Carbon Removal from Blued Revolver

Handgunner00

Handgunner00

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Know this topic has been beat to death over the years, but I can't find any recent exchanges on this issue that would address today's best solution. Got a vintage Model 10 in pristine condition EXCEPT for carbon deposits in the bluing around the forcing cone. Since I consider this Model 10 a collector and not a shooter, I'd like its bluing to be as flawless as possible. Suggested products and work bench tactics?


Thanks.

Peter
 
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soak in hoppe's a bit and then brush with a bronze brush until you see the golden bronze color covering the cylinder front. You don't have to be too gentle as the bronze bristle brush will not hurt the blue. Wipe of with Hoppe's, dry, apply coat of Ballistol and Voila!
 
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Search the term " Ed's Red Bore Cleaner recipe " download it , go to walmart and get the four ingredients ( cost about $20.00 to make 1 gallon ) mix up a batch , soak the cylinder in it for an hour or two and scrub the crud off with a toothbrush....works like a charm.
And now you have a good general purpose gun cleaner . I keep some in a Windex Spray bottle for easy spray application...try it .

Hoppe's Elite is good , no offensive smells but it's pricey....them little bottles go fast.
Gary
 
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Here is my choice for cleaning carbon and collected dirty grunge on my firearms after shooting. It also works well for bore cleaner (not for copper).

Equal parts of lamp oil (kerosene) and mineral spirits and a dab of ATF or Marvel Mystery oil. Example:
1 pint lamp oil, 1pint mineral spirits, 1 oz. ATF/MMO. Double those measurements and you get a half gallon of cleaner. Mix in a jug and you will have enough cleaner for a very long time with relatively small cost.

I have a small plastic bottle with a flip up nozzle that I fill with this stuff and a small spray bottle (had eye glass cleaner in it first) that I also fill. When I want to put this cleaner on a rag or a patch, the nozzle bottle works very well. When I want to spray the complete gun down for cleaning, the spray bottle works well. Apply the cleaner and let it sit for just a bit. Use a tooth brush if necessary for stubborn spots. Use a Q-tip to reach in small places to wipe out the cleaner and grunge. Use some canned air or your air compressor to blow any excess cleaner out of the internals. Do it again if you think it needs it. Wipe down everything well with a rag.

Clean the bore as you prefer after the cleaner has been in your barrel for a bit. Brush it if you wish, then start with clean patches and patch till the patch comes out clean. Then sparingly apply your favorite gun oil to the places where metal moves against metal. Wipe off any excess. Done. This cleaner actually leaves a thin film of lubricant on all parts, enough to deal with rust prevention short term. Many gun cleaners or brake cleaners, etc, strip all metal of any lubrication. This cleaner does not do that!

This recipe works for me and has for a very long time! It is also a good penetrating oil. And it is very cost effective compared to the small bottles of most gun cleaning products. Best part is that there is no acetone or other really harsh chemicals that are harmful to wood finishes or other gun parts susceptible to damage from acetone, etc. And it's a lot more friendly to use. Each of us must decide and use what we are most comfortable with. I am very comfortable with this. Won't cost you much to try it for yourself!
 
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kthom said:
Here is my choice for cleaning carbon and collected dirty grunge on my firearms after shooting. It also works well for bore cleaner (not for copper).

Equal parts of lamp oil (kerosene) and mineral spirits and a dab of ATF or Marvel Mystery oil. Example:
1 pint lamp oil, 1pint mineral spirits, 1 oz. ATF/MMO. Double those measurements and you get a half gallon of cleaner. Mix in a jug and you will have enough cleaner for a very long time with relatively small cost.

I have a small plastic bottle with a flip up nozzle that I fill with this stuff and a small spray bottle (had eye glass cleaner in it first) that I also fill. When I want to put this cleaner on a rag or a patch, the nozzle bottle works very well. When I want to spray the complete gun down for cleaning, the spray bottle works well. Apply the cleaner and let it sit for just a bit. Use a tooth brush if necessary for stubborn spots. Use a Q-tip to reach in small places to wipe out the cleaner and grunge. Use some canned air or your air compressor to blow any excess cleaner out of the internals. Do it again if you think it needs it. Wipe down everything well with a rag.

