Anyone soak in CLR?

[Lawrence Corbett]

Hello all. Long time reader, first time poster.

I've got a 1897 G grade that I purchased as a restoration canidate. Although functional, the action is filled with a hundred years of grimy, rusty gunk. My plan was to soak it in oil for a week or two then clean it out with PB Blaster. However, I also want to remove the splochy patina on the outside of the receiver. I'm thinkng I can kill two birds with one stone and soak in something like CLR which is advertised to remove rust (and maybe patina). Has anyone tried this before? I'm wondering if CLR is safe for my old parker. I don't want to use anything that may etch the metal.

Thanks


***have to risize my pics. will put them in the next post***

[Dean Romig]

You need to be really careful about any product advertised to get rid of rust. It can take anything and everything from the metal and possibly leave it with an 'etched' or frosted surface. There are other time-honored methods of removing accumulated crud etc.

[Lawrence Corbett]

Right. Defiantly looking to remove the patina without etching the metal. Since the engraving looks rather worn I would prefer not to use physical means of removing the patina. Defiantly want something that will loosen up and help remove the gunk while also dispatching with the patina, all while not damaging/etching the metal surface.

Thanks again.

[StubTwist]

I wouldn't use it. Though I am not a chemist, I have been in the cleaning and sanitation industry providing cleaning chemicals to the Institutional market place for 11 years. While CLR is good for removing calcium lime build up from hard water on your home shower head, bathroom faucets, and stubborn rust stains in the toilet or urinals, it contains phosphoric acid. This is reactive to metals and it will pit and etch the surface.

A safer route would be to use Kano Kroil penetrating oil. I've had great success using Kroil freeing up rusted bolts around the shop and cleaning rust off the exterior of Damascus barrels. Soak all the parts for a while and use a soft brush to clean off the junk. Get the Kroil in aerosol and you will never use PB blaster again.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

As my Stubby friend said, use Kroil. I buy it by the case and use it for everything!

One must order it from Kano Labs. Google them...

You might consider hand buffing VERY LIGHTLY with fine bronze wool and Kroil. I got that from Brownells.

Mark

[Opening Day]

Why do you want to remove the patina..... ? Probably a stupid question but why?

[Jim Akins]

I have used CLR to remove blue from receivers, it is a relative mild solution and have had no problem with frosting. A dip for a few minutes is all that is required and would not recommend soaking for a long period. Toilet bowl cleaner will work about the same. Kroil is also a good product though I have not tried it on mild rust.

[Lawrence Corbett]

Thanks for all the input guys. Sounds like I'm going to start out with a nice long soak in Kroil.

Opening Day, I like a good looking patina as much as the next guy but what's on my gun is anything but. It's very splochy and make the engraving extremely difficult to see. I paid 600 bucks for this gun and I may have overpaid. That should tell you what condition it was in when I got it.

Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again everyone.

[David Hamilton]

I recomend a bath in a ultrasonic cleaning machine after complete disasembly. Will remove must rust and will not harm anything. David

[Richard Flanders]

Put the receiver in a pnut butter jar with lacquer thinner in it then put the jar in the ultrasonic cleaner and pour water in around it. Put the lid on loose and letterip. That stuff will clean the old hardened oil gunk out like nothing else will. I'll also second/third the testament on Kroil; it's great stuff for loosening rust. Can't say I've had better luck with anything else on rust.