Rust Removal

dman24

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I inherited my grandfathers marlin 336 yesterday, after he passed on Saturday. It hasn’t been handled or cared for in a very long time and is showing quite a bit of rust, and the wood feels dry, or it may just be the dust on it. What would be the best way to go after the rust, while preserving the original finish. Will a copper scrub pad like a chore boy work or will I need to get steel wool. I’ve read about people having luck with it, but worried about removing the bluing at the same time. I’m still undecided about having it reblued if it is really bad. I think for the wood I’m going to try to remove the dust and use some kind of conditioner on it before I decide about refinishing it.
 
Sorry for your loss.
Scouring pads will likely cut all the way thru the bluing. 000/0000 steel wool with oil will take some bluing, but it'll take a lot rubbing to get all the way thru, the worse the rust the faster the bluing will disappear. Really light rust can often be dealt with just using oil on a cloth, atf is pretty common oil to have on hand that removes rust decently.
My Marlin was pitted :(, hope yours fairs better, media blasted and blued doesn't look quite right.
 
Take it apart, soak the metal in gun oil for a day or 2, then rub lightly with a piece of oil soaked leather.
Take the wood and start with Murphy's Oil Soap to remove the dirt/dust.
Take your time and do not rub/scrap to hard on the finish.
 
Fuquay gun sells a rust remover pad that will not touch the blueing. I can't remember the name of it but I have some. If you pm me a shipping address I will mail you some. You simply spray the metal down with gun oil and scrub the rust away with this magical stuff. I have used it for years to save many abused guns. Just remeber if there is rust then there is no blueing left where the rust is but the pad is safe for the blueing that remains ans will not hurt it in any way.
 
I bought Kroil online. Don't remember where I got it but an 80z can is $10.99 shipped on EB.

Same price on Amazon or $12.50 with Prime and 2 day shipping.
 
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I agree with what others have said. Start with oil and a rag. You will be surprise how much rust it will remove. Better to go slow than to break out the big guns. You can always do that later. You can't undo what you remove if you do too much too fast.

As a side note Ed's Red is amazing at rust removal.
 
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So far I’ve tried the penny, and it seems to be working. It’s at least knocking the rust down and making the metal smooth. I’m going to look for an appropriate set of screw drivers to use to disassemble the rifle so I don’t booger up the screws.
 
Bronze wool. It is amazing stuff. Some oil and hit it with the bronze wool, results are remarkable. It doesn't harm the blueing.
 
I agree with what others have said. Start with oil and a rag. You will be surprise how much rust it will remove. Better to go slow than to break out the big guns. You can always do that later. You can't undo what you remove if you do too much too fast.

As a side note Ed's Red is amazing at rust removal.

Is Ed’s Red something you have to mix up yourself? All I’m finding are various recipes. I’m hesitant to search the Web for “sperm oil.”
 
Just got a pack of Rhodes fine bronze wool. I’ll let you know how it works out.
You'll be pleasantly surprised. It will look like it's removing the blue but it's just residue from the bronze wool. Once you wipe it off, it looks great.
 
Is Ed’s Red something you have to mix up yourself? All I’m finding are various recipes. I’m hesitant to search the Web for “sperm oil.”



Not if you don't want to. Brownells now sells Ed's Red. But if you choose to you can mix your own. It is equal parts of kerosene (unscented kind), acetone, dexron lll and mineral spirits(also unscented). You can add lanolin if you choose to. Makes it a little easier on your hands. Just be sure to store it in a glass jar.
 
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You’re probably well into this, but a couple things to note that you may already know.

If you use a penny, use a copper penny not one of the zinc clad slugs they’ve been putting out for the past 3 deacades.

Iron oxide will scratch bluing, lubricated bronze wool with modest force generally will not, so turn the wool often enough that you aren’t grinding the iron oxide into the bluing.

Copper scouring pads are often copper coated or colored steel wool, the only real copper ones come in a little box, maybe chore boy.

Chemicals that remove iron oxide will also remove bluing.

Good luck!
 
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

Here is a link to instructions on how to remove rust with reverse electrolysis. I used this method an a badly rusted AK kit I bought years ago and was amazed at how well it worked. It pulls the rust to the sacrificial electrode and leaves the bluing intact.
BTW. I couldn't find the washing soda locally so I had to use the method of baking baking soda to make it.. It was like doing alchemy. funstuff!
 
http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp

Here is a link to instructions on how to remove rust with reverse electrolysis. I used this method an a badly rusted AK kit I bought years ago and was amazed at how well it worked. It pulls the rust to the sacrificial electrode and leaves the bluing intact.
BTW. I couldn't find the washing soda locally so I had to use the method of baking baking soda to make it.. It was like doing alchemy. funstuff!
Science but it works like MAGIC.
 
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