Clean the bore as you prefer after the cleaner has been in your barrel for a bit. Brush it if you wish, then start with clean patches and patch till the patch comes out clean. Then sparingly apply your favorite gun oil to the places where metal moves against metal. Wipe off any excess. Done. This cleaner actually leaves a thin film of lubricant on all parts, enough to deal with rust prevention short term. Many gun cleaners or brake cleaners, etc, strip all metal of any lubrication. This cleaner does not do that!

This recipe works for me and has for a very long time! It is also a good penetrating oil. And it is very cost effective compared to the small bottles of most gun cleaning products. Best part is that there is no acetone or other really harsh chemicals that are harmful to wood finishes or other gun parts susceptible to damage from acetone, etc. And it's a lot more friendly to use. Each of us must decide and use what we are most comfortable with. I am very comfortable with this. Won't cost you much to try it for yourself!
Click to expand...

Sounds great, Thanks
 
Internal surfaces of the chambers and bore can be cleaned using a fresh bronze bore brush, dry (no solvent or lube). Then use a cleaning patch saturated with solvent, allow it to sit and work for 10 minutes or so, followed by clean patches until nothing shows up on the patch.

External surfaces (cylinder face, inside frame around barrel breech) use a bronze brush, dry, scrubbing firmly. Then brush with solvent, allow it to sit and work for 10 minutes or so, and wipe clean.

Stubborn leading (forcing cone, chambers, bore, cylinder face): I like an old worn bore brush wrapped with strands of 0000-grade steel wool, run through dry to cut through the leading, then clean as usual. 0000-grade steel wool will not damage the bluing or the bore at all. That is what we used in the US Army to clean heavily fouled small arms from 5.56mm to 20mm, back in the late 1960's to early 1970's. I keep a hunk of 0000 in my cleaning supplies all the time and regularly find a use for it.

Purchased my 6" Model 19 in 1976, did several seasons of PPC shooting with .38 Special lead bullet loads, and this is how I have maintained the old piece. Still as tight and accurate as it can possibly be, and the finish is excellent.

I still buy new bronze bore brushes by the dozen, use them until they start showing significant signs of wear, then start using a new one. I always have a few well worn brushes to use with the 0000 for especially stubborn cleaning chores.
 
Warren Sear said:
Steel wool removes some bluing every time it is used. Just something to keep in mind.
Click to expand...

With only 49 years experience I will respectfully disagree. 0000-grade steel wool is very fine and much softer than any steel alloy (carbon or stainless) used in firearms manufacturing. Bluing is a chemically-induced oxidation within the surface of the steel, not an applied finish that can be easily removed; bluing can only be removed by removing the surface of the steel itself (or by chemical means, such as Naval Jelly or other rust removers). Bluing is oxidation, aka: rust, not a surface coating.
 
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I too have used 0000 steel wool as mentioned with good results. However, I have found that fine bronze wool also accomplishes the same thing with even less likelyhood of damaging bluing. Lobo Gunleather's description of his cleaning process is excellent!
 
Unless you are going to turn your Blued Revolvers into "Safe Queens" or "Wall Hangars" I'd suggest not getting crazy over the Carbon on Cylinder faces. The very first time you shoot the gun again, your rings will be back. Constantly and fully removing Carbon Rings will eventually cause more harm than good! All that is necessary is to to gently scrub the Cylinder's face with your favorite Solvent on a Nylon Toothbrush after shooting it. That will remove enough of the Lead/Carbon so it doesn't build up too much and cause functioning problems.

After shooting revolvers for over 40 years I can honestly say I have never had one fail to function properly because of a light Carbon ring on the Cylinder's face - - - and I am a "CLEAN - NUT" too! I just choose not to do more harm than good! Bluing is only so thick.

On the subject of 0000 Steel Wool, I have used it for 40 years with excellent results. This is before I read here how harmful and detrimental using Steel Wool is - lol. While I have recently purchased Copper and Bronze wool, I still like the 0000 Steel Wool because it is much finer than the Bronze or Copper can be purchased in. As long as plenty of lubrication is used and all the little steel dust is fully removed, I've truly never have had any problems with rusting afterwards. I have been criticized in the past on this forum for using the Steel Wool but at the end of the day I do what works for me. While Copper & Bronze Wool won't rust like the Steel will, they are more course, and IMHO don't work as well for rust removal on blued guns. YMMV.
 
