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Rust!

yellowkid

Senior Member
I know it's been discussed many times but I wanted to check in on the consensus for removing rust while leaving original finish intact. What's the best non-abrasive approach for removing flaky surface rust from poor storage? Patience of course, and soaking but what a folks finding works best? Ive used Kroil oil, have seen folks talk about CLP, Ballistoil, there's good old penetrating oil, and I have some bronze wool to loosen and work free. Are these all about the same? I don't want a bright in the white surface and would be happy with a patina remaining with what finish is left.
 
I know it's been discussed many times but I wanted to check in on the consensus for removing rust while leaving original finish intact. What's the best non-abrasive approach for removing flaky surface rust from poor storage? Patience of course, and soaking but what a folks finding works best? Ive used Kroil oil, have seen folks talk about CLP, Ballistoil, there's good old penetrating oil, and I have some bronze wool to loosen and work free. Are these all about the same? I don't want a bright in the white surface and would be happy with a patina remaining with what finish is left.

Eh... lot of different opinions on this. I have had the best luck with Hoppes#9 and brass pennies (before 1977) and bronze wool. For flakey rust, I dab a little Hoppes on it and scrub it off with the edge of the penny. Once the heavy stuff is off, I use the bronze wool and more #9, going slow. I do not soak anything long term or use Kroil very often. My experience is Kroil will take the patina off, leaving bare metal, which is usually pretty ugly.
 
I use electrolytic rust removal method, try google for details. Work like magic! Many use steel bar as anodes, but I use graphite, not as messes as steel! Hope this help!
 
What type of finish, phosphate is fragile, I tried bronze wool in a inconspicuous spot on a bcd45 and noticed very fine scratches so quit with that in a hurry. I went the toothbrush route and it was very slow but less harmful, never got too much of the rust off so I can't say that's a 'great' method, more or less wanted to share my experience with the bronze wool.
 
When I first got into collecting German K98k's, one of the first rifles I bought was a sporterized 42 1940. All matching right to the screws but the stock was cut down. It was covered in rust from sitting in a basement for years. Now I would NEVER do this again and I'm NOT recommending it to anyone but I cleaned it up with 0000 steel wool and varsol. I would never touch a k98k with steel wool again and got lucky with this one as it turned out really nice. Since I did this, I read several horror stories about steel wool taking off the original finish so DON'T risk using it.

Now I'm a firm believer in less is more when cleaning up a K98k. If it doesn't come off with a gentle bronze wool scrub and some oil, then I would just leave it. Oil it to stop any further growth but don't get aggressive trying to remove it. Just my humble opinion.

Any way here are a couple before shots:
HPIM5192.jpgHPIM5191.jpgHPIM5198.jpg

And a couple after shots:
HPIM5250.jpgHPIM5249.jpgHPIM5253.jpgDSCF2264_zpseee02faf.jpg
 
My opinion, FWIW, you can be a little more aggressive with the early pre-war guns with a thick rust blue, than with the later-made guns with a thin chemical blue finish.

If the rust won;t come off with bronze wool or LIGHTLY applied oiled steel wool (extra fine), then chances are it's the thicker, crustier rust with pits underneath and likely no original finish under that area anyhow.

For this type of crusty rust, I flatten a .30-06 shell casing mouth in the vise and use a file to sharpen to a reasonably sharp blade. The brass will not remove bluing and can be removed later with bore cleaner (some will rub off on the finish). The sharp edge WILL scrape off orange rust scab with ease. Don't expect to find anything except rust patina underneath though and some degree of micro or macro pitting depending on severity. Once you get the crust off so that it doesn't turn into powdery rust dust, rub the area with a copper-dissolving bore cleaner on a rag until clean, then grease or oil the area where the rust was. Not much more you can do for it, but an area with residual rust patina is better than an area with active rust.
 

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