Preserving an AK kit

[hoffmang]

I've got an early 80's Romy kit that is in very nice shape except for some very light surface rust. I've read enough to know how I'd fully refinish it, but I'm not planning on demilling or building it anytime real soon.

What I'm looking for is the best way to stop the rust and keep it in stasis for a couple of years. Should I just hit it with WD-40 and then oil it? Throw some desiccant in the plastic bag?

-Gene

[TonyM]

More cosmo!

or give it to me and I'll blast it to remove all the rust and then store it in a vacuum sealed bag with CLP/etc.

[thedrickel]

Wire wheel it and throw some cheap paint on there, something that will come off w/ brake cleaner if you want it to.

[bohoki]

More cosmo!

or give it to me and I'll blast it to remove all the rust and then store it in a vacuum sealed bag with CLP/etc.

foodsaver would be proud

maybe shoulda put some tp and a can of spam in there too

[FEDUPWBS]

better build it now before Obama confiscates it!

[Guntech]

better build it now before Obama confiscates it!

yeah lol

[ptoguy2002]

Wire brush the rust spots, wd40 (at least the old formulation) or something else that will displace moisture and evaporate all out with heat without leaving a residue, and then a LOT of grease, bag it up (with desicant if you got it) real tight. IMHO
The wood, though, I don't know that I could tell you. I've had a romy kit that actually had mold under the butt plate. Maybe just go ahead and refinish it now???

On a side note, you might to make sure you are set with a receiver now, because I would imagine the receiver manufacturing follows the sales/availability of parts kits, which is down and will only get worse, IMHO

[jumbopanda]

I just leave all of mine in the bags that they came in and store them away in a cardboard box. Everything seems fine so far.

[hoffmang]

I was shuffling my most recent delivery from a FED kit group buy and noticed the minor issues. I wanted to see if I'd gotten a luck '78

I've now got some excellent options and thanks.

Added: I'll just make sure I have enough flats around - just in case...

-Gene

[saki302]

Gene- Use some FINE steel wool soaked in WD-40, and scrub off all the surface rust. It should leave most if not all of the finish intact.
Then blast again with WD-40 to make sure all the rust (liquid / sludge!) is gone.

Wipe dry..

Now follow up with a good long term lube/rust preventative. Cosmoline works well but is a mess later. Good old grease works well for me too, or Militec-1 if you prefer an oil. Then vaccum bag it, or just regular bag it, and store in a cool dry place.

I found a light coat of grease keeps bare metal flats rust free.

-Dave

[weezil_boi]

This is gonna sound crazy, but I like a mixture of grease diluted in 2 stroke motor oil. Mix it up in a pickle jar till its about as runny as plain motor oil, and apply liberally. When its time to clean it... a little gasoline and a brush and it wipes right off.

[DRH]

Don't use WD40, it is a great water displacer but a terrible lubricant and rust preventative. I have used the Bullfrog products and they work great for caching stuff (not that I have anything cached away ). Here is a link to an article from the FCSA Very High Power magazine on the Bullfrog products.

http://www.bull-frog.com/publications/articles/bury_seashore.php

[motorhead]

difficult to stop rust w/o removal. you may want to blast clean before storage. you're going to do it anyway.