Best way to remove rust under grips?

[MrBlazito]

is is a Star Model B pistol. Discovered some rust when I removed the grips. The rust spot looks like the metal has been pitted.

What's the best way to go about it? Light sanding and apply bluing finish? Any recommendations are welcomed.

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[Win231]

I used fine steel wool with Break Free to remove rust on the magazine tube of a Remington 870. But it wasn't as bad as yours - there was no pitting. It did teach me to occasionally check under grips & forends.

[johnthomas]

0000 steel or bronze wool and a small bronze brush. You can also cold blue it.
I don't know if you have used the product, there are many videos on it. I clean with soap and water, dry with hair dryer, use the brush and wool to get rid of the rust. Soap and water again, dry, de-grease with alcohol and blue it, clean with soap and water and 0000 steel or bronze wool. Repeat as often as you need to. The true color of your piece shows up after you oil it. Don't touch your work with bare hands when you get ready to blue. Oil from your hands can keep the blue from getting to the metal.

[M1NM]

Disassemble completely. Get some rust removal jelly and a small wire brush (bronze not necessary since it's not an aluminum or stainless gun). Steel wool won't reach the bottom of the pits and will just tear on the rough spots. Put some heavy tape at the edge of the grip so there is no chance of scratching the seen surface. Scrub away then rinse and dry completly finally cold blue several times and oil.

[808@515]

Won't rust removal jelly remove the existing bluing around the affected area?

I cleaned up a pretty rusted air rifle barrel for a buddy of mine with CLP and a brass brush. Took time and patience. Except for the pitting from the rust it came out great.

[Mike0904]

Yep ! 0000 wool and oil is best. Looks like you are pitted though....shame.

[Carcassonne]

Won't rust removal jelly remove the existing bluing around the affected area?

I cleaned up a pretty rusted air rifle barrel for a buddy of mine with CLP and a brass brush. Took time and patience. Except for the pitting from the rust it came out great.

Yes, Naval Jelly rust remover will remove ALL bluing it comes into contact with. I tried to remove some rust from a muzzle loading rifle and learned the hard way, but I ended up parkerizing it, so now it looks tactical.

Bronze wool works great. I think ACE or Home Debauchery sells it.


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[smle-man]

Rub the rusted area with the edge of a nickel coin. It will remove the rust and not the finish

[FZJ Cruiser]

I like to use a fiberglass scratch brush, also called a sanding pen on areas like that. It does a really good job of getting in the nooks and crannies and I can be very precise with it.

[b.thomas]

I would use a good grade of gun oil and a bronze toothbrush type brush.
give everything rusty a good scrub and then treat it with a cold blue of your choice.
It will remove the rust but will not take care of any damage to the gun and you will still have a problem of keeping rust away in the future.
It's a shame it happen in the first place but I've had rust problems myself but on shotguns, not handguns.
good luck!

[nickel plate]

Just for ducks, I have a friend who is looking for a slide lock lever for a Star model B-anyone?
Appreciated.

[heidad01]

I looked at that pic. There is a lot more rust that just that pitted spot and if you are going to fix it, might as well fix all the rust. I think it is way passed antique or original shape/blue preservation.
If I were to clean up that gun, I'd give it a good long soak in EVAPO RUST. That will get rid of any rusted steel that is on the gun. Brush all corners and rusted areas helping to remove any rust residues still hanging on. Wash and dry it very quickly followed by a heavy spray of your gun oil or WD40. NOW, sand and smooth out any rough spots. This will clean out a buch of nicks and dents present on all old guns. EASY ON THE ROLL MARKS while sanding.
Use a cold blue of your choice. I have read a bunch about this and I'd try Oxpho Blue first. Much easier than slow rust and other ones.
Finally, for God's sake and your gun's as well, use gun oil generously on all your guns. A buck worth of oil would have kept that gun rust free for ever and a day.

[MrBlazito]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I ordered some naval jelly and will use it to dissolve whatever rust is left in the pitted area after a good scrubbing. Since that spot is not that big, I'll use some cold bluing to touch up the finish.

This gun was recently purchased. All my guns are well oiled. That spot is the only heavily rusted/pitted spot on the gun. The rust you see on the bar is surface rust and has been cleaned off. That's really all the rust I found on the pistol.

[steel30]

I have a Star model B with some rust under the grips as well...tagged

[808@515]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I ordered some naval jelly and will use it to dissolve whatever rust is left in the pitted area after a good scrubbing. Since that spot is not that big, I'll use some cold bluing to touch up the finish.

This gun was recently purchased. All my guns are well oiled. That spot is the only heavily rusted/pitted spot on the gun. The rust you see on the bar is surface rust and has been cleaned off. That's really all the rust I found on the pistol.

Seriously, don't use Naval Jelly. Like many have said including me. Oil and a brass brush.

Of course it's your gun your call.