Moldy Guns

[kev74]

Anyone ever see this? I'm starting to get some white mold on some of my rifles. It's on wood, metal and leather.

I think the last thing I used on the wood parts was Minwax paste wax. The metal got whatever gun oil was on hand. I don't think I ever put anything on the leather sling.

I'm not sure what I should use to clean them now.

Pics to follow. Its not letting me post them now.

 

[Podmonkey]

Pics to follow. Its not letting me post them now.

Sometimes it takes the pics a really long time to upload.

 

[Mosinitis]

I recently found some white dust like substance on my shooting gear. It happened after I shot in the rain. I shot in the rain lots of times, but this never happened. I assumed it was tarnish from aluminum cart that got wet and rubbed off on the gear I carry in it. Weird.

 

[Saltwater60]

It happened to one of my guns. I found it in my basement of my old house. The guy left it there in a drop ceiling. Thank god it was before the safe act or I'd be a felon.

 

[Cureforcancer]

Sounds like a moisture/humidity problem @kev74 .

Pics??

 

[kev74]

Here we are....


I used Slip 2000 to wipe it down with and it all came off. There was no rust, just the white funk.

 

[GUNSICK]

Mold from moisture. It's the shitty kind you find on leather that got damp. Wiping it all down with oil is all you can do.

 

[Mosinitis]

It looks like a mold and it was mold probably in my case as well.

 

[Cureforcancer]

White vinegar on the leather and wood then air dried.

The humidity factor in your “storage” needs attention. Just my .2 no offense.

 

[kev74]

White vinegar on the leather and wood then air dried.

The humidity factor in your “storage” needs attention. Just my .2 no offense.

No offense taken. Currently the armory is in my workshop off the garage. I'm scheming to move it inside to a small room/big closet off the living room. I'd like to display the rifles on the walls, and the pistols will go in some kind of cabinet. I think I have the wife on board!

 

[Cureforcancer]

No offense taken. Currently the armory is in my workshop off the garage. I'm scheming to move it inside to a small room/big closet off the living room. I'd like to display the rifles on the walls, and the pistols will go in some kind of cabinet. I think I have the wife on board!

Consider first HOW you store them before changing the location.

Many devices avalable to control moisture.

With that said ultimately it’s up to you if you prefer them in home.

I do

 

[kev74]

Consider first HOW you store them before changing the location.

Many devices avalable to control moisture.

With that said ultimately it’s up to you if you prefer them in home.

I do

I would much rather have them lovingly stored on display in a climate controlled environment where I can stare at and caress them while I watch tv or sit in front of the fireplace instead of in a couple of metal cabinets in the garage.

 

[Robin]

I have that problem mostly with leather shooting bags, but sometimes on those modern fabrics for gun cases. The leather I wipe down with Balistol and put them where the sun will shine on them. If you can keep the humidity down in the area where you keep them it helps in keeping it from coming back. Never had it on metal, are you using some kind of organic oil?
Robin

 

[kev74]

I have that problem mostly with leather shooting bags, but sometimes on those modern fabrics for gun cases. The leather I wipe down with Balistol and put them where the sun will shine on them. If you can keep the humidity down in the area where you keep them it helps in keeping it from coming back. Never had it on metal, are you using some kind of organic oil?
Robin

I think I gave the ones in the pictures a rubdown with Minwax paste wax. I'm glad everything came off easily and that there was no rust.

 

[Mosinitis]

Cedar chest or cedar closet will prevent this mold. We have cedar closet in the basement and mold can form outside cedar closet, but never inside.

 

[freddy]

Anyone ever see this? I'm starting to get some white mold on some of my rifles. It's on wood, metal and leather.

I think the last thing I used on the wood parts was Minwax paste wax. The metal got whatever gun oil was on hand. I don't think I ever put anything on the leather sling.

I'm not sure what I should use to clean them now.

Pics to follow. Its not letting me post them now.

In total, about how long have the firearms been stored in the workshop?

