I know this question has been posted many times, but I couldn't find a thread. SO; I have a nice Model 15-3 with beautiful blued finish I bought from a friend. It has been sitting in a closet for years so has a dozen small rust spots on the barrel and muzzle. I've used 0000 steel wool with oil on a few occasions and I works OK. But have any of you used a process that you prefer ?? Any suggestions would be appreciated by me, and others who may check out this thread . Thanx in advance for your comments

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John

Use COPPER WOOL and Gun Oil. If the rust spot is larger than just a freckle, touch up with Cold Bluing. Always keep a light coat of Oil over the spots. If the bluing wears off (cold bluing is not permanent) re-touch it up. That's about all you can do without refinishing the entire gun.

Since you used STEEL WOOL, wipe the area a few times with a clean rag on every pass to make sure you get all the steel fibers off or else they themselves might start the rust process again.

Copper or bronze wool, 0000, and gun oil. Then wipe with acetone to clean and put a coat of Renaissance Wax on the gun.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I have another suggestion for you to try: If you have a piece of brass or a copper penny you can eliminate the rust spots by using the edge as a scraper and CLP to remove the spots with minimal damage to the finish. After you have thoroughly cleaned the areas you should try "Prelim", I think it's called (Made and sold with Renascence Wax) please do not use excessive pressure as this product must contain "Pumas" and will remove bluing if you are over zealous. After this application and the wipe to remove all the residue use the "Ren Wax" application and watch the bright blue emerge as you proceed. Both products can be purchased from many sources and seems expensive but the products do go a long way and are worth what they cost, IN MY OPINION! Let Us Know If YOU Try This Suggestion and good luck with the RUST removal!

Charlie Sides just informed me that the PENNY needs to be 1982 or earlier, the post 1982 Pennies contain ZINC and will damage the bluing, hope this is in time to prevent any damage, sorry! Didn't realize we could cheapen the value of a penny!

The "pumas" was intended to be "pumice", my appologies.

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

Try using 0000 steel wool dry, no oil, on the surface rust. This can cut off the oxidation without damaging the blued finish, so long as the rust has not penetrated the surface of the metal. After removing with dry 0000 steel wool a light application of oil will protect the finish nicely.

Frontier 45 rust remover pads, sell them in sd, will not scratch blue, will take rust off so that you cant tell it if it hasn't gone through the blue. If it has will leave a bright spot.

Soak overnight or a couple days in KROIL penetrating oil. THEN, use a copper scouring pad, make sure it is 100% copper such as Chore Boy, available at the grocer for $0.99. Use the copper pad wet with Kroil, will not affect the bluing.

Charlie

+1 on the Frontier 45 rust remover pad, a customer gave me a M/10 that had been stored in a holster in an attic for 30 yrs., the Frontier 45 pad did a remarkable job removing the rust. Surprisingly there was no damage to the blue and the customer was very pleased with the result.

I used your suggested method and it worked great. I, unfortunately, do not have a "before" photo; the left side of the cylinder, frame area below the thumb piece, and left side of the barrel at the muzzle had numerous small rust spots. I suspect the revolver ( 15-4) laid in an old leather holster on it's left side in a closet for years.

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John

Great teaching thread. Thanks all.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Sir,
Please let me know where you purchased 0000 Bronze and or Copper Wool. When I purchased some Copper Wool, the finest I could find was "Fine" which they say is equivalent in grade to Steel 0 - 00. If you have a source I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks!

What is this "pumas" you mention?

I'm not the spelling police as only trying to help but I think "pumice" is what is being referred to???

I think he might have meant pumice.

Pumice is a type of volcanic rock. Ground up into a fine powder, it is mildly abrasive. I think car paint rubbing compounds contain it, more used for polishing than removing metal.

Chore Boy is much coarser than 0000, but it works OK for corrosion removal. Instead of using a penny for corrosion removal, try using a brass cartridge case mouth.

+1
I have used a rifle case with the mouth pinched closed that works pretty well as a soft make-shift scraper.

For more than 50 years I have been using a lead pencil.

An old timer suggested to me to forcefully rub the rust
"freckle" with a pencil point, the point acts as a scraper,
afterwards give the affected area a touch of past wax and
wipe clean.

I have saved many firearms with this technique.

terry

I've used both ends of a pencil before, the lead to help break loose and the eraser to rub it off. It worked on small areas of light rust with no visible damage to finish.

Dang! Now I feel silly. Pumice didn't even register. I googled pumas and came up with running shoes.

That is an interesting method I'd never heard of. I'll try it on an old M&P shooter I've got in the safe

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John

Pass on your thoughts afterwards.

terry

And pictures...before and after if you can, please. Thanks!

I'm liking all the ideas here. Good thread!

Never tried this technique but I would think a carpenter's pencil would be the deal as a scraper.

I haven't tried a pencil for that purpose, but I'd think a hard lead (graphite) pencil would work best. That is, if a pencil will work at all.

There is such a thing as a pencil hardness test for paint and similar coatings on metal. From a set of pencils with a range of lead hardnesses and starting from the softest, you try each until you find the first one which scratches the coating. Pencils go from 9B (softest) to 9H (hardest). They must have fairly sharp points.

The commonest pencil for everyday use is HB (called a #2), in the middle of the hardness range.

If someone tries it, let us know how it works.

I use a #2 or #2 1/2, what ever happens to be lying at the workbench. Either one will do.

One thing to keep in mind, this technique might not remove the rust from the lug nuts of
a 67 Ford pick up that has peen parked in the back forty for 30 years, we're talking about
tiny rust "freckles".


terry

I use alcohol to clean the area, then use 0000 steelwool to remove the rust. Then a hair dryer to heat the area. Then I apply the cold bluing with 0000 steelwool till the desired finish is required. Then wipe off the excess bluing and apply oil. Do not polish the area.