Greetings,
I am new here and been cleaning up some seat hardware, a gas tank and other items from an FJ40 that has been sitting for some years. Not sure if something like this has been shared before but I figured I'd share an old Gunsmithing trick. The simplest way to remove rust and bluing on a firearm is to use white vinager. It also works great for restoring old axe heads too. The vinegar only eats away at the rust, paint and any other coatings but not the good metal itself.
I went down to my local restaurant supplier and bough 8 gallons of white vinager for about 16 bucks. I then filled up a plastic tub and inserted the parts I needed to clean. Now yes sandblasting would work but the problem is my seat sliders where all full of sand, oil and rust and wouldn't even budge. I needed to get down inside the rail where the slider bearings are at. So I soaked them for a couple days, rinsed them in water and used a brush and then resoaked them again. After the second 2 day soak I hit them with a spray hose. And they looked like new.
Now I will give them a quick blast for better adhesion and powder coat them. But here are some pictures of how the vinager worked. A before, during and some after.......
I am new here and been cleaning up some seat hardware, a gas tank and other items from an FJ40 that has been sitting for some years. Not sure if something like this has been shared before but I figured I'd share an old Gunsmithing trick. The simplest way to remove rust and bluing on a firearm is to use white vinager. It also works great for restoring old axe heads too. The vinegar only eats away at the rust, paint and any other coatings but not the good metal itself.
I went down to my local restaurant supplier and bough 8 gallons of white vinager for about 16 bucks. I then filled up a plastic tub and inserted the parts I needed to clean. Now yes sandblasting would work but the problem is my seat sliders where all full of sand, oil and rust and wouldn't even budge. I needed to get down inside the rail where the slider bearings are at. So I soaked them for a couple days, rinsed them in water and used a brush and then resoaked them again. After the second 2 day soak I hit them with a spray hose. And they looked like new.
Now I will give them a quick blast for better adhesion and powder coat them. But here are some pictures of how the vinager worked. A before, during and some after.......