Carnuba wax as a rust preventative

[DangerousDave]

Read an article a few years back in ''American Rifleman'' about what museums used on their guns to prevent rust. The article said that they used carnuba wax. One day when I was using some Kiwi boot polish I looked on the can and the main ingredient in Kiwi is carnuba wax. I've since used it on some of my guns. Rub it on the metal, let it dry awhile and then buff with a dry rag. Puts a nice shine on a blued finish. I use black Kiwi

 

[M67]

Flitz has been using carnuba wax in their gun stock wax for years and works well to give a shine to stuff

Museums also use Renaissance Wax

I've used both and I've had better luck using Ballistol for rust prevention

 

[singlestacksig]

Johnson's paste wax... used to say for use on firearms right on the can.. now just mentions metal.. not so good for plastic parts..

 

[WebSnyper]

All kinds of carnuba wax available in the automotive aisle of most an big box store. Carnuba wax provides a great deep shine and is usually pretty inexpensive, but doesn't last as long as the synthetics that are available these days.

 

[jinks]

Renaissance Wax, a Microcrystalline wax is frequently used by museums for antique conservation.

Waxing on about Microcrystalline Wax:

Tips for Application

Any oil will evaporate and should be counted on for only short-term protection. So what lasts longer than oil? Any good wax, being more chemically stable than oil, takes longer to degrade.

In the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA and the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO, we use microcrystalline wax. A fine microcrystalline wax like Renaissance[FONT=&amp]Wax,[/FONT] gives excellent protection and is in use by many American arms museums including the Smithsonian Institution and Springfield Armory. Wax puts a thin layer, an inert barrier, between your firearm’s outside surface and the surrounding toxic atmosphere of car exhausts, chemical residues, and even your best buddy’s saliva. Wax,[FONT=&amp] microcrystalline wax, is what you really need to protect your collectible firearms. Other wax products may not have a neutral PH and may have unwanted other compounds.

http://www.nramuseum.org/media/1007361/caring for your collectible firearms by doug wicklund.pdf
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[Hohn]

Flitz has been using carnuba wax in their gun stock wax for years and works well to give a shine to stuff

Museums also use Renaissance Wax

I've used both and I've had better luck using Ballistol for rust prevention

I use Renaissance wax on almost everything, and not infrequently.

 

[bgcatty]

All brands using the words Pure Carnuba Wax are basically falsely advertising their product. No such wax on the market is pure Carnuba. Carnuba is basically a rock hard substance that requires softeners, emollients, thinners, colors, solvents, dilutants, etc for the wax to become, well, a wax for use on a car or anything else for that matter.

 

[foszoe]

Have to give that a try.

If the shoe fits...!

Read an article a few years back in ''American Rifleman'' about what museums used on their guns to prevent rust. The article said that they used carnuba wax. One day when I was using some Kiwi boot polish I looked on the can and the main ingredient in Kiwi is carnuba wax. I've since used it on some of my guns. Rub it on the metal, let it dry awhile and then buff with a dry rag. Puts a nice shine on a blued finish. I use black Kiwi

 

[Methane Herder]

Museums are highly temperature and humidity controlled environments. Carnuba should work fine there.

MH

 

[Leadeye]

Flitz has been using carnuba wax in their gun stock wax for years and works well to give a shine to stuff

Museums also use Renaissance Wax

I've used both and I've had better luck using Ballistol for rust prevention

Ballistol is my favorite, helps out on leather as well. For me the only down side is having to wipe off guns before handling or shooting.

 

[bwframe]

I've been revisiting my old can of Ballistol as of late.

 

[Gabriel]

Flitz has been using carnuba wax in their gun stock wax for years and works well to give a shine to stuff

Museums also use Renaissance Wax

I've used both and I've had better luck using Ballistol for rust prevention

I use carnuba wax on my machines in the shop (on the metal tables and things that tend to rust the worst) and it works well.

I used to use the Renaissance Wax on my knives when I was done with them, but when it dried it left a white residue. I have since started coating them with Frog Lube and like it for that application.

 

[Slapstick]

For long term storage I use Riggs Gun Grease. A little goes a long way, never had a problem with rust forming on guns that only get shot once a year or so. Works great on garden tools, knives ect that get stored long term to keep rust from forming.