Best Method to clean a SS Slide?

[Arman4461]

I recently found a 5906 slide, complete, on FleaBay. The seller did a fine job describing the dirty thing, including enough pics to prove his point in saying it was dirty. Since I left Texas after Harvey's flood hammered the coast, I sort of figured this was one of the "survivors". Unfortunately, after spraying this lump of stainless with a can of brake cleaner, and wiping with steel wool and a brass brush, I still have quite a bit of discoloration inside the rails and the barrel channel. The outside of the slide and the sights have cleaned up fairly well. Flood damage doesn't stain stainless steel to the extent that this slide has been stained. Anybody that has any idea what I can try to remove stains from stainless, that is stronger than brake cleaner, please speak up. If I have to bead-blast the slide, I will do so as a last resort. Thanks for all suggestions

Update: Seller responded to my question asking what the source of the stains are. He tells me that the slide came to him from the police after it was used for evidence. The frame of the 5906 had been destroyed. He got the remainder to sell. Might be blood stains. Go Texas.

 

[URIT]

I'd locate someone who does ultrasonic cleaning for guns and have them work their magic.

 

[Doc1500]

I'd locate someone who does ultrasonic cleaning for guns and have them work their magic.

You can get an ultrasonic cleaner cheap from Harbor Freight. You can put soapy heavy duty spray cleaner, put in your slide and leave it for 24 48 hours

 

[stansdds]

First, quit using steel wool. Bits of the the steel wool can become embedded in the stainless and will rust. A good ultrasonic cleaning is a good idea and will do no harm. If that does not remove the remaining stain, then I would suggest using some Scotch Brite scrubbing pad material and oil.

 

[Doc1500]

Lyman Turbo Sonic Gun Parts Cleaning Solution 16oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/



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[trinorbsa]

+1 on this; First, quit using steel wool. Bits of the the steel wool can become embedded in the stainless and will rust.

 

[staylor]

You might try a lead cleaning cloth. It really works well on cleaning off lead fouling/tarnish on my SS revolver.

 

[Doc1500]

Put some baking soda on the stained part and a couple drops of vinegar let it Bubble Up and sit for a while. And use a mild abrasive Scotch-Brite pad or bronze brush. Google is your friend.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Hard Chrome .

 

[Marshal Tom]

You could also have it bead blasted and then shine it to whatever degree you prefer after that.

 

[Arman4461]

Thanks for the suggestions! I started with the easiest method mentioned, and pulled out my Lead-away chamois cloth, or whatever it is called, and spent 30 minutes on the slide flats. It worked! This cloth is probably 10 years old, stored in a Ziploc baggie. I followed up the Lead-away cloth with Hoppe's #9 and a SS brush covered in a cotton patch. I believe I will be able to return the stainless to its previous matte finish with more elbow grease. The only difficult areas are the barrel chamber and the slide rails, so I am off to try the next chemical suggestion for awhile, and see what happens. I had just picked up my mail, and found a used M-39 Blue mag in the box, and gave it a Lead-away wipe too. It cleaned quite a bit of gunk off the old mag, enticing me to remove the baseplate and look inside. Ugh! Doesn't anybody clean their magazine internals? Hoppe's to the rescue with a good old cotton tighty-whitey cloth patch, and the 35+ year old mag looks to be just a slightly used 2 year old mag. This forum and the kind folks using it have really helped my clean-up abilities. Thanks to all.
Arman

 

[915]

Wish I’d seen this earlier, I used Mother’s mag polish to remove some stains and scratches from my slide. I don’t know if it would have worked as well for you, though...with what you’re describing, you might have just ended up with a polished slide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Arman4461]

I tried it early on, no good. I'll save it for last. Thanks!

 

[stansdds]

Thanks for the suggestions! I started with the easiest method mentioned, and pulled out my Lead-away chamois cloth, or whatever it is called, and spent 30 minutes on the slide flats. It worked! This cloth is probably 10 years old, stored in a Ziploc baggie. I followed up the Lead-away cloth with Hoppe's #9 and a SS brush covered in a cotton patch. I believe I will be able to return the stainless to its previous matte finish with more elbow grease. The only difficult areas are the barrel chamber and the slide rails, so I am off to try the next chemical suggestion for awhile, and see what happens. I had just picked up my mail, and found a used M-39 Blue mag in the box, and gave it a Lead-away wipe too. It cleaned quite a bit of gunk off the old mag, enticing me to remove the baseplate and look inside. Ugh! Doesn't anybody clean their magazine internals? Hoppe's to the rescue with a good old cotton tighty-whitey cloth patch, and the 35+ year old mag looks to be just a slightly used 2 year old mag. This forum and the kind folks using it have really helped my clean-up abilities. Thanks to all.
Arman

Glad we were able to help!
As for magazine cleaning, yep, I do it, but I must be weird or something. I do not oil my magazines, but I do give all the parts of the magazine the Mr. Miyagi treatment... wax on, wax off.
Yes, I apply either carnuba or Renaissance wax, it protects the metal, does not get gummy, slightly reduces friction between the moving parts, and makes cleaning easier.

 

[OttoLoader]

I use flitz non toxic (in the bottle eco friendly ) has some green gimmick advertising.
Reason I tried it is little to no fumes.
It worked very well with no scrubbing, just s little amount on a cotton cloth.
Previously use Birchwood Casey lead remove cloth. But that product has toxic fumes so I stopped using it.

 

[1911Jeeper]

For stainless steel only, CLR from the grocery store or hardware store. Spray on and scrub with an old toothbrush. I would set a short period time limit ( 10 - 15 seconds ) before a warm water rinse, to prove that there will be no staining or damage. Increase the time period before rinse, if necessary and no staining is observed. I once used an industrial stainless steel cleaner to remove a rusty spot on the matte finish of a stainless 1911.

.

 

[OttoLoader]

Caution note regarding clr. Do not use on plastics, plated or alloy material.
I informally tested on different matials based upon the clr use label .
Did damage some plastics, removed plating and surface damage to aluminum.

 

[mdrd375]

My brother and I cleaned up 2 Stainless Rugers that were in Katrina. A Speed 6 and a Mark II. We used Marine Clean and had to use a little steel wool on some small rust spots but now they look like new.

 

[TAROMAN]

+1 on hard chrome.