Vinegar for rust/oxidation removal. - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Vinegar for rust/oxidation removal.

Posted: 11/13/2014 11:43:06 PM EDT

Are there any cons to this?

I recently used vinegar to strip rust and bluing off an old shotgun, and it worked quite well.

Posted: 11/14/2014 10:24:22 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:

Are there any cons to this?

I recently used vinegar to strip rust and bluing off an old shotgun, and it worked quite well.

View Quote

Not sure, you have any pics?

Posted: 11/14/2014 11:31:57 AM EDT

[#2]

I've used it to clean rust and scale from metal fuel cans with success and I've heard of it being used for the same purpose on motorcycle tanks.

How did it interact with the bluing of the shotgun? It is acidic and would need to be removed or neutralized in some manner.

Posted: 11/14/2014 11:54:09 AM EDT

[#3]

Just use WD40... Why risk it?

Posted: 11/14/2014 5:36:53 PM EDT

[#4]

The "con" is that bluing is a form of rust. Vinegar will remove rust slowly and will quickly remove bluing.

Some people have found this out the hard way when taking advice to use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to clean leading out of a barrel.
The vinegar will spray off a bore brush in droplets and the gun looks like it has white "freckles" on the bluing.
The freckles are where the droplets of vinegar removed the blue.

Posted: 11/14/2014 11:43:08 PM EDT

[#5]

The 'con' is vinegar is a weak acetic acid and it does not care what it eats. Two summers ago I had a set of 'white' bead blasted PTG trigger guards in zip locks that got some surface rust. Tried vinegar on one and elbow grease on the other. Vinegar worked faster and left an etched surface. Both painted up fine .

I'd go slow in trying this on anything blued or otherwise, for a weak acid it seem's to need to be watched.

Posted: 11/15/2014 9:02:59 PM EDT

[#6]

I wouldn't use vinegar on anything with a moisture trap; joints, cracks, or any feature where the vinegar can enter.

A baking soda paste can be used to neutralize the acid, and I would over do it. Same with a flush with water, over do it, and then soak it in WD-40 as soon as possible, the more the better. Deal with degreasing for bluing later.

Posted: 11/18/2014 4:32:40 AM EDT

[#7]

Don't get vinegar anywhere near nickel or it will be bad, eats it away.

Posted: 11/18/2014 4:51:46 AM EDT

[#8]

Heard it's the trick to make new tin look like old rusty tin ... haven't confirmed.

Posted: 11/19/2014 12:08:48 AM EDT

[#9]

I have used it on several small parts. It works differently on different metals. On a barrel band it took rust and all black/blue coloring off.
A hammer from a marlin 30-30 was pretty rusty and it took all the rust off and left the bluing. Both soaked together for about 24 hours.

Posted: 11/19/2014 12:21:31 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Heard it's the trick to make new tin look like old rusty tin ... haven't confirmed.

View Quote

I'll keep that in mind.

A battery charger will do less damage as it will only pull off the oxidation. To a point. Acid could care less

Posted: 12/4/2014 12:03:46 PM EDT

[#11]

I usually will mix 50% water and 50% vinegar for any parts. As stated it will strip off blue though. Below is another great link for rust removal.

Electrolytic Rust Removal
http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Qu...stremoval.html

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Vinegar for rust/oxidation removal.

Armory » Gunsmithing

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