Removing rust on blued surfaces--do NOT use oil!!!

I thought the protective chromium oxide layer was supposed to reform itself when you cut stainless, but that you had to have the right chromium percentage for that to work well.
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By removing any exposed atoms of Fe during passivation (often a nitric acid dip) the surface is left with only chromium exposed.
The oxidation layer quickly forms from air exposure.

Cutting tools do not have the resolution of atoms and the atomic organization of the metal.
 
I have always used a copper penny on small rust spots.It removes the rust and spares the surrounding bluing.Just rub the spot lightly with the edge of the penny.Afterwards I touch it up with cold bluing and oil.
 
Use 0000 steel wool DRY.

The removed rust is an abrasive, if you put oil on the metal surface or on the steel wool, the removed rust is retained and rubbed on the surface which can damage the finish.
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I have never had a problem using oil on 0000 steel wool in several decades of using it to remove surface rust from blued finishes. I always use WD-40 and 0000 steel wool to smooth newly blued guns to great affect. If using steel wool dry works for you,great but I'll continue to use oil.
 
The heavier the oil used with the steel wool, the lower the friction and the lower the abrasion. Use motor oil and you probably won't get much abrasion at all. Light machine oil (such as 3 in 1) or a penetrating oil (WD-40)will allow a higher degree of abrasion. Just have more than one pad of steel wool, and swap dirty pads for clean pads - quickly at first and then slower as the rust has been removed. And wipe off the oil on the rust spot between pad replacements and that'll take off any gritty rust residue that's sitting in the oily patch. You might even want to try a good car wax on the steel wool rather than the oil. However you go about it, go slowly and carefully. If 'slow and careful' doesn't take off enough rust, you can always get more energetic with the rubbing.
 
I remove rust on blued steel by soaking with with Kroil every day for several days.

I wipe off the Kroil and loose rust with a rag and then scrub the surface gently with green Scotchbrite. I wipe it clean with a rag and still more Kroil then wipe it dry with a clean rag.

I then gently polish with Flitz. The last step is to oil it.

I have yet to visibly damage the finish or have rust return using this method..
 
well since someone briought this back can i ask this. does the thickness of the brass brissles have an effect onn the ability ot scratching bluing? i ask because i am trying to fix up a brown with alot of rust and i am using my brass brush but there seems to be scratches on the bluing already but i want to make sure its not from my brush.
 
I agree that 0000 steel wool and oil won't scratch blueing--in fact it takes some effort to scratch blueing even with unoiled 0000 steel wool. That's as expected given that carding/polishing with 0000 steel wool is part of some blueing processes.
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Hate to boomerang this topic, but:
I just retrieved my deceased dad's shotgun from the homestead and it has light pitting and (for lack of a known term) "chipping" across the surface. It looks like some raised non-slip grip granules were added to some portions (not all) of the shot gun. It's a raised bump. I don't think this qualifies as "surface rust" the fix for which is described above. Or does it?

I ran some oil over the top to make the orange neon glow go away and make myself feel better, but can I use 0000 steel wool without losing the blue? Really? That doesn't seem possible.
 
It's a raised bump.
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Sounds like intergranular or exfoliation corrosion. If it is, oxidation has started along the grain boundaries of the metal and will be almost imposable to fix, without grinding away the metal tell the corrosion is gone. That would probably destroy the gun.
 
0000 steel wool and oil is NOT a good combination; However, 0000 and turpentine or 100% pure natural wintergreen oil works wonders. Both of them tend to dissolve the rust crystals and make them less abrasive. Wintergreen oil seems to work better.
 
That would probably destroy the gun.
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I've seen that degree of oxidation and this isn't that deep. It's still more acne than abscess, so I"m probably still on the "surface rust" step of the process.
Thanks for the input.

All in all, it's pretty good for having sat in the back closet with the water heater for 15 years.
 
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