[Rick]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Interesting to hear that, Rick; I've found that the stuff dries out far too quickly, when applied with a brush. Ten, maybe fifteen minutes between coats are the maximum I can get. Even at the end of that the solvent has almost entirely evaporated.

Atlantia: Yes, it's acidic. It's not too acidic, which seems to be its chief selling point; it's generally much gentler than your average acid when it comes to getting rid of corrosion, so much so that you can handle it without gloves.

The plan with this barrel is, as it stands, just to try and remove the heavy mottled rust present all over its length. I realise that it may prove to be even more unsightly if it is removed, only to leave behind deep pitting and unevenness upon the barrel surface, which is the main reason I'm proceeding cautiously. The loose stuff has already been removed; it took me nearly two months to get rid of it, in fact, the old-fashioned way. The breech end seemed a reasonably sensible test area since it's heavily rusted and the small areas visible indicate that it's lightly grained; those areas which have been shielded from moisture, further up the barrel, show off a very attractive watered pattern and thus I didn't want to ruin them inadvertently.

I have found that careful, light use of the Renaissance product called "Pre-Lim" can help restore the sheen of the metal, but since it's still abrasive (even if it's a very gentle abrasive) I'm not sure if I'd be happy using it on the watered barrel.Perhaps I'm just underestimating the durability of the pattern itself.

Yes, I had to refresh the areas about that often; a little picking and scrubbing then reapply .

I'm wondering if your barrel might benefit from a prolonged soak in Pineapple juice .