Removing the bueing in hard to reach areas?

L

Lazarus777

New member
I've got an 1858 Remington cap and ball that I've taken down to the white and I need some way of removing the hard to reach places. Is there some sort of solution I could soak the frame in that would remove the hard to get at areas? Would vineger do the job or maybe mineral spirits? Hell! Anything that would work would be great! I'm having a hell of a time getting into the small nooks and crannies to remove the last 5% of the blueing.

Laz.
 
couple of suggestions for you

Rust and blue remover by Birchwood Casey or a 50% solution of muriatic acid and water. Pour water in the bucket about half way and then mix in the acid. Once it is stirred well, dip the revolver into the solution and rinse it off under running water. Usually all it takes is about 4-5 seconds and all of the blue will be gone.
 
Home Depot, Lowes, etc. Often used to etch concrete. Look in the cleaners/solvents/paints. Careful when using it as opposed to the milder removers. It is Hydrochloric acid. Also, rinse the heck out of your part when you are done, and oil it. Hydrochloric has a tendency to promote flash rusting. You might even bathe it in baking soda to neutralize it.
 
Best blueing remover. (Don't think I spelled blueing right)

I bought and older J.C. Higgins shotgun from a gun show and the blueing is pretty ragged. I would like to remove it and leave it a shiny metal color. Does anyone know what the best stuff to use is for removing it?
 
409

I spray it down with 409 to neutralize it before I rinse it off and then I spray it down with Breakfree or Hold if I plan to wait to refinish it. The reason I use Muriatic acid is you can save what you don't want to use and it is much cheaper if you do several guns a month. I pour what I use back into a glass pickle jar to reuse.
 
Muriatic acid, but if you must use it, do it outdoors. Let it set and then use rubber gloves and goggles. Wear an apron so you don't splash it on your Tuxedo. Neutralize afterwards too.

BTW, this is what I was told in Gunsmithing school. I used a bead blaster or buffer wheel to remove the finish.
 
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"...leave it a shiny metal color..." Bad idea. It'll have no rust protection whatsoever.
"...muriatic acid..." Forget it. It's messy and will give you a toxic mess to safely dispose of. Naval Jelly, CLR or any other rust remover will do nicely. Mineral spirits will degrease it, but nothing else. Vinegar will just make it smell like a salad.
 
Muriatic acid is easily neutralized with baking soda or ammonia. The result can simply be flushed down a toilet or drain. It can, as stated above, be reused.
 
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