Sure Fire Rust Removal!
 

I like to share good news when I find it and today while browsing a machinist website I came across this method for the removal of rust from steel that is slicker than any other method I have ever seen.

Here is the link on this amazing technique that takes nothing more than stuff you probably already have around your house:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Qu...stremoval.html

Here is how well it works as a preview:

Before!

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Qu...tremoval01.jpg

After!

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Qu...tremoval04.jpg

For those gunsmiths and machinists whether professional or amateur, this website is a goldmine of interesting projects and ideas:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/hstpages.html

Enjoy!

John

I have never heard of using baking soda as the electrolyte, very interesting!

thanks

Vern

Thank You John, it is a great site :cheers:
Alf

Thanks a lot, john--That saves a lot of time, work and mess!! Al :) :) :)

Fantastic information. However, has anyone actually tried it on a "blued" pistol? Might this process possibly alter "rust blued" finishes? My concern is that it might produce more harm than good.

NOT recommended on "rust blued" finishes on guns because the BLUE is actually a form of RUST...

If anyone should intentionally use this process on a rust blued gun part, please post photos of the results here.

John,

This is a really neat web site. I book marked them for reference.

I have used the rust removal technique to strip chromium plating off of brass. I used table salt for the electrolyte and a pot to hold the water and provide the positive pole.

Thanks for the lead.

Dick

Any way to update this?
 

HI,

I tried to access the website link, and it appears to be removed -- and John's pictures don't work either. Maybe this could be updated. Thanks.

Me too.

Try this it worked for me :)
http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Qu...stremoval.html

Alf

Sorry guys, Frank Ford recently reorganized his website structure and the link changed... Alf had the correct link above.

John..
Can't access the website re: rust removal...got any tricks for me ??
Thanx.

Go to Frets.com http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html

find Homeshop Tech Maching and Tool Making Articles.

Under Quick Tricks you will find:
Killing Rust While it Sleeps. and double click on it, that should work.
:cheers:
Alf

John;

Have a WWII era Mauser HSc that I need to de-rust to get rid of some minor flecking. I had been looking at bonding with steel wool.. .but is the finish on the HSc suitable for this type of treatment?

thx!

Don

Don, I am not sure what you mean by bonding with steel wool?

please explain.

Hi John;

Just mean that I was going to spend some quality time with steel wool on the Mauser. BUT, if electrolyic rust removal is more-better, I could go that route, but I don't know if that will also remove the current finish.

I believe that the electrolytic rust removal described in this thread MAY also remove gun blue finish... the only way to know is to try it on something non critical. Perhaps someone else has already tried that and will post the results here. Blue is in fact a type of rust.

FOUR ZERO "0000" steel wool and a good quality gun oil used very lightly will remove a small amount of surface rust without harming the overall finish... Some would recommend bronze wool... as it is less abrasive.

That's correct John, i've done some research and it will sure strip it back to bare without any hassles, if you want to reblue or resto a project or something, no problems, but don't go putting something in there that you arent prepared to take out bare.

I did try this specifically to see if it takes blueing off, and it really does take it all off!

Jeff

Just a note... I was notified by FNorm that the links and photos in this thread disappeared because of a reorganization of Frank Ford's website, but I have repaired the links and photos today so all should be able to visit this great site.

Enjoy