British army dump dig - First dig of 2014

[Steve T]

Found it

[Richard_J]

Cool! I did have a good day!
Not sure on the barrel, I will measure it when I get home.

[Steve T]

lol

Where were you digging for this stuff? Where you were when I left ?

[Richard_J]

Yes, where you left me. You shouldn't have given up so easily, I told you that you've been spoilt!

[Steve T]

Hmmm....I feel another free day could become available......

[mossie]

Just spotted an exciting find in my uncleaned photo, the long part directly above the Sten charging handle is very similar to a Browning M1919 trigger.

Edit: Thinking about it probably more likely M1917

The same as my M1919 trigger.

Mossie

[Steve T]

As promised, pictures of the results of my new citric acid cleaning method.

I decided to try this after seeing someone else recommend it. I used a 10% solution of citric acid, (100g in 1 litre of water). For these magazines, I cut the top off a 2 litre plastic soft drinks bottle, stood that inside a bucket, made up 2 litres of 10% citric acid solution, and dropped the mags in.

Here is a reminder of what the mags looked like. Almost unrecognisable, covered in big chunks of rust, not just a thin coating!! This really was a hefty test of this method. I doubt even electrolysis would have shifted the rust off these mags as it was just so thick.

I couldn't risk knocking excess rust off like I would normally do..........the walls of the magazines are just too thin. So, then went in like this.



So. I left the magazines in the solution for 48 hrs then took them out. Disappointingly the big chunks of rust were still in place.

It looked like a total failure.

They were still heavily rusted up.

Then I moved my finger along one and the rust started dropping off. I rubbed a little harder, again, just with my gloved finger, and big chunks of rust just wiped off.

Grabbing a tough scourer, I gave them a damn good rub.

I was amazed at the result.

Sten mags, in the ground for 70+ years, looked like they were beyond all hope of saving........







I heartily recommend this method to all relic hunters and collectors. Less expensive and fiddly than electrolysis, and a heck of a lot less toxic than oxalic acid !!!

Cheers

Steve T

[Richard_J]

Love it!
Enfield mag is in the electro tub!

[ian_]

That's very impressive Steve! Where do you buy citric acid? I take it you're not just squeezing lemons. I use a solution called Deox C. It's expensive so only the really good stuff goes in it. I need something for a bath full.

[Steve T]

Wilkinsons, in the home brew section, or any home brew place, and some pharmacies. Wilko's is best place though as it is 70p for 50g, and you don't get accused of being a drug addict
(Drug users use it to aid the dissolving of heroin).