What's the best way to get powder burns off a SS finish?

Can anybody tell me the best way to clean up (“polish”) a Model 66. This gun was recently acquired by a friend of mine. It’s in really good condition, action is smooth, barrel is pristine, but there is a "blackish" powder residue in the flutes of the cylinder, and on the cylinder face. Few other areas as well. Obviously the “staining” is from powder burns. What is the best way to clean this up and make the gun look new again? It has the factory “satin” finish. Could you use some sort of polishing compound? How would some of you restoration experts go about cleaning this up? What is the best stuff to use on this? Sure would appreciate any advice.

Brasso will take care of the powder stains.

Are you sure it is burned powder and not lead?

I have used "lead wipes" (or whatever they call them - it's a kind of waxy feeling cloth) from KleanBore on both nickel and SS. It takes a while but does the job. I think they tell you not to use this product on a blued finish.

Jack Flash said:

Are you sure it is burned powder and not lead?

I have used "lead wipes" (or whatever they call them - it's a kind of waxy feeling cloth) from KleanBore on both nickel and SS. It takes a while but does the job. I think they tell you not to use this product on a blued finish.

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Actually, no - I'm not positive it's powder. It's in a number of locations on the gun, mostly on the face of the cylinder, around the leading edges of the cylinder, forcing cone, etc. I just automatically thought it was powder burn residue. I guess it could be lead. Would lead go back into the flutes on the side of the cylinder?

So a soft cloth with brasso or something similar would get most of it off - assuming it's not lead?

I use flitz metal polish. Simichrome and Mother's mag & aluminum polish work well also. If I'm out of polish, I'll try a grey Scotchbrite pad. I've even used a pencil eraser.

I've used the lead removal wipes with success to some degree. They seem to work but it takes more than just wipe on wipe off.
IMO, unless you're wanting to really clean it up to be sold or stored, etc. just wipe any excess off with a clean rag and maybe a lttle Hoppes #9 and let it go. You'll spend as much time cleaning as shooting if not careful. The stain may not look good but doesn't cause any problems that I've encountered.

I cut Scotch brite sponges with green backing into 1" squares. Drip some #9 on it and it cleans the front face of a SS cylinder to like new. If there is a buildup of lead, I use a curved exacto first. I wouldn't do this on a blued gun. For a buildup of lead on the cylinder exterior caused by b/c gap blast bouncing back from topstrap threaded holes, I use the edge of a credit card or the edge of a empty brass case to scrap the residue away without doing damage to the finish.

Use of Scotchbrite or similar abrasives is SPECIFICALLY advised against in the manual for cleaning the face of the cylinder. Using an abrasive in this area WILL remove metal and eventually lead to an increase in the Barrel/Cylinder gap.

What I have found to work best is to soak the parts needing cleaning in M Pro 7 solvent for 15 to 20 minutes. Then a quick brushing with a nylon toothbrush soaked with M Pro 7 will remove 80-90 % of the blackening. After that a small patch of Kleenbore's Lead Away cleaning cloths wetted with that same M Pro 7 will make removing the remainder a 5-10 minute job.

As for using the various polishes, if you use a polish frequently enough you will end up with a polished revolver. Personally, I like fully polished stainless steel revolvers so I give them a full polish when new. It's easier to clean a fully polished revolver and any stray marks can be buffed out.

However, some like the brushed look and to maintain that look will require a bit of experimenting to dull a finish that has been polished by repeated cleanings. If you don't want to do that, I would recomend that nothing more than a nylon brush and some solvent such as M Pro 7 ever be used. BTW, the Lead Away cleaning cloths contain a VERY fine abrasive so they can act like a polish over years of use. In order to restore a brushed finish it's been reported that the Gray Scotchbrite pads will produce a patter that is a close match to the original finish, however they can be a bit hard to find. Another option is wet sandpaper in an 800-1200 grit but you'll have to experiment with pressure to get a perfect match. Finally, it's CRITICAL to match the original scratch direction as closely as possible, of you go cross grain it'll look patchy.

