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removing light flecking
- Thread starter kcub
- Start date
g.willikers
New member
What exactly is light flecking?
Bluing is actually not a coating but a staining of the metal. The metal itself oxidizes. This forms a "crust" (for lack of a better term) only a few microns deep and it is actually made of the steel, but the molecular structure is combined with chemicals to give it a black color.
So if you have any light pitting there is nothing you can do to remove it. It's not built up on the surface, but it's biting into the surface.
The very best thing to do when you see this is to use 0000 steel wool soaked in a good oil to smooth everything as well as you can. I use "CorrosionX" and have had good results.
By removing the flowering rust that builds on the pit you can reduce the obviousness of the rusting, but unless you want to strip and re-blue you cannot get rid of it. You just need to stop it where it is so it doesn't get worse.
So if you have any light pitting there is nothing you can do to remove it. It's not built up on the surface, but it's biting into the surface.
The very best thing to do when you see this is to use 0000 steel wool soaked in a good oil to smooth everything as well as you can. I use "CorrosionX" and have had good results.
By removing the flowering rust that builds on the pit you can reduce the obviousness of the rusting, but unless you want to strip and re-blue you cannot get rid of it. You just need to stop it where it is so it doesn't get worse.
g.willikers
New member
There's lots of advertised ways to deal with this, like using a very fine steel or copper wool with oil.
But if the bluing is still original, the best approach might be to just leave it as it is and keep the rifle protected so it doesn't get worse.
But if the bluing is still original, the best approach might be to just leave it as it is and keep the rifle protected so it doesn't get worse.
scottycoyote
New member
they make some stuff thats supposed to chemically remove rust, i cant remember the name of it but they sell it at brownells and midway, comes in a blue and white tube. That works well on light rust and didnt affect the blueing on the gun i used it on. The next step up would be 0000 steel wool and some type of gun oil. There is also a special metal sponge you can buy for rust, its a little more aggressive than steel wool, its like ribbons of metal and its sharp. Ive used all 3 with different levels of success...at a certain point though you will start damaging the blueing
impalacustom
New member
Bluing is rust, I'd highly not recommend using anything to remove rust on a blued gun if you like the bluing.they make some stuff thats supposed to chemically remove rust
A brass brush with gun oil will remove red rust from blued steel. If the rust is bad you will be left with bare steel no matter what you do.
Bill DeShivs
New member
And if you use steel wool, use 0000 grade DRY.
Using oil creates a slurry of rust. Rust is iron oxide-an abrasive, So when you scrub the slurry of abrasive on your bluing, it abrades it.
Either use it dry, or use mineral spirits or WD 40 and continually wipe the lube off as you use the steel wool. Dry is best.
Using oil creates a slurry of rust. Rust is iron oxide-an abrasive, So when you scrub the slurry of abrasive on your bluing, it abrades it.
Either use it dry, or use mineral spirits or WD 40 and continually wipe the lube off as you use the steel wool. Dry is best.