Hidden rust illuminated?

[Grayrock]

Opened my gun safe this evening to prepare for my monthly CAS match. We'd been out to eat and had already put the kids to bed and wife was trying to nap. To lessen the visual disturbance on her I was using my Surefire G2 to look inside my safe. I was holding it between my teeth. At the oblique angle the light was striking several pistols I saw surface RUST!! I do not recall seeing it there just a couple of days ago- what's up? I get out an oily rag and start wiping down some guns. I notice when the light hits the surface at a right angle, I can't see the rust (it looks like a brown haze over the surface.) I turn on the over head light (fluorescent) to inspect (this is more important than wife's shuteye.) and see NO rust. I again turn the G2 on the guns at an angle and see it. Anybody else experience this? Is the wavelength of light for the Surefire bringing out the rust? Is the rust really there? Can anybody shed some light on this situation (sorry)?

 

[joe4702]

Gave it a try with a Kahr E9 I had handy. Its a matte finished pistol. In room light, the entire gun looks black. In the dark, illuminated with my Surefire E2, the entire frame looks brownish, while the slide still looks black.
Its definitely not rust. The spectrum of the Xenon (or whatever it is) bulb is making the frame appear a different color. Are you seeing patches of brown or is the whole gun brownish?

 

[thexrayboy]

Take the weapon outside into bright sunlight and examine it for rust there. If none is apparent it is quite probably the lighting.

 

[Grayrock]

the entire frame looks brownish

What he said.

 

[Geronimo45]

Strange lights can confustigate colors - if you don't see it in sunlight, don't worry.

 

[CWL]

Get a goldenrod in your safe, if you don't already.

Flourescent lights suck, they don't show the detail that incandescent lights do (so much for Gore's initiatives).

 

[rangerruck]

remember, the light is being trapped a bit in the protective coatings or oil, that is on the metal, it is also bending around the bbl, and slowing down a hair, so you could just be catching a spectrum color of light, that you do not normally see.

 

[rustymaggot]

if you cant tell visually, smell your hands after touching the guns. if you have a good nose, you will be able to tell if theres rust.

 

[The Scandinavian]

remember, the light is being trapped a bit in the protective coatings or oil, that is on the metal, it is also bending around the bbl, and slowing down a hair, so you could just be catching a spectrum color of light, that you do not normally see.

Okay... how much do you think light has to slow down to bend around a corner safely?


Regarding the original post - I have noticed the same thing - namely the illusion of rust on my guns, when using a bright surefire type light as the only light source.

My guns with older traditional bluing look completely different in that sort of light, the finish looks uneven and an odd brown colour. Back in daylight, there is no problem.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

The white LEDs out put out more UV than bulbs, which can change how things appear until you get used to it. They charge up your watch markings better tho.

 

[Limeyfellow]

Its the Xenon bulbs they use. It released some short wave UV light and a blue tint that is just changing the way the colour looks with something in the oil you use or the finish of the gun. It not pure white light or sunlight so its going to happen.

 

[mrmeval]

They have A LOT of UV as people have said and can cause bizarre effects. It gets even stranger. Try polarizing the light by shining it through original polaroid sunglasses, just one lens, and see what it does to objects. If you have them the 'clear' style of 3D glasses which is nothing more than two polarized filters with one turned 90 degrees to the other. It does....strange things to puddles and other items when you're wearing them outside the theater. ....

 

[FieroCDSP]

Uh-oh

The white LEDs out put out more UV than bulbs

Maybe we should worry about the antis coming to get our guns because they emit too much UV radiation. Or the lawsuits from night-time intruders because we hit them with the streamlite and they might get cancer (especially in California) sometime in the next fifty years. Assuming they survive the night, that is.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

The leftards have been working the lead-poisoning angle for years, but all its done so far is shut a few ranges down and speed up unleaded bullet development.

 

[ceetee]

if you cant tell visually, smell your hands after touching the guns. if you have a good nose, you will be able to tell if theres rust.

Brings a whole new meaning to "Hey... smell my finger..."







Sorry. I couldn't resist.

 

[Mark Whiteman]

Just don't pull it.