Removing the Finish from an Old Model Aluminum Ruger GripFrame

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Hi Folks:

Wanna pick the brains of you old-time Ruger Owners.

I have a couple of Ruger single actions with the old style aluminum gripframe.

The finish is kind of beat up, so I'd like to just remove it and polish up the aluminum.

I've seen old Rugers done that way, and like the looks.

For those who have stripped the old finish off, what did you use?

After I take the finish off, I was just going to use Flitz to polish it up.

Unless there is a better or easier way.

Looking for advice from you guys.

Thanks in advance

--Dawg 

[J-BAR #18287]

I’d try some Birchwood Casey Blue and Rust Remover.  Should work instantly if it’s going to.  Wear gloves and old clothes, do it in the garage; it’s acid and stinks and you don’t want it to drip on anything else. $5 at Midway USA.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

I've never heard of polishing aluminum without some kind of coating to prevent oxidation.   Oxi will almost immediately grey the finish, and rub off onto your hands.  I suggest either laquering the buffed out metal (needs redoing periodically) or spend $25 or so and have it clear anodized for a much more permanent but slightly less bright finish. 

I would avoid any urethane coatings on metals, because when (not if) they wear, they are quite difficult to remove.   

Just some suggestions. 

Aluminum oxidizes so quickly I think it will disappoint you in the long run.  If it were me, I'd locate a local anodize service.  Good luck! 

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

   I buffed a grip frame using a felt wheel and polishing compound.  Mirror-like finish.  Covered it with Johnson's paste wax.  Occasional touch-up depending on amount of use.

 

Good luck, and tell us how things work out.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

1 hour ago, Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494 said:

   I buffed a grip frame using a felt wheel and polishing compound.  Mirror-like finish.  Covered it with Johnson's paste wax.  Occasional touch-up depending on amount of use.

 

Good luck, and tell us how things work out.

Should work fine.  All you need to do is cut off the air contact to keep it shiny. 

Aside:  Do you recall which polishing compound you used?  

[Lazy Eeyour]

You might want to look at https://www.walmart.com/ip/Chromate-Conversion-Coating/839655264?adid=22222222264426801693&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=b&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=74904330799817&wl4=dat-2326704043380979&wl5=99679&wl6=&wl7=&wl14=Clear Chromate Conversion Coating&veh=sem&msclkid=153e30e65f1514a19bee6e044d375a13

[Dee Mak Jack, SASS #55905]

You won't have to worry about oxidation if you apply a coat of car wax.  Done this to an 870 trigger guard about 30 yrs ago and it's still bright and shiny.

[Sedalia Dave]

11 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

I’d try some Birchwood Casey Blue and Rust Remover.  Should work instantly if it’s going to.  Wear gloves and old clothes, do it in the garage; it’s acid and stinks and you don’t want it to drip on anything else. $5 at Midway USA.

I would test that first. It might be too strong for use on aluminum. 
 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Seems I remember something about windex with vinegar removing blueing if left on too long. 

[doc roy l. pain]

1 minute ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Seems I remember something about windex with vinegar removing blueing if left on too long. 

It absolutely will. I used it on a pair of blued ROA’s and it gave them a real nice old age look. 

[Bad Bascomb, SASS # 47,494]

   Aside:  Do you recall which polishing compound you used? 

 

Just a white compound in stick form from local hardware store, specifically designed for NON-FERROUS materials.

 

BTW, coated my Pedersoli .45-70 Sharps replica which is in the white, with Johnson paste wax, and it seems to work well.  Keeps fingerprints off.

[Smoky Pistols]

Just remember that certain acids will devour aluminum.

[J-BAR #18287]

54 minutes ago, Smoky Pistols said:

Just remember that certain acids will devour aluminum.

 

Admirable caution, so I checked it out.  Birchwood Casey Blue and Rust Remover's active ingredient is phosphoric acid.  An internet search shows aluminum is resistant to phosphoric acid.  Before aluminum is painted, the aluminum oxide coating the surface must be removed, and phosphoric acid is not strong enough to do it.

 

Then I ran my own test:  I made a little cup of aluminum foil and poured some of the stuff directly on to the aluminum and let it sit a while.  No change in the shiny aluminum surface after 15 minutes.  I could remove blue from a gun with a dab of the remover on a paper towel in about a minute.  You are going to damage the gun more with 4/0 steel wool than you will with this stuff.

 

So I think it's pretty safe on an aluminum frame.  I would rinse the metal thoroughly after removing the blue just to be on the safe side.

 

Birchwood Casey on aluminum foil (yellow liquid):

 

 

 

After 15 minutes of contact and rinsing with water:

 

[Von Dutch, SASS # 7995]

18 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

Hi Folks:

Wanna pick the brains of you old-time Ruger Owners.

I have a couple of Ruger single actions with the old style aluminum gripframe.

The finish is kind of beat up, so I'd like to just remove it and polish up the aluminum.

I've seen old Rugers done that way, and like the looks.

For those who have stripped the old finish off, what did you use?

After I take the finish off, I was just going to use Flitz to polish it up.

Unless there is a better or easier way.

Looking for advice from you guys.

Thanks in advance

--Dawg 

If it's to old aluminum black? I sanded mine off starting out with 320 grit, the aluminum black isn't deep so it didn't take long then I went to different grits of crocus cloth, then polished with Flitz's polish that was about 25 years ago have not polished it since and still looks great.

[Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461]

Hope you realize that surface coating i(coloring) is the by product of anodizing the aluminum, as in

hardening the surface of said aluminum? Once removed all you have left is the softer  bare aluminum.