Aluminum Foil and Nickel Plating

[Johnm1]

My wife suggested using aluminum foil for cleaning a nickel plated revolver that was pitted and black with both black powder fouling and oxidation. Turns out it works quite well to remove the embedded black powder fouling and the oxidation. Here is a parts gun I bought for a couple of pieces. I can't get the broken cylinder pin out but it doesn't matter. This gun was soaked in transmission fluid in a sonic cleaner and rubbed down and was generally cleaned. Not a lot of effort though.

Before


After about 20 seconds of rubbing with aluminum foil thzt was balled up.


Before


After


Before



After



Before



After





I'm sure I'm not the first person to use this but it was a surprise to me. The method is used for cleanig the oxidation from chrome.

This website describes the process this way

http://www.slipperyrockgazette.net/index.cfm//pageId/1948

........since the aluminum foil is softer than steel, it will not scratch the surface.

As heat is generated by the friction of rubbing the aluminum foil on the chrome, a portion of the aluminum will also oxidize to produce aluminum oxide. Aluminum has a higher reduction potential (a tendency take on electrons and in the process reduce or break itself down) than the chrome, and will therefore leech oxygen atoms away from any rust on the chrome surface, which changes the chemical properties of the rust and breaks it down.

There apparently wasn't any shine left on this pistol. But I have used it on shiny nickel plating and the aluminum foil does not scratch the nickel. It does remove the fouling well and quickly. Once the fouling and oxidation is removed or at least reduced, any pitted surface will still be there and will be dark compared to the nickel finish. And any bare spots would oxidize again. I suppose further oxidation could be prevented by applying either a wax or clear coat.

Has anyone else used aluminum foil to clean up a fouled and oxidized nickel or chrome gun?

 

[Johnm1]

I tried this on my new S&W No. 1 with the following results

Before



After



Still there but significantly more subdued. Immediately after rubbing with the aluminum foil the darkness is all gone. But it reappears after a period of time. Although clean and better looking I assume the unprotected steel oxidizes again. I have not tried wax or a clear coat yet.

 

[Johnm1]

This might be a better picture of the S&W No. 1 immediately after being rubbed with the aluminum foil



This might be a better representation of the outcome immediately after being rubbed. This is my H&A Army in 44-40. Forgotten Weapons called it the failed competitor to the Colt SAA. I paid way to much for the condition it was in but under the influence of post surgery anesthesia and pain killers I just had to have it.

Before


After


Before


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I'm still experimenting with wax to seal the metal. So far I'm not able to get good results. The above photos are without wax. The bare spots still darken over time.

The H&A was meticulously cleaned both when I got it and subsequently after each time it was shot. I could never get the black out.

 

[entropy]

Try Renaissance Wax.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

Try Renaissance Wax.

With the foil?

 

[Johnm1]

Try Renaissance Wax.

That's what I'm trying. I think I need to clean it with alchohol before applying the wax.

With the foil?

I tried that. But im still experimenting.

 

[entropy]

With the foil?

After using the foil to the point it doesn't work anymore.

 

[Johnm1]

After rubbing with the aluminum foil the spot looks much improved. You can see the place where the plating is missing but it is silverish in color and looks very good. I've mentioned that the darker color comes back over time and I have assumed that the bare steel oxidized over time. Even after the color darkens it looks much better then before rubbing with the aluminum foil but not as good as immediately after rubbing.

I wondered if I could seal the bare steel before it re-oxidized so i tried to apply Renaissance wax immediately after rubbing. But the darker color immediately came back and the paper towel used to apply the Renaissance Wax was dirty.

I think the reason the spot looked better immediately after rubbing was that the aluminum foil left behind traces of either aluminum or aluminum oxide. I suspect that both the aluminum and the aluminum oxide are silver in color.

The aluminum foil is very good for removing the embedded black powder residue and lightening the color of the oxidized steel. But it doesn't polish the steel. As all of the guns I'm working on are from the late 1800's the steel is anything but modern and I'd bet is black by nature and probably couldn't be polished to a shiny silver finish like some/most modern steels.

So overall it's a good thing. It only removes fouling and oxidation. I don't think it should be considered 'Cleaning/Polishing' an antique as it does leave the original surface/finish/patina. Others may disagree.

I'm glad I spent the time on this experiment.