I had to strip some engraved parts. Scrollcutter recommeded "Evaporust" but I was unable to locate any. Took a gamble on Rustoleum rust remover jelly.

Amazing results..no deteriorarion or etching..just removed the blue, nothing more. These parts were caustic blued...didn't have anything rust blued to try out .

I might be the last person on earth to discover the product, but passing on my finding.

dipping in muriatic acid does the job too - neutralise in washing soda afterwards

That does work..but there is a marked etching effect....This stuff does contain phosphoric acid...I've tried other products with phosphoric and not been too happy...Whatever these guys have done to "buffer" it?? it really works...simple warm watrer removes the jel...I experienced no afer rust or discoloration

Since you are cleaning engraving probably doesn't matter but can you blue over it once it's Phosphorized (it's like naval jelly?)

Rich

coke-a-cola removes blue .. very gently - want it fast? toilet cleaner or CLR ...

any acid, really

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
Since you are cleaning engraving probably doesn't matter but can you blue over it once it's Phosphorized (it's like naval jelly?)

Rich

Yes

Naval Jelly is Phosphoric and touch of Sulphuric Acid with the intent to lightly etch the surface leaving a good base for prime/painting.

The Rustoleum product has no Sulfuric Acid.]It does have Gluconic Acid but that is to disipate any heat in the rust removal reaction. That also avoids etching.

Duane, you can buy Evapo-rust from Amazon in any quantity you need. For me locally, Ace Hardware has it by the pint or gallon. Great stuff, but it does leave the metal a gray color.

Cleaning vinegar. Regards, Bill

Battery acid does the job very efficiently

I do know from experience having had a car battery tip over in the back of my truck on a foam squab where my beautiful Miroku O/U shotgun was laying.

By the time I arrived at the gun club for a clay target shoot I had all the blueing removed on one side of the stack barrels and the nickel or silver nitrided action looking distinctly discoloured where it had lain in the acid and as I thought, beyond redemption.

I dunked the whole gun in a barrel of rainwater at the club, dried off and did the DTL shoot. On returning home stripped the gun, no etching on the barrels so these reblued up like new, fine steel wool and WD40 polished up the nitrided action like new, the Miroku still going strong and looking like new over 30 years later. After that battery acid treatment perhaps a testiment to excellent Japanese steel and nitride finishing. BTW no acid had leaked into the action, further testiment to the perfect wood to metal finish of the Japanese made gun.

I don't recommend you use battery acid to remove blueing, however it does work.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
Duane, you can buy Evapo-rust from Amazon in any quantity you need. For me locally, Ace Hardware has it by the pint or gallon. Great stuff, but it does leave the metal a gray color.

Thank you Larry....I'm now inclined to stay with the this product...seems like all the good and none of the bad....least so far... Not too wild about immersing the entire action/barrels, etc.

Unintentionally a few years ago I found out that oil + vinegar salad dressing takes it off real fast. Again, any acid.

so does Crest tooth
paste... carried my Baby Browning in my shave kit by accident, packing from an overnight motorcycle trip... toothpaste leaked... blueing gone... Tip Burns parkerized it later on... no worries now..

Not to change the subject..but acids...I heard by the grape that citric acid can be an effecive flux for soft solder (as in doubles).

In my experience, there was tendency for after rust that was difficult to control . The theory is that the citric acid minimizes that ...Anyone tried it?

My friend and mentor, gunsmith Harry Creighton, discovered by accident that his wife's tomcat produced a fluid which successfully removed bluing. He was not amused.

I have read that urine was used way back to brown/blue guns...let it rust, boil and card..see no reason it woould NOT work...to a least get color, most likely a rough texture

I got my evapo-rust at an auto store.

great news - you can reuse the stuff. We don't use it to remove nasty rust like most folks, just bluing.