Pre'64 Winchester Model 94

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albertacowboy

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I have a very mint example here in .32 Special, with its only problem being a few specks of light surface rust due to finger oils. What is a good way to remove this rust without too much damage to the nice original blueing? I thought of Breakfree or MPro 7 gun oil with light steel wool, but I would like some opinions before I do anything.

All help appreciated,
Albertacowboy
 
I would very lightly start with the least abrasive steel wool I had available to me, then lightly oil as you had thought. Personally I would also spot clod blue the areas to help protect them. Use a hoppes cold blue and a q-tip and just go easy, very lightly buff and oil, won't even notice the spots. Until the next time the rust fairy visits a Winchester action.
 
Personally I use fine bronze wool and oil to remove light rust. Steel wool will remove finish is used too aggressively. It is available in the furniture refinishing section at Home Depot and places like that.
 
My opinion:

Bronze wool or 0000 steel wool...sure, but ABSOLUTELY NO OIL WITH THEM.

The oil will trap the rust particles you remove with the steel wool, and they will act as additional abrasives, scratching the bluing.

Use the bronze wool or steel wool dry, then use an oil dampened rag to wipe it clean (and thusly removing the rust-dust from the metal).
 
IAMCRAZYDAVE said:
My opinion:

Bronze wool or 0000 steel wool...sure, but ABSOLUTELY NO OIL WITH THEM.

The oil will trap the rust particles you remove with the steel wool, and they will act as additional abrasives, scratching the bluing.

Use the bronze wool or steel wool dry, then use an oil dampened rag to wipe it clean (and thusly removing the rust-dust from the metal).
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In the many years I've been refinishing arms, I've ALWAYS oil polished with 4-0 steel wool to get the light rust off and never had a problem with removing or scratching the original blue. I then use lint free cloth, lightly oiled to clean up with.

Using bronze can impart contamination into the steel which will affect any bluing solution one applies unless the metal is first cleaned with Wipe Out or similar copper/brass remover, followed by methanol cleaning before touching up the bluing if need be.
 
SHELL SHUCKER said:
In the many years I've been refinishing arms, I've ALWAYS oil polished with 4-0 steel wool to get the light rust off and never had a problem with removing or scratching the original blue. I then use lint free cloth, lightly oiled to clean up with.

Using bronze can impart contamination into the steel which will affect any bluing solution one applies unless the metal is first cleaned with Wipe Out or similar copper/brass remover, followed by methanol cleaning before touching up the bluing if need be.
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Yes, I've found that 0000 steel wool doesn't affect the bluing at all.
I've always been told never to use oil as it picks up the rust dust that gets removed and turns it into a 'valve grind' type compound, causing scratches... suffice to say I've never used oil based on that.

If you've oil polished with 0000 for years, and it didn't give you any issues, I'll take your word for it! :)
 
I have always used Rem Oil in 0000 steel wool... it has never damaged the bluing and does a good job removing rust.
 
Jet Lube 12/34 is my favorite. Not only is it good for oil polishing, but it is magic stuff for cleaning the bore after shootin' as well as spraying on any electrical connections to clean and prevent corrosion. It's the darling of the shipyard for those that know. I get the magic from Acklands:)
 
I'm going to swim against the stream here. I use a trick a buddy gunsmith taught me years ago. I flatten a .30-06 case mouth in a vise and the file the edge sharp-ish. I then scrapebthe rust off with an edge, only in the affected are. I take a very very small piece of fine steel wool and lihyl burnish only the affected area and oil it.

I never use cold blue. Never. It's a horrid product that will cause rust, not inhibiti it, and leaves an odour that never goes away.

Rust that removes finish is a character mark. The right way to completely erase it is to prep and reblue the entire gun in a tank, or with a rust blue job and carding. Anything else is half-@ss and looks like bubba's work.

YMMV.
 
I use Oxpho Blue or Shooters Solutions Rugged Gun Blue depending on how black or blue the original blue appears. Sometimes I will use both, one over the other to get the desired results. I keep some G96 & Birchwood Casey Super Blue around as well to assist in correct color matching.

Where most folks screw up is when they use a rag moistened with water to remove the excess solution after the blue job.

NEVER DO IT! That will splotch up the job guaranteed. Always oil polish the excess solution off, then if you need to re-apply some more blue, clean the area with methanol and repeat the process until the desired look is accomplished.

The sharpened brass trick is ok on light rust, but you'll still need to revove the brass residue afterwards. I generally use a small steel knife blade that I've been using since 1970 and have never had an issue.:)
 
SHELL SHUCKER said:
In the many years I've been refinishing arms, I've ALWAYS oil polished with 4-0 steel wool to get the light rust off and never had a problem with removing or scratching the original blue. I then use lint free cloth, lightly oiled to clean up with.
Click to expand...
This is the way Ive been doing it as well for years, and have never scratched the bluing yet.
 
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