anyone had any luck removing rust from a nickeled sixgun

[robbt]

hi guys , has anyone had any luck removing rust from a nickeled sixgun ??
I acquired a S&W with a couple of rust spots, not spec, stops

please post, many thanks, robbt

 

[Dudemeister]

I used the copper penny technique and I removed the rust. However, once the rust is gone, you have bare metal underneath, so depending on how large an area we're talking about it may need to be refinished.

I've done this to my nickel plated model 57

 

[bannockburn]

I have used Flitz on rust on both blued and nickel plated guns with good results. Just don't over do the polishing and go slowly.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

You can buy bronze wool from Brownells. Unlike steel wool, bronze wool is soft and will not scratch the nickle plating. It will not remove blue either. I have used bronze wool a number of times to remove light surface rust.

 

[Buckeye63]

I used the copper penny technique and I removed the rust. However, once the rust is gone, you have bare metal underneath, so depending on how large an area we're talking about it may need to be refinished.

I've done this to my nickel plated model 57

View attachment 953753

Has to be a true copper penny .. Im thinking older than 1982??
I have used copper pennies several times in tbe past .. seems to work great

 

[Dudemeister]

Has to be a true copper penny .. Im thinking older than 1982??
I have used copper pennies several times in tbe past .. seems to work great

Correct, new pennies are only copper plated over zinc. I have a bunch of 1960's pennies and I used one of those.

The link I posted describes this and the procedure in detail.

One of the advantages of the penny is that it's flat and 'stiff", and you will end up with an even finish, as opposed to steel wool, because rust is not evenly distributed, and with steel wool it's harder to evenly remove rust when it's unevenly built up.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Do not use steel wool. Use bronze wool as I described earlier.

In particular, do not use steel wool on Stainless Steel.

If you want to use a penny, that's fine. Yes they are solid and stiff and can be used to scrape away rust.

I would use an old Wheat' penny (1909 until 1959 with sheaves of wheat on the backside), yes I have oodles of them from when I used to collect pennies.

Here is a breakdown of the metals used in pennies over the years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_(United_States_coin)

 

[dahermit]

"...surface rust" No such thing. The formula for rust is: FeO (OH). The formula for Iron is: Fe2 (subscript 2). When Oxygen and Hydrogen are combined with Iron the resultant product is bigger than the Fe2 molecule it replaces. When physically removed from the piece of Iron (or steel), it leaves a pit. Albeit, the pit may be too small to be readily visible...but it is there none the less. The more rust involved...the bigger the pit.

My point being that it is more correct to say: "minor rust", than to say: "surface rust".

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Sheesh, I thought I was picky. When I say 'surface rust' I mean very light rust that wipes off easily. Usually pretty bright orange in color. Wipes off very easily with bronze wool. I can't see well enough to see if there are microscopic pits remaining after the rust has been wiped away. Generally speaking, when I rub off light surface rust with bronze wool, the surface of the remaining steel is pretty shiny. That is good enough for me.

 

[no.5enfield]

I think "surface rust" is a common enough term for all of is to understand and be familiar with. "Pedant" on the other hand is a word more people should familiarize themselves with.

 

[dbluefish]

I was told to soak it in Break Free. I did and the slight rust rubbed off leaving just some slight pitting but then I soaked the whole gun, left it over night and voila, it looked great. Slight marks but I can live with that.

paul
Semper Fi

 

[dahermit]

I think "surface rust" is a common enough term for all of is to understand and be familiar with. "Pedant" on the other hand is a word more people should familiarize themselves with.

Yes...if we just point and grunt most people would understand.

 

[.38 Special]

"...surface rust" No such thing. The formula for rust is: FeO (OH). The formula for Iron is: Fe2 (subscript 2). When Oxygen and Hydrogen are combined with Iron the resultant product is bigger than the Fe2 molecule it replaces. When physically removed from the piece of Iron (or steel), it leaves a pit. Albeit, the pit may be too small to be readily visible...but it is there none the less. The more rust involved...the bigger the pit.

Fascinating.

On which part of the steel piece is this most likely to happen?