Rust on bolt handle - options?

[RangeRover]

Hardly the most challenging of gunsmithing questions for many of those here but as a milsurp owner facing his first challenges in this area I hope you'll bear with me.

I just acquired a Canadian-marked No. 1 Mk.III* that came with some surface rust in spots. Most of it is minor and is responding well to the 0000 steel wool and gun oil treatment.

Here's the challenge. I bought the rifle having been told it was non-matching. Turns out it is a matching rifle. Unfortunately the worst patch of rust, significantly worse than anywhere else on the rifle, is on the bolt handle, specifically on the flat where the serial number is stamped (see the photo).

I don't think steel wool will do the trick here and I, of course, want to try to avoid eradicating the serial number. I'm open to suggestions...

Information

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[jmoore]

Round up a bit of antler and rub it HARD against the scale. If any inbeds in the horn, scrub it off before continuing. Then do a 000 and 0000 stell wool rub. check progress by cleaning w/ a light penetrating oil- no teflon based stuff! There are some teeny SS wire brushes w/ .002" dia. bristles that I use, but they're hard to find. Sweat, time and dirty fingers are the final ingredients.

[gunner]

Use Coke, let it ly in this fantastic rust removing soup for hours ( take a look at it time to time) and if the rust is gone use warm water to wash it and dry it by using compressed air. No, that isn`t a joke it helps normally against rust for the phosphoric acid wich it contains.

Regards

Gunner

[Chuckindenver]

coke will remove any blue, thats on the handle as well.
aero Kroil is great for this, check Kano labs...

[jmoore]

The chemical agents of any sort don't know the difference between blue and rust. The old timers "carded" the red rust mechanically and them returned the part to rust some more- over and over until it looked GOOD! After you scrape the chunks off, wave the bolt through the steam jet of a teapot, this will convert the "red" rust to "black" or "blue"- doesn't take long (let the metal just get hot to the touch), but it may take several repititions. This won't work w/ "white" steel as well, so go slowly!

[gunner]

I never had a problem with destroying the blueing. This happens only if you let it over night in the Coke

Regards

Gunner

[Chuckindenver]

the container i have the carries the phosporic acid i use..
says cocacola bottling right on it.
its still in surup form, i have a 20 gal tube with a coffee can of acid to 15 gal of water.
removes the blue right in front of my eyes.
the ingrediant thats in Coke, that removes rust, removes blue as well.

[jmoore]

The phosphoric acid will lightly etch the metal, or pit it if left for a long time! at any rate, be conservative in your efforts, getting in a hurry here can be bad for the final outcome.

[gunner]

Hi,

i see you dont like my method. That`s o.k. , i had never a problem with that but you ,chuckindenver, are more an expert than i am. And eventually i had only the luck to put the things out of the coke at the right time. I appreciate your answers and learn from you!

Regards

Gunner

[RangeRover]

Okay, a couple of things to try here, so thanks. I'll likely start with mechanical then switch to chemical if required. Wish me luck and I'll post results back in this thread.