Some Rust on my New K9

[MikeAvery71]

I noticed some rust spots this evening on the grip frame as well as the slide serrations. There are little pinprick spots where my fingers wrap around the frame. So I gave it a good coating of clp. The crazy thing is, I normally apply a light coating of Remoil after handling it, because my other new firearm, a Ruger 1911 ss, had the exact same problem. I sent the 1911 back to Ruger and they repaired it. So two completely diferent firearms, both with satin ss finishes, had the same issue. I don't daily carry either one. They have both been minimally used. I've certainly fondled and have dry fired the Kahr a lot. But like I mentioned, I don't sweat on it and then put it away without a run down with an oiled cloth. So what is the deal with these new ss only firearms? I know that ss doesn't mean rust proof.

[Cokeman]

It it humid there?

[MikeAvery71]

It is humid here, Great Lakes region.

[MikeAvery71]

I think I'll try Renaissance wax. There is rust on the back of the slide and other areas as well.

[CJB]

What you're seeing is the interaction of your perspiration with the embedded TOOLING particles left in the metal. Those can be passivated very easily with just about any phosphoric acid compound such as naval jelly. Eventually that type of rusting will disappear but it's an annoyance in the meantime. To Kahrs benefit they do be BLAST everything which knocks most of the embedded tooling metal from the slides and frames.

(edit, correction of Jocko-isms due to voice typing in a noisy spot)

[Alfonse]

They are a 400 series stainless and yes, it will rust. But, it machines well and is strong. Eezox is supposed to be a good way to protect from corrosion. I'm in the desert though, so nothing really corrodes here.

[MikeAvery71]

Thank you. I will pick up some naval jelly and give it a try. I think that, along with the wax I ordered and a good oil will help a lot.

[MikeAvery71]

Well, I picke up some naval jelly and to my surprise it specifically states not to use on stainless steel. So I guess that isn't going to work after all.

[CJB]

No... what they're talking about is real rust on stainless, as opposed to the particles left by tooling (not cooling, my voice typing has been corrected).

The tooling leaves embedded bits of non stainless. You can passionate it or blast it away. Blasting does in fact get most of it. Passivization with phosphoric acid (aka Naval Jelly) will get the rust stains and the particles, and be ok for your stainless parts.

I have treated all sorts of stainless, including my own parts that I wire wheeled with non-stainless wheels. Same issue, the non-stainless metal is embedded and you eventually get rust. You treat it, and you mitigate the issue in a very large way.

[CJB]

They are a 400 series stainless and yes, it will rust.

Generally yes, but I've suspected they're using an allow with perhaps... molybdenum in it, which would be a remediation against chloride based corrosive attack.

I'm saying that only because I've literally worn cut off shorts with my PM-45 and PM-9 in the front pocket, in the Atlantic Ocean waters (aka "the Sea"), had the pistol in my wet pocket half a day till they naturally dried out, and have suffered no ill effect with little more than a dip in a sink or bucket full of fresh water and a good sloshing about. Lube of the effected parts wear points followed.

So.... I dunno. Usually little pricks of rust here and there are embedded non-stainless. Broader swaths of rough and reddened metal is more indicative of a real corrosion problem.

Not trying to be argumentative, just falling back on my own experiences with my Kahr's. And yeah, I didn't exactly LIKE going into the Sea with my Kahr's, but there was a woman involved. You know how that goes....sometimes ya gotta.

[Alfonse]

Generally yes, but I've suspected they're using an allow with perhaps... molybdenum in it, which would be a remediation against chloride based corrosive attack.

I'm saying that only because I've literally worn cut off shorts with my PM-45 and PM-9 in the front pocket, in the Atlantic Ocean waters (aka "the Sea"), had the pistol in my wet pocket half a day till they naturally dried out, and have suffered no ill effect with little more than a dip in a sink or bucket full of fresh water and a good sloshing about. Lube of the effected parts wear points followed.

So.... I dunno. Usually little pricks of rust here and there are embedded non-stainless. Broader swaths of rough and reddened metal is more indicative of a real corrosion problem.

Not trying to be argumentative, just falling back on my own experiences with my Kahr's. And yeah, I didn't exactly LIKE going into the Sea with my Kahr's, but there was a woman involved. You know how that goes....sometimes ya gotta.

I'm speculating too. I have an MK9 that had pitting around the edge of the grips and in a few other spots. The pits were deeper than I would expect to find from anything embedded from machining. But, I'm just guessing.

I would say that machining the slides in something with high enough nickel content to be marine grade stainless would be quite the trick. I think it would be quite an evening hearing the stories, and you probably have some really good ones, of things done when a woman was involved.

[MikeAvery71]

I pulled the grips off and also have what appears to be pitting, orange spots beneath them. I'll try the naval on a small area under the grips first to see what happens.

[MikeAvery71]

How about this?
http://www.emergometal.com/en-GB/Product/remove-rust-from-stainless-steel-with-Innosoft.html

[CJB]

I'm speculating too. I have an MK9 that had pitting around the edge of the grips and in a few other spots. The pits were deeper than I would expect to find from anything embedded from machining. But, I'm just guessing.

I would say that machining the slides in something with high enough nickel content to be marine grade stainless would be quite the trick. I think it would be quite an evening hearing the stories, and you probably have some really good ones, of things done when a woman was involved.

I always thought it was molybdenum that made the stuff more salt water tolerant, but... I was studying the cute tushies of the gals during class (ahem), and it was a long time ago. I did a little research on A2 (18-8 aka 304) and A4 (316), since the "stainless" screws on my fatbike were rusting badly from less exposure to the ocean waters than I gave my Kahrs. Anal retentive me, I ordered up a box of A4 stainless 5x20mm socket head cap screws to replace the Chinese ones that were really crumbling.

As far as "the woman and the beach", ya know, crazy stuff one might do thinking you'd get some. I didn't.

[Alfonse]

How about this?
http://www.emergometal.com/en-GB/Product/remove-rust-from-stainless-steel-with-Innosoft.html

It sure sounds good in their description for removing the rust. Robar can probably make it so the problem is solved more permanently.

[MikeAvery71]

This product, Innosoft B570, is working great. It is cleaning all of the rust spots from my gun and it doesn't harm the metal at all. I cleaned the spots under the grips today.

[CJB]

That is just about the same as Lime-A-Way... as far as active ingredients! Interesting!

[RRP]

Never Dull wadding has always worked for me. 10,000 sailors can't be wrong. It takes some elbow grease, however.

[MikeAvery71]

The surface rust spots on the exterior for the most part did not return. However the frame under the grip panels did see some of the rust that I had cleaned off earlier return. So I cleaned again and used Renaissance Wax on tje entire firearm, applying multiple coats after stripping the firearm of oil using Gun Scrubber. I did not relube the surface after applying wax so we will see how just the wax alone protects. Hopefully it works as advertised.

[MikeAvery71]

Well, after handling, range time, dry firing, etc. No rust spots. Renaissance Wax gets a thumbs up.