I sandblasted my Guardian

Playboypenguin · March 22, 2007, 06:30 PM

When I got my .380 Guardian this week it had some damage to the top of it. Since it was he last one around I could not be too picky. it was just cosmetic. there were nicks out of the sight rail on the top and scratched on the top of the slide.

I though this might be something I could fix myself so I went and bought a cheap sandblaster.

I filed out the nicks in the rail and sanded down the top of the slide. I then used a glass bead mix through my sandblaster to refinish the top. i think it looks even better now than when it would have been new. the sandblasted look is a little more pearlized than the standard matte finish.

Here is a pic of the top of the gun after sandblasting. the close up is of the area where the worst nicks and scratches were present. I wish I had taken a before pic.

fisherman66 · March 22, 2007, 06:39 PM

Outstanding

Wrascal · March 22, 2007, 07:30 PM

Wracal bids $250 for this neat toy.

By the way, It looks great!

rantingredneck · March 22, 2007, 07:31 PM

Very nice work. Looks brand new.

Playboypenguin · March 22, 2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Very nice work. Looks brand new.

I hope so...it is new. It just got banged up a little on it's way to me.

I would have never have usually tried anything like this. I am anal about nicks and dents and will not buy guns that have them. In this case there wasjust no other alternative.

DonR101395 · March 22, 2007, 09:12 PM

That's a great job you did PP.

NCHornet · March 23, 2007, 06:44 AM

Excellent job, I know I had some surface scratches in my 32 Guardian that I just bought. Flitz and a lot of elbow grease took out 90% of them. I would do as you have done, but heck, it is a pocket gun, it's going to show some wear. I give it a thumbs up!!

Tom2 · March 23, 2007, 03:17 PM

Yea it makes alot more sense to bead blast that instead of that aluminum frame. The bead cabinets are cheap, which I like, but it is expensive to get a compressor that has the min. rating for bead blasting. Lot of ones for home use don't go that high. The only drawback is that the media gets inside everything like fine gritty dust so you have alot of cleanup sometimes on gun parts with little holes and crannies. I got a 50 lb bag of mil spec glass beads in the garage I want to give away but I ain't paying shipping, would be a pickup item! Now that you can do that, you can try parkerising regular steel parts.

hpg · March 23, 2007, 04:56 PM

It looks very good......hpg

Playboypenguin · March 24, 2007, 03:33 AM

Quote:

but it is expensive to get a compressor that has the min. rating for bead blasting. Lot of ones for home use don't go that high. The only drawback is that the media gets inside everything like fine gritty dust so you have alot of cleanup sometimes on gun parts with little holes and crannies.

Luckily I had a few compressors already (from 5gal up to 60gal) so that was not an issue. I did not actually use a cabinet though. I just went out in the yeard and put on a mask and goggles and went to town. I was only doing this small item so I was not worried about revovering and reusing my materials.

As for the cleaning. I must have spent hours getting all the glass beads out of the gun. The first couple times I cleaned and cleaned but when I would go to put it back together I would feel more grit and have to start over.

slow944 · March 31, 2007, 10:07 PM

PP I picked up a S&W M66 yesterday that was a buyback because of the GREAT pictures of you guns that you keep showing us. Keep up the good work on that part of your posts. The one I got has some slight scratches on the barrel and I was wondering what you would us for removing them since I don't have a blaster. I also have a Colt Python with 6"bbl that has a wavy scratch on it as well I was wondering if they make some kind of blue stick or the like?? I have a new unfire barrel for the Python but I'd like to keep it original as I like guns the way they came. Thanks for any advice....Jerry

Playboypenguin · March 31, 2007, 10:31 PM

Quote:

I was wondering what you would us for removing them since I don't have a blaster.

I am far from an expert metal worker so I am probably not the best person to ask. I would at least have to see pics before I could make any suggestions.

Willy T · April 5, 2007, 09:58 PM

Looks great...good job.

Sturmgewehre · April 5, 2007, 10:03 PM

Badass dude!

It makes me want one!

predecessor · April 6, 2007, 02:39 PM

Ahh, a sandblaster! Now why didn't I think of that?

I was sitting around with nothing else to do but add yet another fine gun to my collection and figured, "What the heck. I got all this extra cash sitting around. I think I'll go get me a sandblaster today and then take yet another awesome picture of one of the guns in my collection so that the guys at the Firing Line can think envious thoughts about me."

