Steamer for converting rust

[Titanium_Frost]

Do you protect or seal off the bores when you steam the barrels?

 

[Hoosier8]

Do you protect or seal off the bores when you steam the barrels?

No. For instance, the steaming converts rust. If the bore is rusty it could use it too then after everything is finished, clean the bore. In the case of the Savage 67 the bore is like a mirror even though the outside is covered with rust. If using a solution to create rust you don’t put it in the bore.

If the rust is thick then the outside may take some scraping with brass to get under the blackened rust to expose the red rust which will need another steaming to convert. A INGO member sent me some 50 bmg shells I will use to form one with a flat end and another with a curved end for scraping. Bluing is harder than brass.

After all the steaming is done the parts will be put into non-detergent oil, old motor oil is good since the detergents should be boiled out by then. Some use kerosene. It helps fix the bluing after which regular gun cleaning solutions and gun oil can be used.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

No. For instance, the steaming converts rust. If the bore is rusty it could use it too then after everything is finished, clean the bore. In the case of the Savage 67 the bore is like a mirror even though the outside is covered with rust. If using a solution to create rust you don’t put it in the bore.

If the rust is thick then the outside may take some scraping with brass to get under the blackened rust to expose the red rust which will need another steaming to convert. A INGO member sent me some 50 bmg shells I will use to form one with a flat end and another with a curved end for scraping. Bluing is harder than brass.

After all the steaming is done the parts will be put into non-detergent oil, old motor oil is good since the detergents should be boiled out by then. Some use kerosene. It helps fix the bluing after which regular gun cleaning solutions and gun oil can be used.

Thanks for the in-depth explanation! I've got a few that need some attention and I thought about trying this before getting aggressive and sanding them

 

[Hoosier8]

Thanks for the in-depth explanation! I've got a few that need some attention and I thought about trying this before getting aggressive and sanding them

A couple of points.

Steaming is the easy part. Steam for about 20-30 minutes then card which is basically cleaning off the red or black fuzz exposing the black/blue protective layer. This can be done with 0000 steal wool but the steel will should be soaked in acetone to remove the protective oil, then dried before use. The other is a carding wheel. You can get one of those from Brownells called a Grobet wheel. It has .0025 diameter wire and is like using 0000 steel wool but quicker and easier. You don’t need to scrub so use lightly. I have an old Craftsman drill press and run it at its slowest speed which is 650 RPM for mine. Suggested to run around 600 RPM. Run it too fast and the wires will start flying off.

The part should be cleaned with brake cleaner or acetone to remove any oils and if you plan on using a solution to create more rust it should not be touched with bare hands because that will leave an oil film.

For my Civil War rifles I will not create more rust to re-blue but just conserve to convert any rust and stop more rusting. Patina is rust and rust does not quit rusting just because it has been oiled.

Again, I am experimenting and will post what I try and post successes and failures.

 

[Hoosier8]

Steaming the Steven’s 67 barrel and receiver for 20 minutes. One quart of water. Then will card once cooled off to see what it looks like. Completely disassembled the trigger group because the trigger and hammer have some rust. They will get boiled along with any other steel small parts. The trigger housing is pot metal so will get an ultrasonic bath.

 

[Hoosier8]

Here is what it looks like out of the steaming. Next time I will use two quarts of water. One quart lasted exactly 20 minutes.

 

[Hoosier8]

Carded, going for a 30 minute steam. I bet the receiver bluing is worn from handling. Once I get through with this, may need to do some rust scraping to get below a converted layer to red rust then I will see if I have to sand, polish, and re-blue. For that I need to pick up a pipe sander, belt sander, and buffer wheel or do it by hand.

 

[Hoosier8]

Second steam.

 

[Hoosier8]

Second carding. Some looks better but the top is pretty rusty. Getting dark so stopping here for now. I don’t know what to expect so you get to see my trials and tribulations.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Thanks for sharing. I'd get cold feet seeing it come out of the steamer that rusty and then trying it again. Good luck

 

[indyblue]

Barrel looks pretty good. Looks like you got some work to do on the receiver though.

 

[Hoosier8]

Barrel looks pretty good. Looks like you got some work to do on the receiver though.

I will do some scraping but I may have to resort to sanding and polishing then rust bluing. For rusting I need better humidity setup.