Polishing nickel

[WinMike]

So I got a heck of a deal on a S&W Mdl 49, which has pristine innards, a nice trigger pull, etc., etc......and was even nickel-plated. Shoots as well as one could expect any similar gun.

But a bone-headed previous owner took some sort of engraving tool ("Look, honey, at all the great tools I bought at Harbor Freight today!") and covered the frame with an unbelievably amateurish job of "engraving."

Fortunately, it does not appear that he broke through the nickel plating to the steel below.

My choices are: 1) brush the frame everywhere except on the logo and vital numbers, thus covering up the "engraving"; 2) polish out the swirls; or 3) throw the gun into my tackle box, grateful I got a reliable Smith at the price.

If 1) or 2), any suggestions on how to proceed?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_223344f2746f77d637.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=3691)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_223344f27471607f92.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=3692)

[MtGun44]

Forget that the 'engraving' is there.

Bill

[Mk42gunner]

Welcome aboard,

I would go with option #3.

Robert

[W.R.Buchanan]

If it really didn't go thru the plating then you could send the gun to Smith and have it stripped and replated.

Since the plating is probably between .0005 and .001 thick I doubt that he didn't go thru it.

Option three sounds good to me too.

Randy.

[stubshaft]

Either forget it's there (really how many people are going to see it) or have it powder coated.

[Doughty]

Get rid of it. I'll trade you a Ruger Blackhawk .45 Colt for it.

[WinMike]

update: it's raining (what's new?!) and I decided to brush it. This is my first nickel-plated gun, and I was surprised how hard it is. Emory cloth doesn't even touch it, and so I used a slow, wide stone on a Dremel, and brushed it deep enough to wipe out the "engraving," but not through the finish.

Still have some touching up, but if it doesn't look great, it still looks better. And I can admire it in the ol' tackle box.....

Thanks for all the advice....and the offer to trade.....