Just jealous PP

What happend to those pretty pearl grips you had on that Guardian?

Keep inspiring us!

joe1347 · April 6, 2007, 06:08 PM

So how much better does it shoot now?

ZBoater · April 6, 2007, 06:55 PM

NAA has a custom shop you can send your gun into and they will do all sorts of things (like polish, serrations, etc.). They will even install night sights. They do a "gutter snipe" system that is 100% snag free. Very cool

http://www.naaminis.com/cshop2.html

March 22, 2007, 06:39 PM	#2
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,681	Outstanding __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

March 22, 2007, 07:30 PM	#3
Wrascal Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 2007 Location: Lower Alabama Posts: 197	Next up for bidding Wracal bids $250 for this neat toy. By the way, It looks great!

March 23, 2007, 06:44 AM	#7
NCHornet Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Posts: 1,001	Excellent job, I know I had some surface scratches in my 32 Guardian that I just bought. Flitz and a lot of elbow grease took out 90% of them. I would do as you have done, but heck, it is a pocket gun, it's going to show some wear. I give it a thumbs up!! __________________ When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away!! Carry ON!! NCHornet

March 23, 2007, 04:56 PM	#9
hpg Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2002 Location: in the Bluegrass State Posts: 1,610	It looks very good......hpg __________________ NRA member Semper Paratus

April 6, 2007, 06:55 PM	#17
ZBoater Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2006 Location: NRA friendly Florida Posts: 169	NAA has a custom shop you can send your gun into and they will do all sorts of things (like polish, serrations, etc.). They will even install night sights. They do a "gutter snipe" system that is 100% snag free. Very cool http://www.naaminis.com/cshop2.html __________________ Sig P229, 232, 238, 239, 290RS Walther PPS, P99C AS, Glock 19, Taurus 85, Taurus 405 H&K USPc .40, Beretta 92A1, 92FS Compact Mossberg 500, M590A1, Remington 870

March 22, 2007, 07:31 PM	#4
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Very nice work. Looks brand new.

March 22, 2007, 09:12 PM	#6
DonR101395 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Location: NWFL Posts: 3,031	That's a great job you did PP.

March 23, 2007, 03:17 PM	#8
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	Yea it makes alot more sense to bead blast that instead of that aluminum frame. The bead cabinets are cheap, which I like, but it is expensive to get a compressor that has the min. rating for bead blasting. Lot of ones for home use don't go that high. The only drawback is that the media gets inside everything like fine gritty dust so you have alot of cleanup sometimes on gun parts with little holes and crannies. I got a 50 lb bag of mil spec glass beads in the garage I want to give away but I ain't paying shipping, would be a pickup item! Now that you can do that, you can try parkerising regular steel parts.

March 31, 2007, 10:07 PM	#11
slow944 Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2006 Location: DFW,TX Posts: 406	PP I picked up a S&W M66 yesterday that was a buyback because of the GREAT pictures of you guns that you keep showing us. Keep up the good work on that part of your posts. The one I got has some slight scratches on the barrel and I was wondering what you would us for removing them since I don't have a blaster. I also have a Colt Python with 6"bbl that has a wavy scratch on it as well I was wondering if they make some kind of blue stick or the like?? I have a new unfire barrel for the Python but I'd like to keep it original as I like guns the way they came. Thanks for any advice....Jerry

April 5, 2007, 09:58 PM	#13
Willy T Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 526	Looks great...good job.

April 5, 2007, 10:03 PM	#14
Sturmgewehre Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 4,212	Badass dude! It makes me want one!

April 6, 2007, 02:39 PM	#15
predecessor Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2006 Posts: 837	Ahh, a sandblaster! Now why didn't I think of that? I was sitting around with nothing else to do but add yet another fine gun to my collection and figured, "What the heck. I got all this extra cash sitting around. I think I'll go get me a sandblaster today and then take yet another awesome picture of one of the guns in my collection so that the guys at the Firing Line can think envious thoughts about me." Just jealous PP What happend to those pretty pearl grips you had on that Guardian? Keep inspiring us!

April 6, 2007, 06:08 PM	#16
joe1347 Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Location: MD Posts: 220	So how much better does it shoot now?