doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com "Surface Rust"

Steve, I have an old ultrasonic cleaner from a jewelry store that I just fixed and will be using for the first time to clean an 1885 High Wall action. What do you use for liquid?


Thanks, Rob

WD 40 won't hurt blueing or case colors! It is a very good rust preventive that builds a protective film. It is a very poor lube and the film it builds to prevent rust gums things up on the inside.
bill

"And it soaks into wood and it gums up moving parts, and once it gums, you darn near can't get it off".

I'm sorry but that WD-40 crap has hurt more guns than the law should allow. They should be required to put warning labels on that junk.

I start slow and if need be, get a little more agressive with rust removal. Start with a cotton washcloth and CLP oil, Next I go to a peiece of oak tan leather, with oil. If this does not get it, then no matter what you use next it's going to show pitting.

I love WD40. As much for the internet battles it inspires as the utility it has when used as intended.

For ultrasound, I use plain, HOT water and a bit of detergent dishwashing soap will work. Yes there are better things but these will probably work well.

There is a need to get the dissolved gasses out of solution. Heat does that, but so does the initial 20 minutes of running the ultra sound.

I'm just learning to use mine (mostly for cleaning brass).

There are some good instructions and hints about using these on the web - I wish I had better marked the one I read last. But do a little searching for suggestions.

Brent

I have always used a pencil eraser to remove small amounts of surface rust and found it to be pretty effective. I have never tried it on something that was case colored.

Use a bit of engine oil with fine wire wool, you dont need anything other than that if the rust is still there get the barrels refinished. Also get some engine oil and heat it gently add a spoon of vasaline and melt this in, keep warming it untill it has mixed together then leave it to cool, coat this on your barrels and then wipe off it will leave a protective sheen on the surface, better than wd 40 or anything else.

I had this really dumb friend who bought and used WD 40 by the gallon, his name was Oscar Gaddy. By the way he used a flat ruby stone to rub rust spots on case hardening. It was originally George Flame's trick, another dumb WD 40 user.
bill

Lots more interesting suggestions. Thank you all. My goal is to pick up the gun tomorrow if all goes well. If I get it I'll let you all know how it comes out.

Phil

For an ultrasonic cleaner solution, I have used simple green with some ammonia for general clean-up.

If you are trying to remove rust, chlorinated solvents are used for automobile parts, but they are really nasty so watch the fumes and be careful.

You anti-WD-40 paranoids are full of ap-cray! It's not magic but it's not the instant gumming monster you've received in your talking points bulletin, either. It's a pretty good bore cleaner, an excellent water displacer(WD, get it?), a good rust preventative, but a poor lubricant(too thin). Spraying it into a filthy repeater's trigger mechanism will temporarily slick it up. After the magic goes away, the resulting gum is not the fault of WD-40, it's YOUR fault, because you didn't clean the old dirt out of the mechanism, in the first place. I've used it successfully for more than 50 years, knowing it's limitations and its intended purpose. Have you even tried it or are you just repeating what some self-proclaimed "gunsmith" told you?