Good morning members. What do you use to remove light rust from the barrels and action without damaging or scratching the patina? Thank you. Bill K

Kleen Bore's Formula 3 Gun Conditioner, Kroil, WD-40, or Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner and OOOO bronze wool or a Big 45 Frontier Cleaner pad.

For a rust excrescence on the barrels or receiver use an all copper penny with any of the above.

I had good results getting some light surface rust off of an LC Smith action with the 0000 steel wool and WD-40 method referenced by Drew. In fact, it was probably recommended by Drew on the LC Smith website like 8 years ago

PlusGas Formula A, lightly rubbed on with 0000 steel wool (bronze wool sounds even better but I have not yet tried it).

A rubber eraser.

I've used a brass rifle cartridge with a flattened mouth for more than frosting which is when I use 0000 steel wool and wd40. I have some copper pads that are probably okay, Gil

Drew's All copper penny = 1983 or earlier. Works like a charm

Another vote for WD-40 and 0000 steel wool.

I usually just use 0000 steel wool with WD-40 or another light gun lube. Since 0000 steel wool is used to card barrels during the slow rust bluing process, this is very unlikely to damage the bluing unless you really rub the hell out of them. Bronze wool is even less abrasive than steel wool. The use of a copper penny or flattened brass cartridge case as a scraper for tougher spots has also been noted by others. I think it helps, in those cases, to moisten the rust spot with a light lube or penetrating oil for a day or so to loosen the bond before going at it.


Believe it or not, the abrasives in a rubber eraser are more likely to scratch or thin the blue than 0000 steel wool. Erasers contain fine abrasives like silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, and emory powder. Same goes for Scotch Brite pads. The abrasive in Scotch Brite will even scratch glass, which I learned the hard way years ago when I used one to remove dried bug guts from my windshield.

My first choice is always Big.45 Frontier Pad with a little solvent like Hoppe's.

Keith, I did not know that! Thank you for correcting me.

Thougt we were talking about new light rust on patina, not on original bluing. Big difference in appearance, no?

When I was rusting barrels I used brown Scotch Brite pad if the rust was heavier than normal but most times used denim from jeans or the gray Scotch Brite. Like the denim better, gets into tight places

I've always used ooo or oooo steel wool and 3 in 1 oil. I like the heavier oil for that purpose.

I use stick of board chalk to remove rust! First spray or wipe the barrels with any light machine oil .Then use the stick of the board chalk to rub off the rust. The rust will be removed ,there will be no damage to the barrel finish. Chalk was one of the abrasives used by gunsmiths of old to finish polish barrels prior to bluing or browning.

Roy -

Do you mean the type of chalk you would use to write on a blackboard? Or something different?

Thanks,

OWD

Calcium Carbonate (whiting powder) and French Chalk (talc) are the two substances commonly used by old school gunsmiths. I use them both still, but mainly as a degreaser and to soak up contamination when blacking barrels.
Calcium carbonate is/was used commonly as a degreaser when prepping the barrels and metal for blacking. It was mixed with either water or alcohol into a paste, applied with a rag, and then used to scrub the metal.
French Chalk was also used for the same purpose, depending on the location and its abundance.

Iuse whitw board chalk

Bronze wool, a penny, electrolysis and a wire wheel.

Depends on the gun, the rust, etc.

"Wire wheel" is going to get some attention. Not my first choice, but many years ago I had some stubborn rust on a rifle barrel and I was in a hurry.
Chucked up the wire wheel in my drill press and went to town.

This particular Chinese wire wheel may be of of the softest "steel" ever made. It has been tossing wires for years and it is worn down to just about nothing.
I have used this wheel to safely remove rust from dozens of guns, more barrels than I can remember, small parts, etc.

I will be sad when I finally have to give up on it, as finding another such poor quality version will be unlikely. Or maybe Harbor Freight will have what I need.

After wetting down a barrel with gun oil soaked on 0000 steel wool, I let the barrel sit for a while and then use a single edge razor blade, at a very small angle to the barrel, to "shave" off any rust sticking above the barrel finish surface. This can be done a couple of times, soaking the area to be worked on. The final treatment would be more 0000 steel wool and oil. The well lubricated blade, held at the proper angle, will not harm the original barrel finish, but will destroy the corrosion.

Based upon several recommendations from years ago, including from the boys at Ivory Beads, I often use a stainless steel kitchen pad and whatever oil is on the bench, usually 3-in-1. No scratching because the stainless is softer then the gun steel.

How does it differ from Brownell's carding wheels?

It is meant for bench top grinder. Very coarse wire, but "soft". Doesn't even touch bluing, even with heavy pressure.
I do have it on a home made arbor for a drill press that runs a lot slower.

By comparison, the wire on the carding wheels is very, very fine. I have tried using an old one of these to remove rust and it doesn't work very well.