How do you keep a nickel finish from bubbling?

[efnick]

i was just wondering, because i have seen some of these bright nickel finishes bubbling up and flaking etc... how do you keep a shiny clean nickel gun, just that way? what is the best oil to coat them in for storage?

[socalbowhunter]

If you are storing it for long periods of time, I would suggest a silicon treatment and store it in a gun sock that is impregnated with silicon.
If you shoot your gun often, just keep it clean and lubed and you won't have that problem.

[appagohm]

I usually use breakfree clp to clean and remoil to lub. If i were to store a gun for months at a time, i used gunslick gun oil. it seems to be thicker and stay on the gun for a very long time.

[efnick]

very cool, thanks folks.

[Old4eyes]

Avoid any cleaner that has ammonia in it.
Avoid any cleaner that claims it will clean copper from the bore.
Of course, if the weapon has a barrel that can be separated from the nickle plated frame you can clean with a copper remover.

I use Eezox as a rust inhibitor, but it's been difficult to find since the company changed ownership. I'm guessing the new owners decided to go direct to the public and not sell to companies such as Midway.

[efnick]

thank you so much 4eyes, thats exactly the kind of info i was hoping for. ill post pic's of the nickel gun when its in my possesion, in ten long days...

[Mickey D]

Avoid any cleaner that has ammonia in it.
Avoid any cleaner that claims it will clean copper from the bore.
Of course, if the weapon has a barrel that can be separated from the nickle plated frame you can clean with a copper remover.

I use Eezox as a rust inhibitor, but it's been difficult to find since the company changed ownership. I'm guessing the new owners decided to go direct to the public and not sell to companies such as Midway.

^^ Great information +1

[LovingTheYear1911]

I use car wax to clean, shine, and protect my gun. Still looks brand new.

[JaMail]

efnick - to expand a little on what 4eyes said, they use a copper base between the steel of the gun and the nickle coating. any cleaner with ammonia or any type of copper cleaning will cause it to flake, peel and bubble.

i know this from experience, i was just lucky it was on a cheap little 40.00 mouse gun and not on my python.

[appagohm]

oh car wax i never thought of that before.

[PRCABR4Christ]

a product I've used for years was mentioned last year by Alexander Hamilton (the gunsmith of Ten-Ring Precision, not the president lol), Alex uses it for long term storage, but I've also found it great for gun lube...RIG is awesome stuff!

http://fmgpublications.ipaperus.com/FMGPublications/AmericanHandgunner/AHMA11/?page=36

[k55f]

The best way to keep the nickel from bubbling is to prep the steel properly prior to plating. Nickel doesn't "bubble" if properly applied. All the oil in the world won't stop a bad nickel job from lifting.

[661pinoy]

The best way to keep the nickel from bubbling is to prep the steel properly prior to plating. Nickel doesn't "bubble" if properly applied. All the oil in the world won't stop a bad nickel job from lifting.

This is spot on. The bubbling or proper term for it is "blistering" is caused by poor adhesion to the base metal. As the gun is fired it creates heat and warms the temperature of the slide. When this happens it acts just the same way platers test the adhesion of nickel. They heat parts up to ensure proper adhesion and no blistering.

None of the cleaners will do the trick. If you fire the gun alot nd there is poor adhesion of the nickel it will eventually blister.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk

[Oldnoob]

Good info here.

[efnick]

Thanks guys. Im just trying to avoid the blistering at all costs, sometimes you cant guess at whether a gun was produced on a companies good day or on a bad day, you know? And that blistering just destroys the looks as well as the resale value. I remember I had a set of BBS rims I wanted to re-finish. They had a real cheap chrome job which was blistered to heck. No matter what I blasted those things with, I couldnt get the stuff off! Wound up giving them away. I dont want that with my gun!