Paint or not to paint??

[goran_croatia]

I have one croatian made inert grenade from 1991.It was made in the factory on the first line of the battlefield,and that type of grenades have never been painted,they were made of steel pipes for diesel engines in that factory,filled,equipped with pyrotechnical fuze and immediately sent to the battlefield,without painting.
So originally none of that type was painted.I have one,so I wonder,after removing the rust,how to paint it or to protect it?
Maybe to paint it in steel colour,to look like it is unpainted,but it would be protected against corrosion?
Help?

 

[christhurston]

Hello Goran,
If I had such a grenade,which was never intended to be painted.I think if after cleaning it looked okay,I would just give it a good
rub all over with a good hard wax polish,car wax or something similar.

That should preserve it well,as long as you're not planning to keep it outside.

Chris.