how do i clean up stainless steel ?

[rotortech]

Bar Keepers friend and a soft damp cloth.

Ever get blood on stainless steel? The above works every time...

The active ingredient is Oxalic Acid and works well to breakdown iron oxide deposits on metal. For light stains the Bar Keepers friend should work. When I need to be more aggressive, I buy Oxalic acid in powder form at Ace Hardware. I mix this with water. The solution is used to remove rust from motorcycle parts - inside fuel tanks, bolts, levers, etc. This works on chrome plated parts and on stainless. It does not affect the parent metal.

I have also used phosphoric acid on metals very successfully. You can buy that at the hardware store. It is usually called concrete etch or TSP.

Sometimes the stain can be below the metal surface and sanding will be required as described by elpenguin. Try the Bar Keepers friend first.

 

[william]

Where can you buy Flitz or semichrome? I have been looking for flitz for something else and haven't seen it anywhere.

 

[wagyu52]

UTube the yankeemarshall he has some good videos on how to fix blemishes on stainless guns and how to polish them. do not dremmel the finish on your gun, it will leave swirl marks

 

[cwillour]

If you have a hard time finding Flitz, you can use Bar Keeper's Friend. I have used it on everything from stainless to fiberglass when mild elbow grease was not enough and I needed to avoid damaging the surface. You can find it in many grocery stores as well as some of the hardware stores.

 

[Bikerdad61]

For cleaning the powder burn marks off my stainless steel revolvers (face of the cylinder) I use a soft bristle Stainless Steel brush and Hoppes #9 powder solvent. They come out looking like new everytime.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

If you have a hard time finding Flitz, you can use Bar Keeper's Friend. I have used it on everything from stainless to fiberglass when mild elbow grease was not enough and I needed to avoid damaging the surface. You can find it in many grocery stores as well as some of the hardware stores.

Maybe try putting it in a bowl of rice.......

 

[hooky]

coiled or uncoiled?

 

[dmax]

Try a dab of CLR let sit for a few minutes, rinse with water then apply a light coat of oil. Warning!! this will remove blueing - don't blame me.

 

[WebHobbit]

Hoppes #9 with a normal brass brush. If that doesn't get it (and it may not) just use a "cheese cloth". THAT will do it. The last one I got was KleenBore branded and it said "Silicon gun & reel cloth" but it's yellow in appearance -comes in a plastic bag.

I sometimes follow up with hand polishing with Mother's Mag. But I do that after cleaning.

Hoppes #9 will do a LOT all by itself but you need to apply it, scrub, apply again and let it sit for a while before continuing.

 

[hANNAbONE]

+1 on Flitz...good stuff.

 

[Regionnus Rattis]

steel wool and silver polish or even sometimes plain ol' WD40 works wonders

 

[vaughn]

if you are going to use scotch brite use the white it is the finest

 

[X ring]

I also like Flitz.

 

[witdog2020]

For cleaning the powder burn marks off my stainless steel revolvers (face of the cylinder) I use a soft bristle Stainless Steel brush and Hoppes #9 powder solvent. They come out looking like new everytime.

Must use Stainless on stainless! If you use steel wool on stainless it will contaminate the stainless and you will have more issues, Bikerdad has the correct method. Never use carbon steel on stainless. That comes from any 3A welding class and Metalurgy. If anything heavy you can use the stainless brush, and a good polishing compound to smooth it out. Do not use a stiff bristle brush! Most of the time, you will use 1500grit-2000 emery type cloth. use a small circular motion with some compound. It will be a delicate process, if the grit is to high, you will have a spot that is polished more than the rest.

Also it depends on the level of "cleaning up" Scratches Flitz probably won't remove them. For general cleaning Im sure Flitz would probably be fine.

 

[Mech45]

Flitz and Simichrome are both great products, of the two I have had better luck with Simichrome.

Here is a link to find Flitz:Stores that sell Flitz

I couldn't find anything local for the Simichrome but there are a bunch of places on-line that have it.

Chris

 

[EdC]

I could never find Flitz in Indy. Ordered some from Amazon, they have it.
And a lifetime supply of Renaissance Wax for $20.00. Nice on SS and blued guns.

 

[Claddagh]

The easiest, least likely to alter the exisitng finish and most effective stuff I've found is a "wadding" product in a can called "Nev-R-Dull". You can find it in auto supply stores, etc.

Removes any rust, tarnishing, carbon residue or just everyday crud from about any metal without affecting the exisiting finish-even bluing or "color casehardened" bits.

Inexpensive, and a can lasts for a long, long time.