Trouble removing dried gunk

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

I have an H & R Model 832 .32 cal revolver that belonged to my Dad. Apparently Dad lubed it up heavily with naval jelly, dropped it in a sock and put it out of his mind..about 33 years ago. The nj has since dried forming a thin blackish smeared looking residue that neither Hoppes Venom or acetone would loosen.

I'm at kind of a loss here. A hot solvent like xylene maybe ? Has anyone tried the Frontier metal scrubber ? 

[Loose}{Cannon]

Frontier scrubber...  maybe hot water?

[Greasemonkey]

Was it blued or nickel finish?
The combination of the caustic nature of navel jelly and time/moisture exposure may necessitate and complete rework, and refinish.   

Another thing to try, brass wool and brake fluid, brass is alot softer than the metal, wont alter it, brake fluid acts as a cleaner/lube to help break stuff loose.  I use brass wool and brake fluid to remove rust and such on parts, it won't wear bluing or metal finishes.

[Dannyboy53]

Sounds like a good idea Greasemonkey. I've also been told years ago by a mechanic that brake fluid was the "worlds best lubricant". You could put brake fluid on a telephone pole and slide it up a gnats' butt.

Don't know how true that is though...I never tried it. 

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

Was it blued or nickel finish?
The combination of the caustic nature of navel jelly and time/moisture exposure may necessitate and complete rework, and refinish.

It's blued. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll see how that works later today.

[jd?]

Isn't Navel Jelly a acid based rust remover??  (muriatic I believe)

It should not be left to dry on a gun, and if it is their probably isn't much of a blue job left.  Let's hope that it's sumpthin different.  I've been using Citristrip lately, and lovin it for any finish or gunk that I've encountered.  There is probably some crud that it won't touch, but I'll always try it first.  jd

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

Isn't Navel Jelly a acid based rust remover??  (muriatic I believe)

It should not be left to dry on a gun, and if it is their probably isn't much of a blue job left.  Let's hope that it's sumpthin different.

Yeah I'd heard of the stuff but never used any, I'm pretty sure it's what Dad left on it though. There were 2 pistols, some ammo, rags and a container of nj all in a plastic box. The label says it will neutralize rust and I think that it's probably ok to use for that on a gun but should be cleaned off, it's no substitute for cosmo. I'm surprised Dad did this instead of basting it with grease. I suspect this gun was fairly new around the time he did this (82-ish), the blue looks great where he didn't use the nj.

If the residue comes off I think it will look alright it was thinly smeared and left a black residue. My wife has suggested it may actually take more naval jelly to break the residue loose. I'm going to try brake fluid and brass first and if it comes to more naval jelly I'm going to be sure and clean it off whether it works or not.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Pics or it didnt happen.   

[running-man]

While we're talking about taking off stuff w/o harming bluing, I'd be remiss not to mention: Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner

Excellent stuff! 

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

Now I have doubts my Dad did this, I think he probably got it this way. Either way this pistol is unpretty.




The other pistol is in better shape, it may have gotten the same stuff on the hammer

[Loose}{Cannon]

I bet the frontier pad takes it right off.

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

I'll get one, been meaning to for a good while anyway. From all I've read it's the bomb.

I'm going to let this go until winter though, I think the period from Jan. 1st to March ?? would be easier to get through with a few small projects. That H & R model must not be very popular, I didn't really find any offered online. As near as I could determine they go for about 35 - 110 $$. At that money it may end up as the designated home defense and CCW.

[Dannyboy53]

We have a nickle plated one in .22 LR that belonged to my dad. Great shooter, lots of fun. I wouldn't know how to begin to clean that one up but the suggestions by these guys sound good to me. They are a very knowledgeable gang and I trust them all.

[Phosphorus32]

Naval Jelly, really!?  According to the MSDS, you shouldn't leave it on more than 15 minutes, so I think the recommended exposure time has been exceeded 

Naval Jelly is the best thing to dissolve crusted Naval Jelly.  Then rinse with hot soapy water, hot water, denatured alcohol, and finally a water displacing oily solvent before final lube.

[Greasemonkey]

Naval jelly is high in phosphoric acid, left to dry on metal it creates phosphoric iron, which is a very crude form of parkerizing. Parkerizing is a kinda crude form of bluing, much like zinc phosphate and maganese phosphate.  Parkerizing is used on a Cz52, or things like M1 Garands and some M1903s.

Due to the nature of chemical reaction that has happened, it may require a full strip and reblue.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Maybe...  but it was already blued. And parking over blue or blue over park no worky.

[Loose}{Cannon]

But yeah...  I dunno exactly what NJ will do on blued surface over 30 years.   :-\q

WTF is nj anyway?  ...  sounds gross, all I ever get is lint. 

[SKhiSm 59-66A1]

I think now Dad probably got it that way and was trying to bring it back, or maybe got the naval jelly and never got around to trying, it was still pretty full. I'll have a go at it next winter, secure in the knowledge that there's not a lot left I could do to dick it up worse. The front sight looks a little bit canted also. Good times man, project gun acquired.

[sksmcrossvilletn]

I have an H & R Model 832 .32 cal revolver that belonged to my Dad. Apparently Dad lubed it up heavily with naval jelly, dropped it in a sock and put it out of his mind..about 33 years ago. The nj has since dried forming a thin blackish smeared looking residue that neither Hoppes Venom or acetone would loosen.

I'm at kind of a loss here. A hot solvent like xylene maybe ? Has anyone tried the Frontier metal scrubber ? 

Have you tried kano kroil? I've found it removes any gunk.

[sksmcrossvilletn]

Was it blued or nickel finish?
The combination of the caustic nature of navel jelly and time/moisture exposure may necessitate and complete rework, and refinish.

It's blued. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll see how that works later today.

You do realize naval Kelly removes bluing right? I'm betting the reason that stuff ain't coming off is that it's rust pitting lol!