I have an older revolver that has a narrow length of rust in the groove where the rib and barrel come together. The length of rust might be 3/8 inches in lenght and 1/32 inches in width.

What are my best options to remove the rust without damaging the surrounding blue finish that looks good?

Thank you,

Not real good?

Seriously, though...before you start globing on a bunch of chemical rust remover try carefully polishing the area with some oil dampened fine steel wool. If the area is smaller than a finger tip you can wrap some of the steel wool around one of those little rubber erasers (you can shave these to any shape and size you want with a razor blade). If that removes the rust you can use any of the cold bluing stuff on the market (Brownells Oxpho products are good) to blend in the area to closely match the rest of the finish. It ain't gonna match it perfectly...but it's gonna be damned close.

You can also (if you're careful) sometimes remove light rust with a dremel tool with a soft wire brush wheel attached...and then follow up with the same cold bluing stuff.

I have had pretty fair results with the cold blue by applying it with steel wool. For whatever reason it seems to blend in to the surrounding areas a little better than using cotton balls or pads.

Try some on the frame under the grip panels first and see how it matches up. I'll bet you might even find a little bit of rust under there to practice on.

Rick

Toothbrushes work very well for applying cold blue, as does scotchbrite

I appreciate the tips above. Should I expect to receive a consulting fee bill? I bet the techniques are going to work just fine. Thanks.

Scotch brite pads are the best thing since sliced bread! My machine shop supply company now carries them in little pop up boxes just like a box of Kleenex.

I used to use a tooth brush but then I started noticing my teeth turning dark blue!

Rick

A bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label would be just fine, thank you!

Good luck,

Rick

One other tip to try first that I just remembered.

If the rust is real light the Oxpho blue, by itself, will sometimes remove it without any other polishing. Try that first and if it doesn't work just go right to the polishing gag with either steel wool, tooth brushes (one that you don't plan on using in your mouth later ) or a piece of a Scotch brite pad and then use the cold blue again to blend it in.

Later,

Rick

Rick I haven't heard of teh kleenex boxes of scotchbrite, can you get me a manufacturer or product number sometime?

Thanks!

Why, of course!

Go to www.rutlandtool.com. The product is on page 371 of their catalog and the item number is: 3005-0210 (aluminum oxide, very fine) or 3005-0220 (silicon carbide, very light finishing).

It is made by 3M and they call it 'Multi-Flex Abrasive Sheets"...in "user -sized sheets in a convenient dispenser pack." 4x8 sheets, packed 60 to a roll...$33.77 per roll for either one.

Rutland/Airgas is one of those REALLY NEAT stores and catalogs. They have more stuff under one roof than you can imagine. Great tools, huge selection of shops materials, machinery, test equipment, etc. I have one close to me and I 'm there so much all the counter people know me by name

Rick

A gunsmith showed me a SIMPLE trick that works wonderfully well on light rust. Just use a graphite pencil and rub the rust away. The graphite is a natural super fine abraisive and will take light rust off very well. Quite often you can simply rub a spot out and then go over the gun with oil and you'll never find the spot again. Or use a touch up blue if you can but that's the fastest and most precise way to take on a simple rust problem.

"What are my best options to remove the rust without damaging the surrounding blue finish that looks good?"



Don't go using any abrasives or green scrubbie pads. Re-blueing or cold blue is not part of this job. Just use clean new oily steel wool. Whipe the rust off, do not bear down and scrub hard. Turn it often, use lots of oil. Steel wool will not damage the blue. It will pull the rust off. Loose rust on steel wool will damage the blue so turn it or change it when you see red in the oil. The rusty part will turn a plumb brown that will blend with the blue to some extent. Cold blue will alter the finish wherever it touches. Forget it. It will make a bigger mess than you started with.

Please....don't use steel wool...use bronze wool with oil. .
Takes more elbow grease but it will not damage the blue and will get the rust off. You can get it at better hardware or marine supply store.

I have never damaged intact blue with steel wool or even Amway scrub buds. If the pad is free of grit and rust it will not touch the blue. I am sure bronze wool will work too. I admit to never having tried it bronze wool. I would imagine the extra rubbing would increase the chances of getting some rust on the pad and scratching the finish by rubbing harder than you might with the steel wool. I have used steel wool and scrub buds hundreds of times and never damaged intact blue. I got the scrub bud idea from a former firearms musuem curator, gunsmith and gunshop owner. He has 50 years experience with guns and much of his personal interest lay in very expensive antiques. He swears by Amway Scrub buds and Kroil. I have removed nasty cancerious rust on antiques and left the remaining finish using Scrub Buds and steel wool when I worked for him. It is not anything abrasive. It grabs the rust and does not touch the blue. Really!! OF course the blue in the rusty spot is already gone and the blue or metal will not be put back.

Scott,

I agree with you and have never had a problem using fine steel wool. I've also used Oxpho Blue (applied with fine steel wool) on several occasions to fix small rust spots or rubbed out areas in bluing and have never had a problem with that either. I guess it all depends on what your personal visual expectations and preferences of the finished job are.

If I had a collectors piece (which I don't) and needed something like this done I would take it to someone who specialized in that type of work. If its just a "shooting" piece with a little rust I would do it myself during normal cleaning.

Removing rust can be accomplished in two ways that I am aware of...(1) through chemical action,(2) abrasive action...or a combination of the two. There is no way to remove rust from a blued gun by either of these methods and have the underlying blue finish stay exactly the way it was.

When it comes to removing a "little bit" of light rust on anything where its appearance is a factor it makes good sense to start with the least invasive process available and then work your way up if need be.

At least no one suggested dunking the weapon in a bucket of Naval Jelly and letting it soak for a day or two!

It's amazing sometimes how even the silliest little things can start a huge debate about whose methods are the "best."

Rick

RB-17 Bore Cleaner, used with 4/0 steel wool, is a very gentle rust removal method. The RB-17 loosens the rust and doesn't harm the bluing. I've been using it for many years now with always good results.

www.brownells.com used to have RB-17; not sure if they still do. It's worth getting some just for rust removal, though it also is a great lead removal compound for leaded bores, and a good copper remover, and black powder solvent.

I have found another pretty slick product for removal of light rust...Renaissance Wax,Cleaner, Polish.

Brownells also sells this product (is there anything these guys don't sell?) product number: #053-050-200.

Rick