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Clearcoating over original weathered patina paint pros and cons.

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Don't clear it. I use 0000 wool and WD taking care not to go too far with removing too much patina. Then after a good wipe down with a clean rag, I use gun oil. Gun oil doesn't leave any residue either. Best for bare metal but I've had great results on paint.


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Don't clear it. I use 0000 wool and WD taking care not to go too far with removing too much patina. Then after a good wipe down with a clean rag, I use gun oil. Gun oil doesn't leave any residue either. Best for bare metal but I've had great results on paint.


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After looking at your example, I think that looks exactly like it was wiped down with a quick wipe of BLO.
 
I used 000 steel wool and WD 40, rubbing compound and McGuires polish to bring this one back.

the 000 steel wool and WD40 will remove the rust and pretty much leave the paint alone. you need to be careful around decals and pinstripes.

IMHO clearcoat would ruin it. magic oils would just make the rust darker.

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After looking at your example, I think that looks exactly like it was wiped down with a quick wipe of BLO.
Nope. I've used BLO as well but it stinks. Gun oil smells like a clean oiled gun lol! Got the idea from @oldfart36


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I removed as much rust as I can dare to remove without cutting into the 75 year old paint. I can't afford to take any more abrasives to the bike other than I did wet sanding the thing 5 years ago. After I did that, I found that it removed too much of the beige paint from the fender wedges and pinstrips, and I ended up having to repaint those by pad painting them with a foam brush with a lot of masking tape and very lightly apply very light coats of acrylic paint to those areas until I had it built up to the point that it was thick enough to contrast nicely with the dark maroon paint, but not so think that it looks too new compared to the old maroon. the beige paint does have a weathered and thin look to it as well. Will this (boiled) linseed oil hurt that paint?? I did that work in 2016.
 
Ok, you guys caught me in time. But then again that is why I asked youse guys first. I didn't want to be the idiot to destroy something that was 75 years in the making by a few moments of a boneheaded maneuver. I'll try the BLO later on this spring and summer as part of the project of cleaning up this venerable Columbia made bike! Plus it has the extra bonus that I do not have to take the bike apart to apply it. Thanks again!!
 
If you go the boiled linseed oild route do not.......I repeat do not throw your rags someplace other than a firepit etc.
They will self combust and it doesn't take long. I had it happen out in my driveway.........in a garbage can etc you could burn a house down pretty damn quick.
 
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