Steel wool rant (short)

[Dwight Gruber]

Many people advise using steel wool to remove rust from blued steel. Forgive me in advanceif I shout--do not use steel wool on a Luger's surface under any circumstances! Never, ever!!

I recently picked up a very low 3-digit serial number Old Model commercial. It had areas of bad rust pitting, which I knew about when I bought it. Whoever had removed the rust, had scrubbed it with steel wool which spoiled and degraded the surrounding areas of otherwise perfectly good blue.

Steel wool is metal (steel, after all!), abrasive, and will affect the finish.

If I recall, the dearly missed Tom Armstrong suggested soaking rusted parts in a good penatrating oil until the rust is saturated, then scrub away the rust with new burlap.

End of rant.

--Dwight