Humidity!!!

[settup6]

I just moved to beautiful North Carolina from Colorado. Colorado is a pretty dry state and I never had any issues with rust but the humidity here is a different animal. What steps do you folks from the humidity states take to insure a happy rust free collection? Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.

 

[BoggusDeal]

When I lived in Georgia, I used Johnson’s Paste Wax.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I have lived in states where humidity is a summer standard. Done so for a looong time. Whenever I shoot a gun I always thoroughly clean it and as a final step I wipe it down with The Oily Rag that lives in my cleaning kit. This is known as the TOR treatment. I also give my guns an occasional TOR treat just as a precaution. Most of my guns are stored in soft cases within my safe. So far, no rust problems. JMHO

 

[Mobuck]

Gun room in the basement with dehumidifier running hard.

 

[contender]

Welcome to NC! I live in the western part.

If you happen to be near WNC,, I hope you'll visit us when I have the "Gathering" in October. You can get details in the Lounge, and the "Sticky" about it at the top of the page.

Now,, In a safe,, I do not store guns in any kind of material that can hold moisture. Gun rugs, socks etc. I use the oily rag treatment, AND a "Golden Rod" dehumidifier inside the safe.
Plus,, if I go shooting and there is a noticeable difference in the outside temps, and indoors,, due to the potential for condensation,, I wipe the guns, then let them "adjust" to the room temps, and wipe again.

Longer term storage, the use of a wax is also used. Finding Johnson's Paste Wax isn't easy anymore. It's a good choice if you can find any. So I use Renaissance Wax,, which is used by museums to preserve guns.

 

[BoggusDeal]

@contender Tell me about it! Went looking for some Johnson’s PW a little while back and all I got were blank stares…

 

[settup6]

Thank you gentlemen, I figured a little extra work was needed. Now I’m going on a Johnsons Paste Wax hunt!

 

[settup6]

Welcome to NC! I live in the western part.

If you happen to be near WNC,, I hope you'll visit us when I have the "Gathering" in October. You can get details in the Lounge, and the "Sticky" about it at the top of the page.

Now,, In a safe,, I do not store guns in any kind of material that can hold moisture. Gun rugs, socks etc. I use the oily rag treatment, AND a "Golden Rod" dehumidifier inside the safe.
Plus,, if I go shooting and there is a noticeable difference in the outside temps, and indoors,, due to the potential for condensation,, I wipe the guns, then let them "adjust" to the room temps, and wipe again.

Longer term storage, the use of a wax is also used. Finding Johnson's Paste Wax isn't easy anymore. It's a good choice if you can find any. So I use Renaissance Wax,, which is used by museums to preserve guns.

I’m just outside of Mooresville, and I will definitely try and make it to the gathering. I don’t think it’s too far from us. Thanks

 

[settup6]

One more thing, I put my rifles in those silicone impregnated socks before I left Colo. Bad idea?

 

[BoggusDeal]

One more thing, I put my rifles in those silicone impregnated socks before I left Colo. Bad idea?

Personally, I would get them out of any sock ASAP!

 

[Paul B]

When I lived in San Francisco, our house was just about a mile from the beach. Almost evey night we'd see he marine layer move in, that fog. Problem was that fog was somewhat salty. I kept my guns in a small cabinet made for the purpose and usually about once a week gave them a rubdown with a rag rather soaked with WD40. None of my guns ever rusted. I did it that way from the mid 1950s until I moved out of state for good (1968) and forever and the guns never rusted. Not a bad working idea unless you have an awful lot of guns but back then I had maybe 5 or 6 so the upkeep was simple and easy.
Paul B.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Thank you gentlemen, I figured a little extra work was needed. Now I'm going on a Johnsons Paste Wax hunt!

Renaissance Wax is great stuff, and like Contender said, Johnsons can be very hard to find.

 

[RoninPA]

Get ready for sticker shock - I just found this SC Johnson on Amazon:

[h2]Paste Wax- 16 oz (1lb)[/h2]
- $150.00
[h2]Paste Wax Hard Floor Wax Paste 16 oz[/h2]
-$199.00
[h2]New SC Johnson Paste Carnauba Wax 1 lb. Wood Metal Cork Vinyl Satin Luster 00203[/h2]
- $219.00

I searched SC Johnson Paste Wax on eBay there seems to be a lot that I saw, but you take your chances.

