Kimber Supermatch II rust!!
- Thread starter aikidoforever
- Start date
I've seen a $1500. Remington ss varmint come from the factory with very bad rust & pitting on it. So yes it can happen very easy. It's a shame it's on a high end gun too get it off asap it is like cancer for guns.
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
+1.
Imperfect metallurgy will do it. Small pockets of wrongness in stainless are a common sight on cheap, caferteia-grade cutlery, for example. Got some thin spoons at the summer place that always show a bleedy rust spot or two after soaking in the sink all day? Same thing.
Another thing that's guaranteed to put rust spots in stainless is improper use of grinding equipment. It is typical, in machining, to segregate abrasive grinding and cutting discs and belts for use on carbon steel and stainlesses. Otherwise, a grinder that's been used on carbon steel can actually embed rust-prone particles in a piece of stainless. Acne ensues.
- Location
- Regina, SK
Get one of these. I have one in both of my safes and never an issue with rust.
Where do you get those in Canada?
I got mine from Itilian Sporting Good in Vancouver. I'm sure places like Bass Pro or Cabelas would sell something like this or similar. Well worth the money. I think there in the $20-30 range if I remember correctly. Only thing you will need to do is make a hole in the safe to pass the wire through if you are using a safe that is.
Cabelas has this one
Perfect for a big safe you cant drill through. I may pick one of these up as I just picked up a nice big safe for everything.
BassPro has the rod style one.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_48906____SearchResults
I have the rod style and it works great thus far. No need to worry about batteries or anything.
Tim
What are your storage conditions like? Are you using a safe or a case? If using a case, the foam in the case can act like a sponge and soak up moisture, so any metal contacting the foam can rust. If you are using a case, I suggest getting some desiccant packs (like you get in shoes) and keeping a few in the case, and replace them once or twice a year. This only works if you are using an air tight case like a pelican or a storm case. A cheap $14 case will not work.
If using a good airtight safe, those dehumidifiers like above are a good idea, or a larger e0usable dessicant pack would work as well, you just have to "recharge" them once and a while by heating them.
Also, like mentioned above, oil is a friend. Before storage, run the pistol down with an oily rag to put a thin coat of oil. this will act as a moisture block and stop moisture from rusting the metal. For longer periods of time, try to avild touching with your fingers or use gloves.
Note that all "oils" are not created equal.
http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html
http://www.accuratereloading.com/rustest.html
http://www.thegunzone.com/rust.html
I use Eezox, or BreakFree, and also have some Corrosion X.
As stated before, Stainless Steel will rust in the presence of rust (iron oxide) from another source as a catalyst.
If it arrived NEW with rust pitting, this is usually poor quality control at the factory, with tramp-metal dust from ferrous metals coming into contact with the stainless steel.
It can also be from a particularly bad piece of stainless (possibly made from recycled steel) that has isolated pockets of carbon steel poorly blended within it.
If it arrived NEW with rust pitting, this is usually poor quality control at the factory, with tramp-metal dust from ferrous metals coming into contact with the stainless steel.
It can also be from a particularly bad piece of stainless (possibly made from recycled steel) that has isolated pockets of carbon steel poorly blended within it.
Stainless steel is what was called nickel steel. Steel with a high nickel content as opposed to regular carbon gun steel. It helps to read it as, " a steel that stains less than regular steel ". Regular maintenance is still required.
I think you may mean high chromium content? Stainless Steel must have a minimum of 10.5% chromium in order to be classified as "Stainless". The process which makes steel stain-less is called passivation, which is the surface coating formed when chromium oxidizes in the presence of oxygen, to form chromium(III) oxide (Cr2O3).
This then protects the iron content from oxidizing into iron-oxide (rust).
Stainless steel will rust when something interrupts this protective passivation layer.
Nickel is added to stainless, but not for corrosion resistance. Generally it is to reduce low-temperature brittleness and to make them non-magnetic at low temperatures.
**Edit for perspective** Bluing, Tennifer, Parkerization etc, are all forms of passivating steel as well.
Here is an excellent example to demonstrate the effects of properly passivated stainless steel in resisting corrosion:
This then protects the iron content from oxidizing into iron-oxide (rust).
Stainless steel will rust when something interrupts this protective passivation layer.
Nickel is added to stainless, but not for corrosion resistance. Generally it is to reduce low-temperature brittleness and to make them non-magnetic at low temperatures.
**Edit for perspective** Bluing, Tennifer, Parkerization etc, are all forms of passivating steel as well.
Here is an excellent example to demonstrate the effects of properly passivated stainless steel in resisting corrosion:
I did in fact have my pistols stored in a carry case with the foam protection and discovered that we had a bit of water leakage in that part of the basement. I do have a small heater in there keeping that room dry at all times but obviously it wasn't enough. Hadn't taken the pistols out since my last club visit. So, my fault. 
I was just surprized that stainless would rust, and so quickly. My Walther GSP didn't have any rust but the wooden grips were moldy. And yes, my guns are always thoroughly coated with oil. Anyways, I called Kimber and they told me that the stainless isn't true stainless and does in fact rust if subjected to those conditions. Too bad the entire gun, like the slide, wasn't treated with the Kimpro 2 coating... which had no rust what so ever. The Kimber rep suggested a metal polisher called "Flitz" which I have since purchased and used. It worked wonders. You can still see "shadows" of the specks but to the "untrained eye" you woudn't know the difference. Thanks for all the input.
I was just surprized that stainless would rust, and so quickly. My Walther GSP didn't have any rust but the wooden grips were moldy. And yes, my guns are always thoroughly coated with oil. Anyways, I called Kimber and they told me that the stainless isn't true stainless and does in fact rust if subjected to those conditions. Too bad the entire gun, like the slide, wasn't treated with the Kimpro 2 coating... which had no rust what so ever. The Kimber rep suggested a metal polisher called "Flitz" which I have since purchased and used. It worked wonders. You can still see "shadows" of the specks but to the "untrained eye" you woudn't know the difference. Thanks for all the input.
