HT update - Scope arrived

[Surpmil]

Is that flat backed rear base not from a No.3 Rifle, or has someone modified it to fit one; or something else?

The trouble with cleaning all the pits out like that, aside from the loss of all patina and originality, is you end up with a moonscape that even blued will look odder and uglier than smoothed down rust would have.

So what do you do? When I was messing about with No32 MkI tubes I would mount them up in the lathe and polish the tubes, first with a very fine and sharp file (soak in vinegar a few days to sharpen), then emery cloth. One had to be very careful of the shallow electro-pencil markings.

Doesn't the Patt. 18 scope have a pretty thick tube? If the markings are deep enough you could try some smoothing on the lathe, but are you going to end up with a reblued tube and brass parts that are worn as they are now? That's not going to look very good.

The best approach with something like this is the slow one: hand tools, good light, good magnification and start in the inconspicuous spots. Fine stainless brushes in a Dremel can be very good for removing rust without removing all patina.

Of course before it goes near a file or a lathe, you'll need a tight fitting drift to get that dent out of the ocular "bell".

The other problem is that you have taken a scope that was dry and soaked it in what was probably a water-based solution, which may have migrated into spaces where it would have been much more to your advantage if a light or penetrating oil had gone instead. As well as helping you get the scope apart, that oil would have helped to soften the superficial rust scale so that you could scrape it off for example with a piece of brass or bronze, or some very fine steel wool.

So now, you'll need to heat it up enough for long enough to be sure you have driven out all the moisture from all the crevices and then soak it in some light/penetrating oil that will not damage the glass or the brass, so that down the road, you can get the internals out without damaging them or the tube.

[BLAAA303]

Bit of an update of late, this one is back to functioning order which is all I was wanting as it will be actively used on the rifle so she’s had a protective coating applied for the interim to look after it for the foreseeable future until I have the Balls to venture down the path of cleaning up the body even further as “SURPMIL” referenced above but for the time being I think I’d be out of my depth if I attempted it for now and likely end in tears.

Her appearance currently may make the pureists out there have a seizure but it’s a go between astaetics wise and being period correct at this stage means less to me than functionality plus since I’ve removed all signs of rust I wanted her to stay cancer free.

further to that it looks like I’ve potentially got another very tidy 1918 scope lined up for “presentation duties” and retaining the rifles value.

[BLAAA303]

Is that flat backed rear base not from a No.3 Rifle, or has someone modified it to fit one; or something else?.

The rear mount looks as though its been taken to with an angle grinder to remove it from the original rifle back when ever it was done so the partial dovetail has been cut through/off.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

A tub of raw molasses is a good way to gently remove rust. Not ideal for aluminium or zinc alloy parts, but excellent on iron and steel. VERY slow, though.

[henry r]

Much better.

[Surpmil]

If you got it apart and back together without damage you did well IMHO. Not an easy thing to do in that condition.