Terry G
Member
The Township Dump Manager came across a bag of M-1 clips that somebody tossed there. Some are rusted beyond hope, but a couple dozen might be salvaged. Any suggestions on rust removal? Thanks.
Rusty Garand Clips
- Thread starter Terry G
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ApacheCoTodd
member
A shell tumbler, electrolysis, scotch-brite...
I've used each.
Todd.
I've used each.
Todd.
troy fairweather
Member
I cleaned I a bunch when I was a kid, dad had the brass Tumblr for 50bmg's. I would think that rust converting stuff may work to. Wish I had all them clips now lol, think I got 25 cents each for them then. Had about half a 55 drum, took a few weeks doing a load every day after school.
Dave Markowitz
Member
Immerse them in Evaporust overnight.
1942bull
Member
WD 40. Instructions at: https://www.hunker.com/12313185/how-to-use-wd-40-to-remove-rust
Obturation
Member
Vinegar. You don't need anything fancy. Submerge for an hour, rinse with water.
ApacheCoTodd
member
Also with vinegar - especially if you heat it - will essentially return a poor mans parkerization to them.
Todd.
Obturation
Member
I do this with carbon steel knives that are in the white, but I wrap them in a vinegar soaked paper towel for a couple hours, puts a funky paper towel looking pattern on them and blackens the steel. Holds up pretty well and resists corrosion better than a goofy paint job.
Scooter22
Member
All good suggestions. Once they,re clean they will all go bang.
ApacheCoTodd
member
That's where I first learned of it accidentally - knives.
I was figuring that vinegar, being a good cleaner would be better as a soak.
Then:
Hell, how could it not be even better soaking and hot?
So, I fired up one of our heated ultrasonic cleaners and dropped in a rather clapped out Scout knife.
Took out a uniformly *parkerized* Boy Scout Knife that was quite good looking.
Only intended to clean it and ended up fundamentally changing it.
Todd.
sparkyv
Member
Sonication with citric acid solution. Brush with wire brush, repeat. Oil copiously when adequate results achieved.
Loyalist Dave
Member
Yep works like a charm and is non-toxic.
Keep the spend solution as you will be able to use it again.
LD
OP
OP
Terry G
Member
Warm Vinegar, who'd a thunk it? Thanks everyone.
Lots of good suggestions for recovering some of the Garand clips.
An FYI moment, early in WWII, Garand clips were in short supply. Use outstripped the production ability. The Army sent folks out to the battlefields in North Africa to recover clips to be reloaded.
What ever it takes to win!
highlander 5
Member
Evaporust was my first thought but can a Garand clip really be so rusty that it's useless? The ones I've seen seem to be made of fairly heavy duty spring steel. Even if rusty a wire brushing clean off the rust and have at it wo there ugly if they work that's all that matters.
CarJunkieLS1
Member
We have used Evaporust at work on and off for years and that stuff works great, BUT in my experience of we left parts in it too long they would start to turn black and out customers definitely wouldn't like that. So if you use Evaporust just keep an eye on them.
OP
OP
Terry G
Member
We'll see. Sitting in vinegar now. Evaporust carried by ACE, do you know?
.38 Special
Member
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- Sep 15, 2006
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- 7,373
Lots of good suggestions here. I don't really have anything to add other than that "Rusty Garand" would be the coolest baby name ever.
Riomouse911
Member
Shanghai McCoy
Member
Ah yes, the rifle that goes "Ping"...This is so very wrong.....they will not go bang.....they will go PING
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I have used ATF (not the agency, but automatic transmission fluid) poured into corn cob media in a brass tumbler to clean up and remove rust from old Garand clips and M1 carbine mags (disassembled, of course).
Works great!
Works great!
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