Finally, you'll note an endorsement for M Pro 7 here. I don't work for the company that makes it and don't even hold any of their stock. The reason for my endorsement is because it is without doubt the finest solvent for cleaning a stainless gun that I've ever found and I've tried a bunch of solvents. Unfortunately at about 40 dollars a quart it's NOT cheap, however the good news is that quart will last for a year or more if you don't use more than what is needed. Hint, a light wet film is all you need, not a drenching or immersion. If it starts to dry, just give another tiny squirt and let it soak a bit more. BTW, another plus is the oder is very very mild, so no complaints about foul smelling solvents.

Mother's mag polish, a little tub runs about $6 at Pep Boys. Rub a little polish on the powder burns with a q-tip, then wipe clean. Don't go too crazy, just enough to clean it up. I typically do this about every three range trips on my SS revolvers just to keep them looking fresh.

scooter123 said:

Use of Scotchbrite or similar abrasives is SPECIFICALLY advised against in the manual for cleaning the face of the cylinder. Using an abrasive in this area WILL remove metal and eventually lead to an increase in the Barrel/Cylinder gap.

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THIS!^ Geez guys do you get out the Dremel to go at your toenails also!?

Mothers and Flitz (no matter what they state on the tube) are also abrasive!! I'm not so sure the lead remover wipes aren't either.

Believe it or not, try a pencil eraser first, then follow up with a good metal polish like Flitz or a mag wheel polish. You may not even need to go past the eraser. When I first heard of this I thought "Yeah, right" until I tried it.
Steve

Mothers and Flitz (no matter what they state on the tube) are also abrasive!! I'm not so sure the lead remover wipes aren't either.

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Of course the lead remover wipes are abrasive. What do you think takes the bluing off....

I use Flitz and Mothers to polish things, and my experience is that it would take years of normal cleaning to remove even 0.001" of metal from a cylinder face. If someone has some data to the contrary, I would really like to see it. I am talking about hand cleaning, not Dremel. But I agree with the comment of just doing normal cleaning. The darkening is just an indication of use. No need to remove it between firings IMHO.

Pencil erases are loaded with abrasives.

Sprefix said:

Brasso will take care of the powder stains.

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After using Brasso I like to finish cleaning with CLP.

Thank you gentlemen - all of you. Some excellent tips. Now I've got a pretty good idea of what to do.

Now, the trick is to find some of these chemicals up here in the frozen wastes of Northern BC .........

Thanks again guys,

Mother's is a car wheel polish, and I've found it pretty easy to find. Flitz is best ordered online in my area.

I agree that anything which polishes well is abrasive. I think it would take many, many uses of a dab of Mother's and gentle hand polishing to make a dent in the finish though, let alone do damage.

Ace Hardware is where I get Flitz-but check it out-there are a lot of different Flitz formulas for different applications. I have found that a clean gun has a positive psychological affect when I first pick it up. I was brought up that way, and the Army reinforced that ethic. I find that it is easier to keep one clean than to get one clean, and I think you are about to discover the same thing! Flapjack.

Well, I'll be able to try everything soon.

My wife found me some brasso, my Buddy came back from Canadian Tire with some kind of Mothers Metal Polish that is suposed to be some special formula (worth about twice the cost of Mother's usual Mag polish), and the hardware store ordered me in some Flitz. I'll try it all on a couple of SS guns I have here, then recommend what seems to work best to my friend.

Thanks again for all the help.

This polishing cloth is the best thing I've found for cleaning cylinder faces on stainless revolvers. Whisks the deposits right off. Cut into patches, it's also great for removing lead from bores. Just don't use it on blued guns - it will remove the bluing. I bought mine from Dillon (1-800-223-4570).

I don't think the KleanBore cloths are abrasive. They seem to soften the lead enough to smear it around and get it off the cylinder and onto the cloth. Using the cloths alone is a long slow process so you may want to listen to those who advise soaking, etc. Once you get it clean, it's a lot easier to keep it clean. IE, don't let it get that bad again.

As someone else said, if the cloth does remove any metal, it may take a decade or so of steady use before you detect any measurable difference.

I use Birchwood-Casey polishing cloth. Takes it right off. Just dont use it on any Blued surfaces...