Rust on stainless SP101

napg19 · August 13, 2010, 10:05 PM

Took off the Houge Monogrip and found four little dots of rust under the hammer pivot assy. on the right side. I carry left side. Whats the best way to take the rust off. I'm not worried if it gets scratched in the process, it's my carry gun. Thanks.

**4V50 Gary** · August 13, 2010, 11:00 PM

soap free steel wool.

napg19 · August 14, 2010, 03:43 PM

Thanks, I'll try that.

mete · August 14, 2010, 04:53 PM

Light rust on guns is best removed with 0000 steel wool and oil.

oneoldsap · August 14, 2010, 07:38 PM

I use stainless steel wool which is available at resturant supply outlets . When you use regular steel wool you leave a little bit embeded in the metal and it will rust so it looks like the gun rusts . Have you ever steel wooled rust off only to have it return ?

Dfariswheel · August 14, 2010, 09:34 PM

A good option is to use a Scotchbrite pad.
This is the same type of synthetic abrasive pads as the green pads sold in grocery stores for pot scrubbing.

Buy them in various "grits" in automotive supply houses and in limited grits in hardware stores.

As above DO NOT use steel wool, with oil or not on stainless. Particles will embed and will rust, ruining the stainless.

To prevent this from happening again, after you have the rust off, apply a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax to the frame and don't wipe it off. Assemble the grips and the wax will prevent the frame from rusting.

smoakingun · August 15, 2010, 04:35 PM

oil and 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper. scotchbrite comes in 3 grades, green: coarse, red: medium, gray: fine.(roughly 1200 grit} you might not care about scratches, but why put them there if you don't have too

**Unclenick** · August 16, 2010, 01:55 PM

The stainless steel wool sounds like the best idea to me as the hardness will be closer to that of the gun. Stainless gets its rust resistant properties in part from the chromium and chromium oxide that cover the iron in the steel. When you use anything abrasive to the stainless, even Scotch Brite or harder metal wool, you remove that oxide and expose more free iron for future rusting.

I suggest you use a product called Rust Release or another called Evaporust (Harbor Freight has it) to remove the rust. After that, if you want truly stainless performance from the gun, the only thing I know that works is passivation of remaining exposed free iron. This can be done with hot dilute chromic acid baths that actually add fresh chromium oxide to exposed iron, or by removing just the free iron itself with nitric acid. Those operations are best done by metal finishing shops due to the toxicity and hazards associated with the chemicals involved. I've heard that citric acid solutions can also passivate, but have no idea of the concentrations or temperatures or immersion times involved. That, at least, would be safe to do at home.

napg19 · August 17, 2010, 06:09 PM

Thanks guys. Lots of good info here to use.

hooligan1 · August 17, 2010, 07:15 PM

Heads up on the steel wool, It will cause the stainless to show rustspots.

I found this out from a service call, on a brand new stainless steel sink. The lady cleaned it with steelwool and bleach, both of these will sometimes make the stainless show rust. However yours probably wasn't caused by these things. I would still refrain from using steelwool, I'd switch to scotchbrite, real fine scotchbrite. You could probably remove it with your fingernail.

wperez · August 21, 2010, 11:03 PM

Try a brass brush and oil. I have a stainless steel revolver with the same problem developed under the rubber grips ( very small pitting ), it worked well enough, I just check once in a while.I changed the grips to walnut just for the looks and they are very confortable to boot

**Unclenick** · August 23, 2010, 02:29 PM

Since this post, I also learned you can passivate stainless with citric acid. See my post #10, here.

Bill DeShivs · August 23, 2010, 04:19 PM

I believe the Ruger finish is equivalent to the grey Scotchbrite pads.

August 13, 2010, 11:00 PM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,848	I'd use soap free steel wool. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

August 14, 2010, 04:53 PM	#4
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Light rust on guns is best removed with 0000 steel wool and oil. __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

August 15, 2010, 04:35 PM	#7
smoakingun Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2009 Location: melrose, fl Posts: 634	oil and 1500 or 2000 grit sand paper. scotchbrite comes in 3 grades, green: coarse, red: medium, gray: fine.(roughly 1200 grit} you might not care about scratches, but why put them there if you don't have too __________________ Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

August 16, 2010, 01:55 PM	#8
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	The stainless steel wool sounds like the best idea to me as the hardness will be closer to that of the gun. Stainless gets its rust resistant properties in part from the chromium and chromium oxide that cover the iron in the steel. When you use anything abrasive to the stainless, even Scotch Brite or harder metal wool, you remove that oxide and expose more free iron for future rusting. I suggest you use a product called Rust Release or another called Evaporust (Harbor Freight has it) to remove the rust. After that, if you want truly stainless performance from the gun, the only thing I know that works is passivation of remaining exposed free iron. This can be done with hot dilute chromic acid baths that actually add fresh chromium oxide to exposed iron, or by removing just the free iron itself with nitric acid. Those operations are best done by metal finishing shops due to the toxicity and hazards associated with the chemicals involved. I've heard that citric acid solutions can also passivate, but have no idea of the concentrations or temperatures or immersion times involved. That, at least, would be safe to do at home. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 23, 2010, 02:29 PM	#12
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Since this post, I also learned you can passivate stainless with citric acid. See my post #10, here. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 13, 2010, 10:05 PM	#1
napg19 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 431	Rust on stainless SP101 Took off the Houge Monogrip and found four little dots of rust under the hammer pivot assy. on the right side. I carry left side. Whats the best way to take the rust off. I'm not worried if it gets scratched in the process, it's my carry gun. Thanks.

August 14, 2010, 03:43 PM	#3
napg19 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 431	Thanks, I'll try that.

August 14, 2010, 07:38 PM	#5
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	I use stainless steel wool which is available at resturant supply outlets . When you use regular steel wool you leave a little bit embeded in the metal and it will rust so it looks like the gun rusts . Have you ever steel wooled rust off only to have it return ?

August 14, 2010, 09:34 PM	#6
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	A good option is to use a Scotchbrite pad. This is the same type of synthetic abrasive pads as the green pads sold in grocery stores for pot scrubbing. Buy them in various "grits" in automotive supply houses and in limited grits in hardware stores. As above DO NOT use steel wool, with oil or not on stainless. Particles will embed and will rust, ruining the stainless. To prevent this from happening again, after you have the rust off, apply a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax to the frame and don't wipe it off. Assemble the grips and the wax will prevent the frame from rusting.

August 17, 2010, 06:09 PM	#9
napg19 Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 431	Thanks guys. Lots of good info here to use.

August 17, 2010, 07:15 PM	#10
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,587	Heads up on the steel wool, It will cause the stainless to show rustspots. I found this out from a service call, on a brand new stainless steel sink. The lady cleaned it with steelwool and bleach, both of these will sometimes make the stainless show rust. However yours probably wasn't caused by these things. I would still refrain from using steelwool, I'd switch to scotchbrite, real fine scotchbrite. You could probably remove it with your fingernail. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

August 21, 2010, 11:03 PM	#11
wperez Junior Member Join Date: August 20, 2010 Posts: 7	Try a brass brush and oil. I have a stainless steel revolver with the same problem developed under the rubber grips ( very small pitting ), it worked well enough, I just check once in a while.I changed the grips to walnut just for the looks and they are very confortable to boot

August 23, 2010, 04:19 PM	#13
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,988	I believe the Ruger finish is equivalent to the grey Scotchbrite pads. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com