 

[BoggusDeal]

Get ready for sticker shock - I just found this SC Johnson on Amazon:

[h2]Paste Wax- 16 oz (1lb)[/h2]
- $150.00
[h2]Paste Wax Hard Floor Wax Paste 16 oz[/h2]
-$199.00
[h2]New SC Johnson Paste Carnauba Wax 1 lb. Wood Metal Cork Vinyl Satin Luster 00203[/h2]
- $219.00

I searched SC Johnson Paste Wax on eBay there seems to be a lot that I saw, but you take your chances.

Holy Sheet!!!!

 

[contender]

settup6 by all means,, come on over & visit the Gathering! You will enjoy it! We do have a fun time. Bring anything you wish to shoot, and be prepared to be offered the chance to shoot all sorts of other guns!

Yes,, it's harder & harder to find the original Johnson's paste wax. Makes me wonder what the military uses to polish the floors with nowadays.

Renaissance Wax is a lot easier to find,, and cheaper when compared to Johnson's.

The silicone socks are not as bad as plain gun socks. But when I've used them,, I turn them inside out,, give them a shot of silicone spray, reverse them then put the gun in for transport or storage (short term.)

 

[settup6]

Get ready for sticker shock - I just found this SC Johnson on Amazon:

[h2]Paste Wax- 16 oz (1lb)[/h2]
- $150.00
[h2]Paste Wax Hard Floor Wax Paste 16 oz[/h2]
-$199.00
[h2]New SC Johnson Paste Carnauba Wax 1 lb. Wood Metal Cork Vinyl Satin Luster 00203[/h2]
- $219.00

I searched SC Johnson Paste Wax on eBay there seems to be a lot that I saw, but you take your chances.

That’s crazy but true, It’s been a while since I have looked for that stuff.wow

 

[GasGuzzler]

Those Johnson products have been out of production for years hence the price. I have a tub of hard wax and six bottles of the liquid. Waiting on the eBay price to go past $100 per bottle on the liquid to sell it. As far as rust goes, home AC does fine here in Texas but we have DRY winters, only summer is humid.

 

[s4s4u]

I used Johnson PW for years to make work table tops slick but they stopped making it. I now use Minwax finishing wax and it works just as well for that purpose.

 

[Iroc]

My whole life I watched my dad who was from the south use Johnson’s paste wax on the outside of his guns to keep them from rusting instead of oil. I live in the humid northwest and hunt on a lot of rain and foggy days. I bought a pound of wax probably 25 years ago from a Tru-Value store for $6.99 and I’m still using it on my guns and guitars. It’s Trewax brand and it’s also a carnauba wax for hardwood floors and furniture, I couldn’t tell the difference between it and Johnson’s when I bought it and it’s still being made, Amazon $11.99 link below. You can also find they still make carnauba wax for cars.

https://www.amazon.com/Trewax-Natural-Carnauba-12-35-Ounce-887101016/dp/B005SRV1PI

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I have no problem with the use of wax as a rust preventative, I just don't use it myself.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I rarely visit cast boolits dot com (tough to even right that goofy word) but I guess it was there I read SCJ was discontinuing the liquid so I went to my local Home Depot and bought what they had. Walmart was already sold out. I never got the advanced word about the paste but I have 2/3 of a can under the kitchen sink. Trewax makes an equivalent anyway as noted.

 

[GasGuzzler]

 

[settup6]

I ordered a couple of jars of the Renaissance wax, ought to last me quite a while! I’m sure glad to have the ability to tap all the knowledge that’s available on this site. Thanks guys!

 

[contender]

You will be well served with the wax.

 

[peachhead]

Fortunately I don't have issues with moisture in my basement (or house) but I generally don't keep anything in a case any longer than I have to. Everything is in the safe. I have a dehumidifier down there also.
Have never used wax. I have used Rig for long term storage when necessary.

 

[settup6]

Fortunately I don't have issues with moisture in my basement (or house) but I generally don't keep anything in a case any longer than I have to. Everything is in the safe. I have a dehumidifier down there also.
Have never used wax. I have used Rig for long term storage when necessary.

That was standard procedure back in Colorado with little to no rust issues, we’re still unpacking here in NC and I checked blued single six that was in a soft case and it has light surface rust already so until I get my shop building insulated I’m on high alert and will be trying the wax out.

 

[STURMRUGERFAN]

VCI bags from a company called Zerust. I also buy the barrel tube strips they sell by the foot and put those in the barrel then zip them up in a VCI bag then in a soft case. My collection long ago outsized my safe and many live outside of it stored that way and I have never had an issue with rust even living in the Gulf Coast area

 

[contender]

Never store firearms in a soft case for any length of time. Moving them around,, in & out of various conditions, can allow condensation to form which will cause rust. The guns need to "breathe".