Touching Up Gun Finish

BarryLee · March 26, 2011, 08:48 AM

I have a Beretta 92FS pistol with the standard black finish and I noticed a small nick on the frame. Overall the rest of the gun looks good, so I would like to touch this up if possible. Is there a material that can be used to touch up a very small nick on an aluminum frame?

gak · March 26, 2011, 12:07 PM

Deleted--duplicate post.

gak · March 26, 2011, 12:09 PM

You might check out the thread running now on ...bluing. May or may not help with the aluminum. In the meantime--and I'm not being trite or "cute"--but since it's just a small nick, try a black Sharpie. "Deftly" apply it. Rub it quickly before it dries. Apply again. May at least get you by...and you can obviously--and cheaply--reapply whenever you want. Otherwise, someone will chime in here...there is some treament folks use on the aluminum components of Ruger Blackhawks and Single Sixes.

Casimer · March 26, 2011, 03:30 PM

Try a sharpy 'industrial' pen, though a standard black sharpy will do. There are some touch-up products for aluminum, like 'aluma-black' by Birchwood Casey, but I've never been happy with the result. The sharpies actually blend better with black anodizing. I'd come across that recommendation on a metal finishing forum when researching the same question.

chasep255 · March 26, 2011, 04:26 PM

Maybe instead of a sharpie you could use black nail polish. Cover the scratch and let it dry for an hour. Then simply wipe it with remover and the polish will have filled in the crack.

8shot357 · March 26, 2011, 05:03 PM

"Look, that guy tried to touch up his gun to look better."

"Looks like he tried to touch it up to look better."

Chesster · March 26, 2011, 05:34 PM

As above B-C makes a great touch up pen for these nicks.

old bear · March 26, 2011, 06:59 PM

It's amazing what you can do with a Sharpie and a little time. Try it I think you will be pleased.

BarryLee · March 27, 2011, 12:55 PM

Yes, a Sharpie was my first thought, but I could not find one around the house. Guess I'll pick one up and give it a try.

Bill DeShivs · March 28, 2011, 12:01 AM

Cold blue won't work on aluminum.
The other suggestions are good.

Kodyo · March 28, 2011, 12:23 AM

I tried to use a sharpie on one of my matte finish guns, but it did not work at all. I could see using it to cover up a blued gun, but on a matte finish, it just won't do.

edrice · March 30, 2011, 08:28 PM

You can buy a small bottle of Aluminum Black by Birchwood Casey -

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4...ALUMINUM_BLACK

Ed

jersey_emt · March 31, 2011, 01:11 PM

Sharpie worked great on covering up a fairly long (3/4") and deep scratch on my Mossberg 500 receiver (black anodized aluminium).

KennyFSU · March 31, 2011, 01:32 PM

As cheap and "ghetto" as it may sound, a black Sharpie does wonders to a blued finish.

March 26, 2011, 08:48 AM	#1
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Touching Up Gun Finish I have a Beretta 92FS pistol with the standard black finish and I noticed a small nick on the frame. Overall the rest of the gun looks good, so I would like to touch this up if possible. Is there a material that can be used to touch up a very small nick on an aluminum frame? __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

March 26, 2011, 05:34 PM	#7
Chesster Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: Dixie Posts: 2,538	As above B-C makes a great touch up pen for these nicks. __________________ Chesster Proud NDN "The American Idle" Vote 'Pro-Choice' on 2nd Amendment issues!!!

March 27, 2011, 12:55 PM	#9
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	Yes, a Sharpie was my first thought, but I could not find one around the house. Guess I'll pick one up and give it a try. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

March 28, 2011, 12:01 AM	#10
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	Cold blue won't work on aluminum. The other suggestions are good. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

March 31, 2011, 01:11 PM	#13
jersey_emt Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Posts: 440	Sharpie worked great on covering up a fairly long (3/4") and deep scratch on my Mossberg 500 receiver (black anodized aluminium). __________________ A liberal firearms owner and 2A supporter from New Jersey (yes, we do exist). SIG Sauer P6, S&W Model 59, Ruger Mark II "NRA Endowment" special edition, Mossberg 500 12-gauge. Please check out WhichGun.com, a firearms reference and buying guide.

March 26, 2011, 12:07 PM	#2
gak Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Location: Aridzona Posts: 2,767	Deleted--duplicate post.

March 26, 2011, 12:09 PM	#3
gak Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Location: Aridzona Posts: 2,767	You might check out the thread running now on ...bluing. May or may not help with the aluminum. In the meantime--and I'm not being trite or "cute"--but since it's just a small nick, try a black Sharpie. "Deftly" apply it. Rub it quickly before it dries. Apply again. May at least get you by...and you can obviously--and cheaply--reapply whenever you want. Otherwise, someone will chime in here...there is some treament folks use on the aluminum components of Ruger Blackhawks and Single Sixes.

March 26, 2011, 03:30 PM	#4
Casimer Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2007 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 1,918	Try a sharpy 'industrial' pen, though a standard black sharpy will do. There are some touch-up products for aluminum, like 'aluma-black' by Birchwood Casey, but I've never been happy with the result. The sharpies actually blend better with black anodizing. I'd come across that recommendation on a metal finishing forum when researching the same question.

March 26, 2011, 04:26 PM	#5
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	Maybe instead of a sharpie you could use black nail polish. Cover the scratch and let it dry for an hour. Then simply wipe it with remover and the polish will have filled in the crack.

March 26, 2011, 05:03 PM	#6
8shot357 Junior member Join Date: September 7, 2010 Posts: 1,740	"Look, that guy tried to touch up his gun to look better." "Looks like he tried to touch it up to look better."

March 26, 2011, 06:59 PM	#8
old bear Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2009 Location: Not close enough to the beach Posts: 1,477	It's amazing what you can do with a Sharpie and a little time. Try it I think you will be pleased.

March 28, 2011, 12:23 AM	#11
Kodyo Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2011 Posts: 320	I tried to use a sharpie on one of my matte finish guns, but it did not work at all. I could see using it to cover up a blued gun, but on a matte finish, it just won't do.

March 30, 2011, 08:28 PM	#12
edrice Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2007 Posts: 113	You can buy a small bottle of Aluminum Black by Birchwood Casey - http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=4...ALUMINUM_BLACK Ed

March 31, 2011, 01:32 PM	#14
KennyFSU Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 114	As cheap and "ghetto" as it may sound, a black Sharpie does wonders to a blued finish. __________________ Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it does not work you can always hit him with it. -Boris the Blade, on guns.