Cleaning up a rusty M82 scope and mount

[Surpmil]

I have cleaned objects like this with fine stainless steel brushes in a Dremel tool. Of course you need to be careful: test on an inconspicuous area first, go slowly, and use a good magnifier and plenty of light so you can see what you are doing. A soak in a penetrating oil is good to soften rust scale first. Care must be taken not to brush over any sharp edges are they can be worn "white" very quickly. Used carefully I've never had a problem. The brushes are available cheaply on eBay. The biggest danger is to the eyes!

Steel wool is effective, but the fragments tend to get into every nook and cranny, not to mention carpets, socks and the soles of one's feet. Of course wires from wire brushes are even worse, and the offshore brushes tend to shed wires quite a bit at 5000rpm or so!

Probably best done inside a small blast cabinet or a cardboard box with a piece of glass or perspex sitting over the open top, a hole cut in each side for the hands, and maybe one for a light. I guess a plexiglass box would be ideal and if one really wanted to get clever, a couple of heavy rubber glove cuffs over the hand openings for a bit of a seal? Which reminds me that I've got such a box sitting around here...