 

[kev74]

In total, about how long have the firearms been stored in the workshop?

I moved in about a year and a half ago. Every thing got wiped down in the spring, and the guns I didn't think I'd be shooting got a coat of paste wax (the ones in the pictures).

 

[freddy]

I moved in about a year and a half ago. Every thing got wiped down in the spring, and the guns I didn't think I'd be shooting got a coat of paste wax (the ones in the pictures).

Wax is usually good. The pros wax every few months as I understand it.
Do you have a humidity gauge by chance?
Have you taken any rifle apart completely to check for rust on internal parts?

 

[kev74]

Wax is usually good. The pros wax every few months as I understand it.
Do you have a humidity gauge by chance?
Have you taken any rifle apart completely to check for rust on internal parts?

There was no rust. I have some steel machining tools in there and there is no rust on those either.

I'm guessing there was something funky either in the air or in the wax.

 

[Acer-m14]

my little play safe space is a 12 x 16 shed for reloading and wood working , only time its heated is in winter from the wood stove and thats when i out there working .. keep some guns out there and the only problem i have is damn spiders and flies shitting on them .. LOL .. little white dots all over them LOL ..

soap n water and oil it back up .. if mold .. just add a touch of bleach .. .. wash n dry and oil the metal

i get a little surface rust on my reloading dies , mostly from fingers on them .. inside them are well lubed and clean from the sizing lube ..

 

[Robin]

That wax probably has some organic compounds in it that mold is able to work on. For metals an auto body wax or Renaissance Wax would probably be better. I believe they are petroleum based with paraffin's.
Robin

 

[HDMotorCop]

Here we are....

View attachment 19715 View attachment 19716 View attachment 19717 View attachment 19718
I used Slip 2000 to wipe it down with and it all came off. There was no rust, just the white funk.

No longer safe and trustworthy weapons! Must dispose of immediately.....please provide address and I will respond with appropriate biohazard equipment to safely remove and dispose of you hazardous materials! (reminder to self, pick up new can of Ballistol on the way home from Kev74's house)

 

[livingston]

I have had leather hanging in an unheated porch .. It just got covered in mold . Just from the humidity

Get Rid of Mold on Your Tack



Bhttps://www.doubledtrailers.com/a-moldy-dilemma-how-to-clean-and-maintain-your-saddle-the-right-way/
Basic Care Tip #4: Prevent Mold With Dry Storage and Correct Cleaning Practices
For any saddle owner, mold is “Public Enemy #1.” Annette explained, “Things grow mold in high humidity when there is a lot of dampness in the air.” The best way to combat this menace is to store your saddle in a tack room with a dehumidifier for summer months to limit its exposure to moisture. Annette also recommends Leather Therapy Restorer and Conditioner that has a mold inhibitor and spore killer included to battle mold when it rears its ugly face.

Mold is a problem for saddles exposed to too much moisture. Incorrect oil application can clog pores and trap the mold inside your saddle.



Be aware that mold spores often hide in the stitching of your saddle and can easily spread to nearby saddles in the same storage area. Eventually, mold grows inside your saddle just waiting for the perfect time to bloom again on the surface. By using proper cleaning techniques (see Basic Care Tip #3), you can ensure that you don’t seal mold into your leather. This will allow your leather to breathe so you can prevent mold growth.

 

[libertysnake]

That wax probably has some organic compounds in it that mold is able to work on. For metals an auto body wax or Renaissance Wax would probably be better. I believe they are petroleum based with paraffin's.
Robin

It’s called bloom. It’s something that forms naturally on beeswax. Afaik is just an oxidation of the wax. You normally can just wipe it off the surface of the wax.

I use otterwax to wax a lot of jacket and other canvas things. If I have a jar of the wax I haven’t used in a while it could form a little bloom on it.

It generally won’t happen on waxed garments or even a gun because the wax wears off with use during the year — which is why I rewax jackets and bags about once a year, maybe two years, depending on use.