Stripping Nickel Finish & Rebluing

[deltaenterprizes]

Anyone know of a company that can strip a nickel finish and reblue a 5 screw S&W revolver?

[Tokarev]

You can strip nickel on a hotplate stirrer in a solution of ammonium, sodium or potassium persulphate (might have to add a few drops of sulphuric acid).
I tried it and it works. Persulphate can be found in pool supplies section or at the electronic components stores for etching of PCBs.
Sulphuric acid can be found at hardware or janitorial supplies stores as drain cleaner. It's 95%.
Hotplate stirrer can be improvized and your cost will be around $20-40 if you will only use chemicals once. The bottles you most likely encounter will last at least for 100 stripping.
I doubt anyone will do it for cheaper, specially with shipping in.

[deltaenterprizes]

Thanks

[John 242]

Check out the post by Bent Ramrod.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?4600-remove-nickel

Brownells nickle stripper mentioned in the above referenced thread:

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/pre-finish-surface-prep/room-temperature-nickel-stripper-prod1102.aspx

Reviews are kind of hit and miss and it's a little expensive, but since you're a smith you might be able to use enough of it to justify the cost.

[Tokarev]

Most likely that is ammonium persulphate. It will strip copper too, not sure why they recommend it on copper. Potassium monopersulphate will not strip copper.