Hi,

Anyone have a suggestion for gently removing Oxphoblue while leaving whatever is underneath (rust blue + age patina) intact?

I have a couple of neat old rifles in my possession which have been, unfortunately, "renewed." The wood I can restore to it's appropriate aged appearance quite handily, as woodworking is a hobby of mine. I would appreciate any tips on the metal though.

Todd

I don't how you can get back to patina, if there is any.
Blue remover (Birchwood Casey), or try toilet bowl cleaner (not kidding) or the liquid silver tarnish remover. Whatever you use, it can/might "frost" the metal if you leave it contact too long. I'd use steel wool and as soon as the metal looked clean get it under running water to neutralize the remover.

the patina will be gone, unfortunately, if you use anything like a blue.. and I don't know of anything that will just take off the cold blue.. but there's a couple coldblue experts around here that might know better?

afraid you are going to go to the point where the blue may have to be redone

Years ago a customer paid a rather high price for me to build a new stock from scratch for an old Greener 10 gauge he found near the site of an old Colorado prison camp, and then beat it to death to make it match the hammered forend. I've gotta say that "aging" that stock was some of the most fun I've had in a long time.

You can do the same with the metal. You can use a combination of anything that will stain steel to make it appear aged. Anything from the use of a little heat to a little salt water spray. You can spill a little coke on it, some blood. That's Coke as in Cola. You can use anything.

Leave it sitting in the sun for a while. An old terry cloth towel and bleach will work to help knock down any shine. Have fun!

Thanks for the replies.

I have made some distressed furniture - nothing like carefully making a drawer to fit the cabinet case, then taking a belt sander to it to 'wear' the edges! Very enjoyable, like you said.

If I still had a pickup, I would just lay them in the bed for a week or two. Best way to age any tool.

I will try the Coke first (forgot about that one) then go to the Birchwood Casey blue remover.

Todd

Wash off metal with acetone or lacquer thinner . Rinse with water now you can either " Acid etch " with hydrochloric or sulfuric ( Not together !!!. ) Rinse water baking soda mixture clean water . Lemon juice or Coke some old iron filings sprinkled in strategic places !. Wah La . Then rinse off preserve that New old finish !. Oxides will also age metal , hydrogen Peroxide as well as many others . ...

Why not just restore the gun to new condition. I know the arguments-You'll ruin the guns history and value. But isn't soaking it in coke,acid eching,bleaching,ect doing the same thing? I'm doing the final boil off(rust blue} tonight On a Remington 34. When I received this gun it had a broken stock-held on with a hose clamp-was painted black and could only be operated single shot. When I get done it will look like new gun and have another 70 years of life. As far as this guns history-I will now be part of it. Dave

Greystone,
Agreed. A pre-monkeyed gun in good working order is a perfect canidate for a re-do, the "history" was cleaned off by the previous owner.