HELP with white lettering issue....!!!!

[nolesooner]

Guys,

I used a white wax pen/marker for my new XDm 9mm to bring out the engravings on my barrel. The end product looks AMAZING but I do have a slight issue that I was wondering if any of you could help me with.

I used rubbing alcohol to wash the areas before use like I read in the thread to do. After I put a bunch of the wax pen on, rubbing in circles so that I could get it in all the spots good and even, I dampened my rag to wash off the remaining pen. Well, After I got done doing so, I noticed that it looked like the metal on the spots that I used the pen on have worn out that part of the metal. The magic pen smeared when I would rub it off...I got scared that my metal slide would look really bad and worn, but then I used some oil with a rag and that helped a bit. Is there anyone out there with this issue and what did you use to get rid of it all together? I will take some pictures of it a bit later and put it on here.

I LOVE the look that it gives and my next project will be to polish my barrel and guide rod.

Thanks for any help that you can give me to make my slide nice and black again...

[MD-Lucky]

Just so I understand the issue, the places on the slide that you pressed the metal pin from the wax pen have created marks on the slide itself that you are concerned about/would like to get rid of?


If that is the case, there are not a lot of good options available to remove those little marks.

I would start with some of the chemicals you use to clean the pistol. A good copper remover may have some success at taking it off. Get after it with a good clean rag and some oil, and you might get it done.


I also just did the engravings on my pistol. I used acetone and automotive paint, and it worked very well. It is a fun little project that really improves the look of the pistol in my opinion.

[nolesooner]

[nolesooner]

Originally Posted by MD-Lucky

Just so I understand the issue, the places on the slide that you pressed the metal pin from the wax pen have created marks on the slide itself that you are concerned about/would like to get rid of?


If that is the case, there are not a lot of good options available to remove those little marks.

I would start with some of the chemicals you use to clean the pistol. A good copper remover may have some success at taking it off. Get after it with a good clean rag and some oil, and you might get it done.


I also just did the engravings on my pistol. I used acetone and automotive paint, and it worked very well. It is a fun little project that really improves the look of the pistol in my opinion.

Thanks for the reply...they didn't create marks so much as they dulled the blackness of the black on the slide, if that makes sense. the oil that I use to clean my gun actually really helped it now that I go back and look. This picture shows what it looks like. I know it is big, I will try and post some other ones that are a bit smaller...

[psc]

Looks good to me.

[nolesooner]

[nolesooner]

[MD-Lucky]

Originally Posted by nolesooner

Thanks for the reply...they didn't create marks so much as they dulled the blackness of the black on the slide, if that makes sense. the oil that I use to clean my gun actually really helped it now that I go back and look. This picture shows what it looks like. I know it is big, I will try and post some other ones that are a bit smaller...

Ohh. That makes much more sense.

I had really good sucess with acetone. Maybe you could try that.

Take a rag and wrap it around something pretty solid. You can use a ruler, or an old credit card, or whatever. You just want something that holds the rag TIGHT against it, so it doesn't dip down into the grooves where you just put the oil

Put a little acetone on the rag, and slide it across the slide. Keep it tight, and you shouldn't even touch the paint you left down in the engravings.

Like I say, that is exactly what I did with mine and it worked perfect. I don't own a camera worth a damn, so the pictures I took look like crap.

Your's turned out GREAT though. Congrats!

[nolesooner]

Originally Posted by MD-Lucky

Ohh. That makes much more sense.

I had really good sucess with acetone. Maybe you could try that.

Take a rag and wrap it around something pretty solid. You can use a ruler, or an old credit card, or whatever. You just want something that holds the rag TIGHT against it, so it doesn't dip down into the grooves where you just put the oil

Put a little acetone on the rag, and slide it across the slide. Keep it tight, and you shouldn't even touch the paint you left down in the engravings.

Like I say, that is exactly what I did with mine and it worked perfect. I don't own a camera worth a damn, so the pictures I took look like crap.

Your's turned out GREAT though. Congrats!

I have never heard of acetone. what is it and where do you get it?

Thanks for the complements...

[mp3mogul]

Use "NON-acetone" fingernail polish remover... that's what I did.

I know well what you are talking about. I use white fingernail polish on my engravings. If you have that slight ghosting or dullness, which I think you are experiencing... after cleaning a few times, it goes away.... trust me... it's perfectly normal.