Best way to safely remove rust

[Artificer]

Search for "resin restoration of wood" online. Usually includes vacuum chamber (PVC probably would work for a rifle stock) to remove moisture and air from the wood then a resin is introduced and fills all the empty spaces. Used to stabilize old historic items. Seems like a system could be cobbled up by a crafty inhabitant of this forum. I haven't tried it but think it's at least another thing to look at

From "instructables "dot" com/Resin-Stabilizing-Wood/:
"This brings us to the process of (acrylic) resin stabilization. The process entails a drying process to get rid of all the moisture in the wood, putting the now bone-dry wood into a vacuum chamber to remove all the air, then introducing an acrylic resin into the wood, to occupy all the little nooks and crannys that water can absorb into in the cells of the wood. The end result is a piece of wood that no longer moves with changes in humidity, i.e the dimensions are stable (hence the name!).
Stabilization brings a host of other benefits too. In addition to the aforementioned movement issues, stabilization is also used on punky, spalted or soft woods to strengthen them; the acrylic resin adds a lot of strength to the wood itself."

The Army did this on standard M14 stocks, before they glass bedded them and built their M21 Sniper Rifles for Viet Nam. This was done to make the stocks as impervious to humidity and rain as possible. It worked extremely well.

However, for a Muzzle Loader, I wonder about two things?

First, I would advise a complete strip of the finish on the stock, because heating it to dry it thoroughly might set the finish and stock on fire, especially if the finish is Linseed Oil.

Second, I'm not sure how to thoroughly dry such a long stock as on many muzzle loaders? Many won't fit into an oven, even if you could hide it from the Lady of the House?

Gus

 

[user 34300]

My pointed response was that in the field of forensic investigation with all available technology concerning homicide investigations,, (as you have pointed), your best component for resolve of said homicide(s) is/was an over the counter chelating agent?
I'm astounded, that someone in that professional field would respond as such.
You should have logged in here years ago friend and picked up a few tip's, maybe some of those "asked for" would have lead to better conclusion.

Some times simple solution to simple tasks work best. There is not a magic high tech solution to every problem.

 

[FPDoc]

The Army did this on standard M14 stocks, before they glass bedded them and built their M21 Sniper Rifles for Viet Nam. This was done to make the stocks as impervious to humidity and rain as possible. It worked extremely well.

However, for a Muzzle Loader, I wonder about two things?

First, I would advise a complete strip of the finish on the stock, because heating it to dry it thoroughly might set the finish and stock on fire, especially if the finish is Linseed Oil.

Second, I'm not sure how to thoroughly dry such a long stock as on many muzzle loaders? Many won't fit into an oven, even if you could hide it from the Lady of the House?

Gus

I did not know that about the M21 but it makes good sense. I agree with stripping finish. With regard to drying the stock the vacuum itself, if done long enough or in repeated stages depending on the durability of the vacuum pump should take care of a lot of that (perhaps a desicant as well) but a long enough box like you might make for steam bending (wood or PVC like might be used for the vacuum portion of this project) would likely work. With all due respect to the OP and importance of sentimental value this could easily devolve into a definate Rube Goldberg kind of situation in which by the time you got this one piece of one time family heirloom stabilized you'd have enough tied up in the project to (I have no idea how much enough acrylic resin would cost) to buy a new rifle and a bottle of good scotch (I'd recommend "cask strength" Laphroaig or Lagavulin), pour a bit of the scotch on the ground for absent companions, speak a kind work to the memory of the original owner, give him a tip-of-the-hat and tell him about the new rifle that you would pass on to your heirs in his name.

P.S. I've got several inherited firearms that I've been trying to decide about the same thing. Restore and use or.. leave them as they are and closely tied to my memories of the original owner.

 

[FlinterNick]

Some parts you won’t be able to salvage, as they will lose integrity with rust removal. The barrel and lock might be ok, underrib too. The thimbles and other small steel parts, nipple….. might not be salvageable after rust removal with solvents and elbow grease.