Noticed that my bridge saddles are starting to show signs and spots of rust. Is there any way to stop this? like wipe it down with a certain kind of oil perhaps?
Cheers for any thoughts.

The rust is coming from the sweat on your picking hand. I would advise you to wipe your bridge down with a dry cloth after playing.

+1

Dry it off after your done but don't worry about it to much 'cause it gives your guitar extra mojo.

Hi ray_tard: if you deal with it sooner than later it won't develop into a more troublesome issue. As mentioned above, wipe the bridge down with a dry cloth when you finish playing: a good and easy habit to form.

To deal with the rust that has already arrived: take the bridge and saddles apart, removing all those height and intonation screws and springs. Then soak the lot in a jar of naphtha for an hour or a few. (Naphtha is lighter fluid - but Forum user Twelvebar pointed out that these days not all lighter fluid is naphtha. Check the small print on the tin.)

If there is any rust remaining when you take the pieces out of the naphtha just clean it off with a toothbrush. Even quite heavy corrosion can be dealt with by this treatment.

Once those parts are clean - keep 'em clean!

Cheers - C

hi ceri. the current rust hasnt really take hold yet, its just a few spots starting to appear. just wondering if now that there are a few spots, wether the rust will expand and rust more regardless of whether i wipe it down or not, or if i do wipe it down etc, if the rust will just stay as is and not spread?

cheers, i know you knowledge is held in the highest of regards

Hi again ray_tard: once the corrosion starts - it continues. Whatever our feelings about the "relic" look, that rust interferes with and finally ruins the function of the adjustment screws.

Get it off and keep it off, would be my humble opinion...

Cheers - C

A few things you can do to protect rusted bridge parts;
dissassemble completely and soak in a combo of naptha and 3/1 oil,
once the parts have soaked, gently clean any rusted areas with OOOO steel wool to remove oxidation. ONLY use 0000 steel wool, as any other grade will scratch the chrome. Also, be very gentle when using it.
Next, you can use any number of chrome polishes, from Brasso to automotive chrome polishes. Use one that will protect the metal as well as shine to a mirror like finish.
Lastly, you can use 3in1 oil sparingly on all screws to keep the clean and turning. Use a lint free cotton cloth(T-shirt) to remove any excess oil or residue.
I have gotten great results using these methods. Keep an old bandana in your case to dry your strings and bridge after playing.

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A bunch of guitars, a few amps, some pedals and some other stuff that makes noise.

Take the bridge apart and clean off the rust.
Wipe the bridge down when you're done playing

And don't palm mute so danged much!

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

Could something like vinegar etc be used? or would that react with the nickel plating?
I never knew that naphtha was an effective rust remover. Now i have to try and source some

Hi again ray: vinegar is an acid and will cause corrosion rather than curing it. Folks sometimes use it to acheive a tarnished, aged look on metal guitar parts. But that is the opposite to what you need here.

I know somebody will invoke the idea of dropping pennies in vinegar to "clean" them, but honestly, once corrosion has already set in on metal parts you don't want to use an acid to make it worse...

The naphtha thing is a long established method in guitar maintenance, and no doubt elsewhere. Once you've bought a little tin of lighter fluid (checking that it is one that contains naphtha) you can save it and re-use many times. So not a huge outlay. Naphtha is readily available under its own name too: Google for suppliers.

Good luck - C

it's best to keep them out of damp rusty areas, also spray some WD40, hope this helps.

Us gun/guitar types use Breakfree CLP or FP 10 to clean lubricate and protect metal....at least I do.

Guitars and Guns, 2 of my favorite things.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

No WD 40 on this.

Follow the cleaning instructions from Ceri, and Paisley stated. i too use a mix of naphtha and 3-in-1 oil. Also very shortly after i got my Strat, the store i got it from (oh so many years ago,) had a clinic with a Fender tech,( I wish i could find the certificate,) anyway with a donation for the food bank he would do a full set up, I had mine set to factory specs, cuz i didn't really know how I wanted it set up yet. he told me to used a droplet of 3-in-1 oil on any of the screw heads, to protect from rusting and seizing. So i have been doing so ever since.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Just soruced some naphtha in the form of zippo lighter fluid, and some 3/1 oil. what ratio naphtha to 3/1 did you use?
And would it be fine to leave the height adjustment screws in the saddles(the rust is in the main flat body of the saddle, not near the screws) when i soak them in the solution over night? or would i be better removing them?
Cheers.