Rust removal and steel wool

[monotonous_iterancy]

Today I decided to clean my SKS up again. Previously I'd used #3 steel wool, course I know, but it went fine for the most part. I think rust is developing again, so I decided to clean it again. I bought some 0000 steel wool and I'm using rem-oil. It hardly seems to be making a dent. I know the rust is supposed to be getting soupy, and then you wipe it off and reapply, but that seems to be hardly happening.

Am I doing something wrong? How long should it take to remove surface rust? Also, it shouldn't remove bluing right? I think it could be lightening it, but I'm not totally sure.

 

[SlowFuse]

A heavier duty oil may help. RemOil is pretty light. Try something like CLP or Kroil and go slow. It won't just magically disappear, takes a little time and patience.

 

[Robert]

0000 is extra fine, so it is not nearly as rough as #3.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

I thought it was the steel acting on it, not the courseness, I thought finer was better.

 

[Reloadron]

The more coarse, the more abrasive. The abrasive is what is doing the work. Light rust I use oil (just about any good gun oil) and 0000 steel wool, for heavy surface rust I start with a more course steel wool. Think sand paper and a block of wood. The more coarse, the more abrasive and the more wood is removed.

Also, you may want to think about Naval Jelly to dissolve rust and do a nice clean job.

Ron

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

Doesn't naval jelly remove bluing?

 

[BADUNAME30]

Flitz and a hank o' old t-shirt, or 0000 steel wool will clean the rust off, leave the finish and leave a protective coating.

 

[rcmodel]

Doesn't naval jelly remove bluing?

Naval jelly removes everything, and etches the once shiny steel to matt finish steel.

It is for use on rusty Battleships prior to painting them grey again.
Not guns!!

The 0000 super-fine steel wool & oil should easily remove surface rust.

My guess is your use of course #3 steel wool scratched the surface, and now the rust is hiding down in the scratches.

Ya shouldn't a done that!!

rc

 

[dfariswheel]

The proper procedure is to apply a heavy coat of something like CLP Breakfree or better still, Kroil and let it soak for 24 hours or so.
This will penetrate the rust and soften and loosen it.

Then apply more and use whatever method of removal you want.

Instead of steel wool you can use a brass "toothbrush" which won't harm the remaining finish.
For hard crusty rust, use a brass scraper made from sheet brass or a brass rifle case with the mouth smashed closed and filed into a chisel shape.
Don't use coins. Todays coins, like pennys are not made of soft metal and can easily damage the finish.

I also wouldn't recommend using steel wool other than 0000. Coarser steel wool will damage the remaining finish.
The "secret" is soaking for a day or two before removal.

 

[zoom6zoom]

Bronze wool is a much better choice than steel wool. It won't damage bluing or scratch the gun like steel wool can.

None of these is going to wipe rust off in one pass, at least not non-destructively. Keep at it and have patience.

 

[MrDig]

Try mixing a little acetone into some automatic transmission fluid if the rust is real bad. that seems to be the best thing I have found. It is devilish to get off if you need to reblue but it is amazing at cleaning off serious rust.

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

Well, I've packed it up for the night. I feel like I've accomplished little. It's frustrating.

You all think using a bore brush with brass bristles would work?

Dfariswheel, thanks for telling me about the coins. I actually tried to use a penny, but I didn't know that, now I do.

Well, either way, it's good practice, after all, you learn over a lifetime right?

 

[theautobahn]

You all think using a bore brush with brass bristles would work?

No, you'll potentially scratch the finish with the steel center section of the brush. And all else being equal, brass is softer than steel. As suggested above, soak it in a heavier oil, then use some elbow grease and the 0000. Wipe it regularly with a clean cloth and continue using clean sections of the quad ought - the rust particles will gum up the 0000 sort of like sawdust lessens the effectiveness of sandpaper.

 

[colonelhogan44]

Don't laugh until you've tried it, but I always use a nickle now.

A guy at rimfirecentral turned me on to it. It doesn't scratch and scrapes light rust right off!

No joke.

 

[AABEN]

Get you some brass wool it does a better job.

 

[col.lemat]

Its a gonner. Sand blast it and reparkerize it end of story

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

Its a gonner. Sand blast it and reparkerize it end of story

Why? I didn't strip the bluing, it's fine, I'm just little worried about lightening or scratching it. I'm still learning, honestly.

Would motor or machine oil work?

 

[rcmodel]

0000 Super-fine Steel wool & any kind of oil does a better job than brass or bronze wool.
It simply will not hurt the finest bluing, as it is used in hot bluing operations to card off the rust & bluing salts residue after bluing.

See this about rust removal:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=633232&highlight=1890

rc

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

That's cool rcmodel. I'm getting frustrated with my project. The rust on mine isn't even that bad, but it seems like I'm barely scratching the surface.

So you used a stainless steel carding wheel? How'd you do that and not damage the finish?

 

[dagger dog]

I have had brass and copper cleaning instruments,brushes,picks,scouring pads etc.,leave deposits of copper and brass on the metal that was being cleaned. They are hard to remove once they are "scrubbed" into pitted-rust laden surface.

If you can find the stainless steel pot scrubbers, they will cut their way through some of the toughest rust especially when used with a quality rust penetrant like Kroil.

The thin ribbons of stainless steel are so foil like, that the rust will be peeled off but they will not damage the bluing IF used with common sense.

I found some at the local Everything a $ 1.00 Store.

 

[col.lemat]

You need to find the root cause as to what is causing the rust if you have a light coat of oil on it

 

[SouthernYankee]

Have you tried Strike Hold? Not always the easiest to find (I get it online), But I used it to deal with a rust issue 5yrs ago and it won my heart. My understanding this was developed for and used by the military and actually penetrates into the metal with residual characteristics.

 

[Lucifer_Sam]

The soaking recommendation is a good one. I've left parts in Mobil 1 and had the rust pretty much wipe off. What I would do is try soaking the rust for a day or two, go after it with steel wool till you get back to the stubborn rust, then soak again. I'm guess that you can't dunk the rifle in oil, so soak paper or cloth in oil and leave it on the rusted areas to get the effect you want.

 

[Firehand]

I can recommend Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner. Put some on some 0000 steel wool and rub lightly; it works amazingly at removing surface rust, and doesn't bother the finish around it.