Rust and Blue Remover?

I have used Birchwood Casey Rust and Blue Remover for a long time to remove rust and old parked finishes on smaller parts. But I haven't used it on bolts, receivers or barrels - fearing that using it on these parts would cause hydrogen embrittlement. I know this product is a very weak phosphoric acid so I doubt it would, especially since it is sold to do just this. But what do you all think? I have also used Evapo Rust to do the same thing, but although it will remove the finish, it doesn't prep the metal like Birchwood Casey does. Is Evapo Rust safe to use on receivers and such? Thanks.

white viniger will work better,. and its safe to use.
phosphoric acid deluted is what i use to remove blue.
you can also use Muritic acid as well, very deluted..and only leave in for 15mins..

I have tried white vinegar once. I left a rear sight cover, slide (from a follower/slide assembly) and some other small Garand part (might have been a screw or something) in it for a few hours without much luck (some of the park came off but other areas didn't), so I left them in over night. Not much else changed. So I left them in for a couple of days. After day two, the vinegar had eaten craters into the metal of all three parts, deforming them. I have used Birchwood Casey Rust and Blue Remover on all sorts of small parts (buttplates, rear sight components, trigger assembly parts, clip latch, etc...) and even an op rod. I used a cotton swab to put a layer on and let it do it's thing and then wipe it off. I've let parts set for days after just wiping it off with a dry rag, with this stuff on it to keep rust from forming and it will not touch the metal, or at least not that I can see. But I've never used it on a receiver, bolt or a barrel - where I feel pressures would be at their greatest during discharge of the weapon.

I've got some Evapo Rust and they claim that it will not cause hydrogen embrittlement. I've used it on some parts and it will strip blue and park as well. I wonder if it is safe to use on receivers?

I do a lot of bluing for local shooters and have used Birchwood Casey remover on bolts, receivers,etc. I do rinse and then wash in a good solvent before bluing (hot process). The only thing to remember is not to use it on springs. They advise that it may weaken them. I recommend that you at least rinse well after removing. Use a hair dryer to dry and rust should not be a problem.:beerchug:

Try "Evapo-Rust"... works like a charm!

I have used Evapo Rust before as I mentioned above, but was concerned that any kind of solvent-remover would cause hydroden embrittlement, or somehow weaken the metal of a receiver or slide. In the end, I used the Evapo Rust. I let the components in the Evapo Rust until I was ready to park them and then just before I'd put the part or parts in, I'd take them out, rinse with really hot water, then spray off the part with brake cleaner, which dries very quickly, and then into the park solution. They turned out well for me.

Moderator deleted... spammer...

Have none of those chemicals handy, just use toilet bowl cleaner it contains Hydrochloric Acid and will remove bluing quicker then you can say it, Ray

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Originally Posted by rayg

Have none of those chemicals handy, just use toilet bowl cleaner it contains Hydrochloric Acid and will remove bluing quicker then you can say it, Ray

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No S#IT.?? Worth a try..;)

Why did we bring this back from 2010? For a sales pitch?

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Originally Posted by dlewis2008

Check us out online @ Evapo-Rust.com

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I thought that wasn't allowed here?

But we wouldn't have learned about toilet bowl cleaner otherwise.

Cleaning metals with an acid solution is an industrial process known as pickling. Cleaning guns with hydrochloric acid may not be such a good idea without first knowing what kind of steel it's made of. As it's name suggests hydrochloric acid contains hydrogen, which is know to have adverse affects on some high carbon steels and alloys, nickel and titanium alloys are particularly susceptible. As is 17-4PH stainless.
It would be wise to read up on hydrogen embrittlement and it's affects on certain type of steels and alloys before using acid to clean your rusty gun.
Definitely don't clean springs or any heat treated parts with acid containing hydrogen as it will make them brittle.

I can't see how a rag wet with toilet bowl cleaner that's just wiped quickly on the part (that's all it takes as the bluing comes off as you wipe the part instantly), and then rinsed off with water right away would hurt any metal, Ray

I used the toilet bowl cleaner on the refurbed purple color bolt cover on this SVT. It took no more then 10 seconds to remove the color and then rinse it off. I did have to weather some criticism for removing/altering that refurbed color/finish. But I felt the rifle was not original made that way any how being refurbed, refinished and renumbered. Probably by removing the purple finish, it was back to it's original finish. But that argument is for another thread, Lol, Ray

Attachment 54506Attachment 54507

While I don't think such a few seconds of exposer to the metal with the TB cleaner would harm the metal, I would suggest testing first it on a hidden part to make sure it works on the particular metal you're going to use it on, Ray

Blueing is essentially controlled “rust”’

Back in the “old days”, the process involved getting the required surfaces RUSTY, i.e. BROWN, for a start. This is why many Brit technical documents refer to the process as “browning”, not “blueing”

Being RUST, the quickest way to remove it is with a “rust-remover”, as available from your local hardware shop.

The original process was very labour-intensive. The idea was to get all of the appropriate suraces covered with an even film of basic, brown rust, and then “card” it off with soft steel brushes and, literally, “card”.

Once the rust was “carded", it went back into the steam room and allowed to go rusty again. After each such cycle, the colour becomes darker, thicker and more “lustrous”.

About the only place you will find folk doing this these days is in “bespoke” (custom) gunmakers and very “up-market” gunsmith shops. It is VERY labour-intensive., and thus EXPENSIVE

These days, you just polish everything to the required “sheen” and run it through the “Dulite” tank.

HOWEVER, components made from exotic alloy steels form very interesting surface films when heat-treated. If such components are just whacked in the blueing tank with everything else, they MAY come out being anything from grey to purple.

There are two tricks:

1. Ultra-fine bead blast the offending parts before blueing; they will come out (if everything else is OK), a lustrous, satin black.

2. If you want the “full-gloss” look, drop the temperature of the tank ten degrees and immerse the part(s). They should start to develop the desired dark colour. Then slowly raise the temperature to “normal” to finish the job. It can take a bit of experimenting.

"Parkerising" is vaguely related, but the biggest difference is that the metal surface MUST be "activated", i.e. grit blasted. If this is not done before immersion in the phosphating tank, the usual result is a blotchy, pallid, grey look, the rifle looks "hung-over".

The phosphating MUST be done as soon as possible after grit-blasting; if left too long, the bare metal will start to oxidise and the end result will be uneven. After BOTH blueing and phosphating, the metalwork MUST be "de-watered" and thoroughly oiled.

Ultimately, BOTH processes are done to provide a hard, fine, crystalline film that HOLDS OIL in order to prevent corrosion; that it looks "nice" is a secondary consideration.

All good info Bruce, thanks.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Why did we bring this back from 2010? For a sales pitch?

I thought that wasn't allowed here?

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Does sound fishy indeed, will look into it.

Resurrected thread by one post inconsiderate self serving spammer (banned) and thread closed. ;)

Regards,
Doug