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Peter,
For deposits that you're working on (around the forcing cone and under the top strap), I like to put my revolver in my bench vise inverted, (using rubber passed jaws), and I use an eye dropper to soak the carbon deposits really good, using the surface tension of the Hoppe's #9 to keep it in place. Then I walk away for 12 hours, come back and replenish any Hoppe's that may have evaporated. I come back in another 12 hours and pick at the carbon using a 223 case with the case mouth flattened into a makeshift scraper. Remove as much carbon that you can, and soak overnight again.it may take a few days, but this technique hasn't failed me yet. It takes very little work, I let the solvent do the heavy work. The key is to be patient and let the solvent work. Give it days, not minutes!

Lou
 
chief38 said:
Unless you are going to turn your Blued Revolvers into "Safe Queens" or "Wall Hangars" I'd suggest not getting crazy over the Carbon on Cylinder faces. The very first time you shoot the gun again, your rings will be back.
Click to expand...

After 40 years of gun ownership, I only clean my guns that thoroughly just before I sell it.
 
LoboGunLeather said:
With only 49 years experience I will respectfully disagree. 0000-grade steel wool is very fine and much softer than any steel alloy (carbon or stainless) used in firearms manufacturing. Bluing is a chemically-induced oxidation within the surface of the steel, not an applied finish that can be easily removed; bluing can only be removed by removing the surface of the steel itself (or by chemical means, such as Naval Jelly or other rust removers). Bluing is oxidation, aka: rust, not a surface coating.
Click to expand...

OK, a leather holster will rub the bluing from a gun, but steel wool won't damage it. Got it. ;)
 
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chief38 said:
Unless you are going to turn your Blued Revolvers into "Safe Queens" or "Wall Hangars" I'd suggest not getting crazy over the Carbon on Cylinder faces. The very first time you shoot the gun again, your rings will be back. Constantly and fully removing Carbon Rings will eventually cause more harm than good! All that is necessary is to to gently scrub the Cylinder's face with your favorite Solvent on a Nylon Toothbrush after shooting it. That will remove enough of the Lead/Carbon so it doesn't build up too much and cause functioning problems.

After shooting revolvers for over 40 years I can honestly say I have never had one fail to function properly because of a light Carbon ring on the Cylinder's face - - - and I am a "CLEAN - NUT" too! I just choose not to do more harm than good! Bluing is only so thick.

On the subject of 0000 Steel Wool, I have used it for 40 years with excellent results. This is before I read here how harmful and detrimental using Steel Wool is - lol. While I have recently purchased Copper and Bronze wool, I still like the 0000 Steel Wool because it is much finer than the Bronze or Copper can be purchased in. As long as plenty of lubrication is used and all the little steel dust is fully removed, I've truly never have had any problems with rusting afterwards. I have been criticized in the past on this forum for using the Steel Wool but at the end of the day I do what works for me. While Copper & Bronze Wool won't rust like the Steel will, they are more course, and IMHO don't work as well for rust removal on blued guns. YMMV.
Click to expand...

WELL I HATE TO PULL SENIORITY, BUT I HAVE BEEN CLEANING GUNS FOR 60 YEARS....

I ROUTINELY SOAKED BLUED FRAMES UP TO PAST THE FORCING CONE, AND CYLINDER/FRAME PARTS IN THE ORIGINAL FORMULA OF HOPPE'S NO. 9. I OFTEN LEFT THEM IN SOLUTION, FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT A TIME. THEY WERE NEVER DAMAGED, AND CAME OUT SPOTLESS WITH MINIMAL EFFORT, WITH NYLON OR BRONZE BRUSHES.....

I FOUND THAT #0000 STEEL WOOL, WELL LUBRICATED WITH HOPPES, WOULD NOT DAMAGE BLUED GUNS. ONE CAVEAT IS THAT ANY STRANDS LODGED IN CREVICES, MUST BE REMOVED. THEY WILL RUST, AND CAUSE DAMAGE......

I FOUND THAT "CHORE BOY" COPPER POT SCRUBBER STRANDS, WRAPPED AROUND AN OLD BORE BRUSH MADE BORES BRIGHT AND SHINEY.......
 
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