what should I use to clean up an old pistol?

[colddeadhands]

Thanks that smith and Wesson looks like it.
I haven't touched it thinking it might be worth more in the condition it is in. Should I just clean it up?

[El Gato]

Thanks that smith and Wesson looks like it.
I haven't touched it thinking it might be worth more in the condition it is in. Should I just clean it up?

carefully... some breakfree maybe and light rubbing and call it good... nice Smith there...

[colddeadhands]

any one know where i can find out what it is worth?

[justMike]

To remove the rust you can use Evapo-Rust. It might take a little time but it will eventually remove all and only the rust. Actually it will also remove the bluing that remains on your find also so you will want to check with authorities as to whether that is important to the value of your pistol. To me it just looks like a very cool artifact that I would like if the parts were free to move. The E-R should free the thing up. Try it on some other rusty stuff first you'll see that it's amazing.

[Cato]

I'd drop it in a bowl of mineral spirits for an hour then take a tooth brush to it. Afterward generously apply CLR. If you don't mind affecting it's "collector's status/value" you might want to take a bronze brush to it and get that rust off.

[jamesob]

any one know where i can find out what it is worth?

it's really not worth much, but it would make a really nice wall hanger.

[Mark in CA]

This looks like an old No 2 Smith and Wesson in 32 rim Fire Long. You are missing the side plate and ejector. I would remove the wood grips before you soak the gun in anything. There are several commercial rust removers.

There is a nice article in September's Gun Report about boiling a rusted gun in rain water to remove rust. I'd try it on a few rusty nails first. You can't loose too much here as the gun is in such poor condition. Don't use sand paper or a wire wheel. Maybe some 0000 steel wool, which can't hurt.

[colddeadhands]

thanks for all the good tips guys, for now I'm just waiting, he thinks he can get some money for it in the condition it is in. I just have to try and find out what it is worth.