TLC product for old bluing

[Jim PHL]

In another thread I told of "re-acquiring" an old Colt Police Positive Special. Members have placed its date of manufacture around 1913. It has been pretty neglected and shows heavy holster wear and some minor surface rust. I have cleaned it well with Hoppes #9 and have been rubbing away with Breakfree CLP. It is already looking much better. I think it was Blues Bear that recommended two products "Clenz-Oil" and "Ballistoil" that could be applied, left to soak and rubbed the next day and repeated. Since that is pretty much what I've done with the Hoppes and CLP and have been pleased with results so far, I am encouraged about what I might get using products better suited to my goals. Do any of you recommend the two products mentioned or any others I might have missed?

I don't have any misconceptions that I can make bluing appear where it has worn off but I would like to get rid of as much 'age' and neglect that I can and just get it looking as good as it is capable of looking. Actually it has a look of real character to it the way it is coming around. In my original post I mentioned possibly refinishing it somehow (chrome or reblue) but now I'm thinking it may look its best "as is". (Actually, with a little more elbow grease: "as is but better!"

 

[Old Fuff]

I would continue on as you are. You can have the revolver reblued, but not duplicate the original finish because they don't use the process today that Colt used then.

When you get done, consider removing any trace of oil or CLP and coating the gun with a good paste wax. This will be dry to the touch, but will protect the remaining finish against rusting.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Let me add this, please: garden variety Johnson's paste wax does the job just fine. Don't apply it over an oily surface. When you want to remove it, just use any cleaner with ammonia.

To be sure, you can find more expensive waxes.

 

[Jim PHL]

I appreciate the input regarding a protective paste wax. As a side point, won't a protective wax film get damaged (stripped, burned, melted?) when the gun is fired? I do plan on shooting this gun, not displaying it.

I am still interested in products to use specifically to clear blemishes and light surface rust and restore what I can before I wax it. Will "Ballistoil" or "Clenz-Oil" work better than repeated CLP rubdowns? Are these (or any others you know of) specifically made for this purpose or will any general cleaning/lubing products produce the same results with enough effort? I don't have a problem with Breakfree CLP and if the only difference in using it vs. the others is that maybe I do a couple more rubdowns to get the same results, then I'll just stick with it. I'm just wondering if there is something that will work better, regardless of the amount of effort.

By the way, it DOES look a little better with each "massage". I wonder how I'll know I'm at the point where it looks as good as it's going to look?

 

[Old Fuff]

What you are trying to do is remove rust without damaging the original finish. You could use abrasives, but that would take off the finish too.

What CLP will do is soak into the rust granules and soften them. Rubbing with extra-fine #0000 steel wool will remove the softened rust, but not hurt the finish that is harder.

While CLP will do the job, it is more expensive then some alternatives. For example, I use something called “Marvel Oil†which you will find at automobile supply stores or departments in “Mart†chains. It is relatively inexpensive and amounts to a high-penetrating oil (keep it is a tight container or it will crawl up the sides and out). You can soak a gun in the stuff and it won’t hurt anything. Of course remove anything made of plastic or wood. Or you can soak a pad of steel wool with the stuff and start rubbing.

Antique restorers often use turpentine in place of oil, and it works. I think the only advantages these alternatives have over CLP is cost, and also some CLP contain solvents designed to remove powder fouling and lead or copper. This is something you don’t need except when cleaning the chamber(s) and bore.

Elbow grease is slow, but you won’t get into trouble. When to stop? When you look at he gun and decide further work won’t be fruitful.

Waxing the gun is advantageous because it leaves it dry to the touch (for handling or shooting) but leaves the finished and exposed unfinished metal protected. Will shooting remove it? Not really, except perhaps on the cylinder face and around the breech end of the barrel. Shooting will also remove any oil or grease in these areas too. The answer is simple – when you’ve finished cleaning the revolver following a shooting session just give it another coat of wax, especially in the affected areas. Incidentally, wax will not harm hard rubber or wood stocks, and CLP can because of the solvents in it. I have also waxed pearl and ivory grips on antiques.

Another hint: Antique dealers in your area can be excellent sources of information and special supplies for doing what you are. They get into this sort of thing all of the time – sometimes on guns but more often on unrelated items.

I don’t wax the bore and chambers except on guns that are strictly collectables or wall-hangers.

 

[Jim PHL]

Thanks Fuff but please clarify: steel wool will not hurt the finish?