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jaksny
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 6:20 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Aug 2018
Posts: 18
Location: Montcalm County, MI

Hello gentlemen, I have a question for you. I was at my father's house yesterday and found his Browning A5 leaning in a corner, covered in light surface rust. I immediately broke it down and cleaned it as best I could (the chamber and bore are still mirrors), but after wiping the rust off the outside it left light pits. My father was disgusted because he has always wanted an old A5 and he thought he ruined it. I want to help him remove the pits, but I'm unsure how. I've read and been recommended to use a #2 pencil, does this work? Thank you in advance for advice, you fellas are a wealth of knowledge.

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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 6:37 pm  Reply with quote
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If the rust is just a light surface rust, I've had great success with 4-0 steel wool and gun oil. But pits are another issue entirely. The only way to get rid of pits is to take the surrounding metal down below the pits and re-blue. You might try a good touch up blue to make the pits less noticeable, but they won't disappear without a complete refinish.

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skeettx
PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2018 6:37 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

000 or 0000 steel wool and WD-40, stroke with the grain of the metal, forward and backwards.
Clean it up
Lightly lube with Rem oil or other good oil of you choise

Mike

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Gordon Disharoon
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:29 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 17 Jan 2009
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Location: Mesquite, TX.

Jaknsy. If you decide to have the gun re-blued ask to see a few examples of the gun shops work. look for rounded edges and dished screw holes. If you see this move on. A-5s have engraving on their sides that can easily be ruined by someone with a polishing wheel. The sided on an a-5 should be hand blocked with some fine sandpaper finishing with a very fine (400) grit. I did all of the bluing at a local Dallas gun shop for 5 years and the A-5 was probably the biggest number of guns that I did.

Regards, Gordon

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T-Bone
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:31 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 153
Location: Orofino, Idaho

On light surface rust, I've had good results with Flitz Metal Polish and it won't harm the blueing.


Last edited by T-Bone on Thu Sep 06, 2018 5:59 am; edited 1 time in total

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Paperhulls
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:56 am  Reply with quote
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0000 steel wool and new motor oil. Put a light coat of oil on and let it sit a while. Then scrub off with steel wool.
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Geoff_L
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:44 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2016
Posts: 3
Location: Ohio

Kroil and very fine steel wool. Also M1 aerosol from Starrett (the tool company) works very well.
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byrdog
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 1:05 pm  Reply with quote
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Can you feel the pit marks with your finger?

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jaksny
PostPosted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:18 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Aug 2018
Posts: 18
Location: Montcalm County, MI

Thanks for the replies fellas. My first thought was superfine steel wool, but I wasn't confident that it wouldn't damage the bluing. Byrdog, no, the markings cannot be felt with your finger, or even your fingernail. I'm not even sure "pits" is the right term to describe them, more like "marks" left where the rust was.

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Stevens 311C 16 ga.
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byrdog
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:15 am  Reply with quote
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My thinking here is is fine steel wool and 3 n 1 oil Then brown paper towls if you can find them if not try news paper.

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If you take Cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like Prunes than Rhubarb does ----G.M/
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oyeme
PostPosted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:19 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 May 2011
Posts: 70
Location: Tampa, FL

A technique I have repeatedly used to remove light surface rust without damaging the bluing is to use a copper penny for the flat surfaces and a small section of copper tubing for the curved ones. Use plenty of oil (I prefer an oil of a rust penetrating variety), and rub lightly and briskly with the copper penny or tube. Check your work after a while and then repeat as necessary. You will eliminate the surface rust and hopefully if it has not been there too long, you won't even effect the color of the bluing. I used to use steel wool as others have recommended but found the copper with oil to be far superior and also much safer and gentle on the bluing. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Good luck.
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fn16ga
PostPosted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:27 pm  Reply with quote
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Frontier pads will not harm metal gun surfaces , safer than steel wool.
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 1:13 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Gentlemen,

oyeme gives sage advise, try the Copper Penny.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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jaksny
PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:23 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Aug 2018
Posts: 18
Location: Montcalm County, MI

I will be trying out the penny next time I need it! Thank you!

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L 3/7
Fox Sterlingworth 16 ga.
Stevens 311C 16 ga.
More fly rods than a guy should have.
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fn16ga
PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:42 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 09 Jan 2013
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Make sure it's a real copper penny , some of the newer ones are not all copper . Frontier Pads are the best for light surface rust , cooper works better for deeper pitted areas.
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