Is Boiled Water Rust Conversion Safe for Color Case Hardened Parts

[sabre76]

Hi all,

I did a quick search and didn’t see the answer so apologies if this question was already answered. Will boiling color case hardened parts in water damage the color case finish? I need to convert some rust from a long neglected Stevens .410 94C and want to boil them, card them, and then immerse them in oil but won’t do it if it might damage the CCH. Views?

 

[Scorch]

it will probably grey it out a bit.

 

[RickB]

Colt put(s) a clear lacquer or varnish over the casehardening, but don't if other companies did so.

 

[Unclenick]

Since boiling in water converts one kind of oxide (red rust, Fe2O3) to another (magnetite, Fe3O4)), and since the colors on color case-hardened steel are comprised of oxides, I would not want to try this without testing it on a color case-hardened piece of test steel first. That said, I don't really expect to see a change in heat-formed oxides, but am just being cautious. Now, carding is another matter. Carding could, indeed, go right through the coloring oxides and remove them.