probably need two grits...one to take out the scratches, and the next to buff it to match the finish around it. IF you have a dremel and small buffing tips, that works great....just go lightly. IF not, you can get the same result with q-tips and your fingers and a rag, though it takes MUCH longer. No reason that can't be 'dissappeared' with a little work. :biggrin:

BTW, if it all seems too much, I'll buy it for $300 as is and it can be my 'idiot' mark then. :rofl: :lol:

 

[HNTFSH]

Thanks ALMODUX - no this is where I may get even more dangerous (a Dremel in hand!).

Any suggestion on which size grit (in the paste) and also which Dremel pads would you recomend?

 

[bgoldhunter]

I agree with ALMO. I would prefer to use the comound and q tips, as that isn't near bad enough for me to break a dremel out.

BTW ALMO: I just bought a 1911 at a very discounted price...the reason? His bro-in-law (he says anyway) put 4 idiot marks in the park finish. At what I bought it for, I could live with it!

 

[ALMODUX]

They make plenty of dremel buffing 'disks', but I'd try to find the 'tip'....they look like a Q-tip mounted to a metal rod. It's hard for me to find cakes of true jeweler's rouge these days, that you could buy in specific grits or at least by coarse, medium, or fine. If you can find them, start with red and finish with white. The paste stuff that you find these days usually doesn't say a grit on it. Instead, it's rated for material/use. I use the tubes that say for metal scratch removal/heavy polishing, to start with. Next I move to the next finest/softest they offer for buffing out my polish marks from the other. I am not a finish or restoration expert, but there are some tricks I've gotten from some who are very good at it. IF you should get into that trigger radius angle by accident, you will need to make a small sanding block and fine paper and sharpen the edge up anywhere you may accidentally round it some....just to keep it from showing as being polished. if it's bead blasted (as it appears), tape it off to start with in that area, and don't touch it, unless you want to have it blasted all over again....no way I know of to match bead blasting.:biggrin:

 

[HNTFSH]

Thanks guys - this has been very helpful. I would not have thought to go 'Q Tip' on my own. :yes: Nor would I thought to tape off the bead blasting area.

I'm gonna give it a shot before I pull out the Dremel and actually make it a $300.00 gun! :yes:

Thanks - hold on as I'll report back! :thumbsup:

 

[20bolt]

STRIP IT DOWN FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Polishing compound has a spectactular way of getting into moving parts and making a mess of your action. Strip it to the best of your ability before you start. I would take it apart completely.

 

[mydogearl]

beautiful gun