Nickle/Chrome Stripping Question

[Doco overboard]

I successfully stripped chrome /nickle plating from a project rifle. When the chrome and nickle came off the copper wash from the plating process remains.
How can I get it off? Looking for suggestions. The bright spots are where the metal was affected by corrosion and the bare steel is through in some areas. Thanks, Brian
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[Patrick Chadwick]

I suggest you try one of the bore solvents that are sold for removing lead and copper in barrels. What I find over here appears to be strongly ammoniac-based. So don't dunk the receiver in the stuff - it could promote rusting in hard-to-get-at corners.

Wear rubber gloves, moisten a rough cloth with the solvent, and rub away on an inconspicuous patch. If the cloth starts turning blue, then it is indeed removing the copper. Carry on through a quiet hour or so, until the copper is all washed off. But do NOT forget to clean the entire receiver afterwards to remove any traces of solvent, and oil it - to prevent rust starting on the "bone-dry" steel.

[browningautorifle]

How can I get it off?

We removed chrome from a batch of 1911 frames that came in two decades ago with silica glass beads and it took all of it off, chrome and copper all at the same time. It doesn't damage or remove features like sand blasting and you can see the color of the metal changing in the lights of the cabinet as you go. This would work for the remains here. You need to do that anyway to prepare for your blue next...

[Doco overboard]

We removed chrome from a batch of 1911 frames that came in two decades ago with silica glass beads and it took all of it off, chrome and copper all at the same time. It doesn't damage or remove features like sand blasting and you can see the color of the metal changing in the lights of the cabinet as you go. This would work for the remains here. You need to do that anyway to prepare for your blue next...

I tried ammonia based bore solvent like was suggested and made some progress. It was alot of work, some areas are more difficult than others. I want to try some glass beads but I'm unsure if I need a specific size or diameter. Or does it matter with glass?
Thanks everyone for the replies.

[browningautorifle]

Silica sand glass beads are different grades I think but I forget what we used. They disappear to dust and a fine grade would work nicely... You'll watch at an angle in the light and you'll see a different shade of silver appearing... If in doubt try some cold blue for patches. You can glass bead it right back off.

[Doco overboard]

Thanks, I'm going to give glass beading a try. I think the cu is actually thicker than the chrome in spots.

[browningautorifle]

I'm going to give glass beading a try.

Look for the change in color, you'll see. Use the angle of the light reflecting to show you...it turns from a gold(ish) to a clean silver...

[frankderrico]

This is what I use. Probably the same that Jim was talking about.

Best Regards.....Frank



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[browningautorifle]

Probably about the same, ours came in bags.

[Doco overboard]

Glass beads knock it right off. It would have been better to just do that right from the start because all the cu would have been removed while it was still attached to the nickle and chrome. Separating the metals has just introduced more labor into the process. There is some slight copper wash that has remained but household ammonia and some bore cleaner will work that off. A quick polish on a muslin wheel would probably get me where I need to be once all that has been done.