Rust or ??

jl7422 · 08-20-2009, 03:53 PM

I've had a peculiar condition occur with a couple of guns and I thought I'd ask for opinions--

When I wipe the exterior of the weapon down with a light gun oil, the oiled spot on the cloth comes away stained a light orange --as though I'm wiping off a light surface rust. One weapon is an unfired 70's Parabellum, the other is a Chinese AK. Neither has any outward appearance of rust or any bluing damage prior to the oil application. . . (the Parabellum always looks perfect) it doesn't seem to matter what gun oil I use. The Parabellum is unfired, the AK used often--but I've owned the AK since new, and it would rate 98%. The Parabellum exhibits this no matter what part of the metal surfaces the oil is applied to--the AK is only the blued top cover. Both are the original factory blue.

I live in one of the dryest climates in the country, and of the 50+ weapons in my safe, these are the only two that exhibit this tendency. At first it really bothered me, and I felt like I must be neglecting the weapons. So I really watched them, and it doesn't matter how often I oil them, the results are always the same. The surfaces look just as good as when I got them and I can see no deterioration to the finish at all. So now I've gone from worried to curious.

Anybody else had this happen, and what is it?

thanks,
John

John Sabato · 08-20-2009, 04:02 PM

It could be a minor patina... but then, What kind of surface are these guns resting on... that could be a factor... and what color is the oil?

policeluger · 08-20-2009, 04:08 PM

We must live close by, as I live near Death Valley and it is hot today, do you like I have a swamp cooler, evaporative type, your pouring alot of water in your home...it sounds like common rust that will form a patina over the years by the way you are treating it, sounds normal and all in all OK.......please contact me if I can help.....

jl7422 · 08-20-2009, 08:48 PM

Thanks for the responses
John--the storage surfaces are varied. The Parabellum is in its original box, the AK stands (bare) in a rack (both in the safe).
Also interesting to me John is the fact that other unfired NIB Mauser Parabellums (as well as my shooter Parabellum) that I have sitting right next to this one in the safe do not exhibit this tendency, although stored in exactly the same manner. . . oil is clear when applied to a white rag prior to wipe-down.

policeluger-I'm in the southern Central Valley, with refrigerated air, no swamp cooler. Condition is present year-round--air or no air.

I wondered if it was something particular to the bluing process or chemicals used on these (widely different) examples . . .

policeluger · 08-20-2009, 09:56 PM

Bluing is by nature nothing but a very fast/hot controlled rust, stands to reason that you get some rust, even in a more humid area....

08-20-2009, 03:53 PM	#1
jl7422 User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: West Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Rust or ?? I've had a peculiar condition occur with a couple of guns and I thought I'd ask for opinions-- When I wipe the exterior of the weapon down with a light gun oil, the oiled spot on the cloth comes away stained a light orange --as though I'm wiping off a light surface rust. One weapon is an unfired 70's Parabellum, the other is a Chinese AK. Neither has any outward appearance of rust or any bluing damage prior to the oil application. . . (the Parabellum always looks perfect) it doesn't seem to matter what gun oil I use. The Parabellum is unfired, the AK used often--but I've owned the AK since new, and it would rate 98%. The Parabellum exhibits this no matter what part of the metal surfaces the oil is applied to--the AK is only the blued top cover. Both are the original factory blue. I live in one of the dryest climates in the country, and of the 50+ weapons in my safe, these are the only two that exhibit this tendency. At first it really bothered me, and I felt like I must be neglecting the weapons. So I really watched them, and it doesn't matter how often I oil them, the results are always the same. The surfaces look just as good as when I got them and I can see no deterioration to the finish at all. So now I've gone from worried to curious. Anybody else had this happen, and what is it? thanks, John

08-20-2009, 04:02 PM	#2
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,308 Times in 1,098 Posts	It could be a minor patina... but then, What kind of surface are these guns resting on... that could be a factor... and what color is the oil? __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

08-20-2009, 04:08 PM	#3
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	We must live close by, as I live near Death Valley and it is hot today, do you like I have a swamp cooler, evaporative type, your pouring alot of water in your home...it sounds like common rust that will form a patina over the years by the way you are treating it, sounds normal and all in all OK.......please contact me if I can help.....

08-20-2009, 08:48 PM	#4
jl7422 User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: West Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Thanks for the responses John--the storage surfaces are varied. The Parabellum is in its original box, the AK stands (bare) in a rack (both in the safe). Also interesting to me John is the fact that other unfired NIB Mauser Parabellums (as well as my shooter Parabellum) that I have sitting right next to this one in the safe do not exhibit this tendency, although stored in exactly the same manner. . . oil is clear when applied to a white rag prior to wipe-down. policeluger-I'm in the southern Central Valley, with refrigerated air, no swamp cooler. Condition is present year-round--air or no air. I wondered if it was something particular to the bluing process or chemicals used on these (widely different) examples . . .

08-20-2009, 09:56 PM	#5
policeluger RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ca. Posts: 2,141 Thanks: 8 Thanked 89 Times in 54 Posts	Bluing is by nature nothing but a very fast/hot controlled rust, stands to reason that you get some rust, even in a more humid area....