light surface rust on front suss stanchions

[Salty seadog]

Hi all, as per the title I have a very light patch of surface rust showing on the stanchions of a mtb fork. What would be the best way to go about removal? I assume I don't want much abrasion so as not to cause scratches.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

How about a photo. Fork stanchions are coated with low-friction material designed to retain a thin boundary layer of oil with each pass of the wiper seals. This coating is hard, low-friction and rough in a specific way. Once rust shows up it means the coating is gone and no amount of polish will bring the coating back and restore the stanchion. But let's see the damage.

 

[Salty seadog]

How about a photo. Fork stanchions are coated with low-friction material designed to retain a thin boundary layer of oil with each pass of the wiper seals. This coating is hard, low-friction and rough in a specific way. Once rust shows up it means the coating is gone and no amount of polish will bring the coating back and restore the stanchion. But let's see the damage.

Cheers YS, I pulled the trigger on the question a bit early. Turns out it was the oil residue on the stanchion had taken on a brown hue. Wiped down and nothing to worry about.