# Cleaning rusty saws with Autosol



## AndyT (29 Sep 2013)

This is not my idea. It's probably quite widely known - I read about it on Woodnet some time ago - but I don't think there has been any discussion about it on here, so faced with a couple of neglected rusty saws to clean up, I thought I'd take some pictures and share them in case anyone else would find it useful.

This is what I started with - two good Disston saws, 50+ years old, but suffering from the usual cruelty of being locked in a damp garden shed:












As you can see, although at first glance the condition looks alarming, these saws have not suffered any deep pitting yet - the damage is actually quite recent. 






The method is very simple.

First, scrape off any loose rust:






I'm using a little diy scraper - anything like that will do. Vacuum off the dust rather than breathing it in, unless you want to look like a snuff user when you blow your nose.

Then put a few dabs of Autosol chrome polish across the blade:






(The floral bench protection is optional but recommended, as is a bit of scrap wood at least as thick as half the handle.)

Then take a bit of aluminium foil (my bit was about 8" square but it really does not matter), scrunch it up into a ball, and rub the polish and rust with it:






Rub quite hard and you will see the marks where you have been start to merge together, as the foil coalesces into a hard lump. The aluminium seems to have just the right degree of hardness to allow the polish to abrade the rust, but not the steel.

Wipe the dirty polish off with a rag and repeat if necessary.






This isn't a wonderful photo (just a hand held snap under fluorescent light) but I hope you can see that this has revealed the previously lost Disston etch on this tenon saw:






To clean up the handles, scrub with a bit of old scouring pad and some 'reviver' mixture. (See https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums...t-4-general-cleaning-with-reviver-t64945.html for much more about this magic formula.)

Here's the D8 in its finished state at the top of the picture.






I was struck by just how closely my Sheffield made "Spearior" saw resembles the US import. Here are some more side by side shots:
















It also has a nice medallion:






which is flashier than the Disston:






and it has a nice etch






with that great line about 100 skilled carpenters:






But, digressions aside, I hope you will agree that this method is a quick and easy one for putting old saws back into usable condition.


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## tobytools (29 Sep 2013)

thanks for sharing that andy, and you did a good job. i use the same product when cleaning planes and what not. using it can get a bit addictive when polishing to a super mirror finish 
TT


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## G S Haydon (29 Sep 2013)

Thank you Andy, nice to see to lovely saws bought back from the brink.


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## bugbear (30 Sep 2013)

AndyT":5zqxfhp8 said:


> (The floral bench protection is optional but recommended, as is a bit of scrap wood at least as thick as half the handle.)
> 
> Then take a bit of aluminium foil (my bit was about 8" square but it really does not matter), scrunch it up into a ball, and rub the polish and rust with it:



Interesting - that seems to work very well.

I have a (now VERY dirty) piece of 1/2" chipboard, with a cut for the heel of the the handle in one corner that I use for saw cleaning, as you recommend.

BugBear


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## Phil Pascoe (30 Sep 2013)

Yes, I've used the polish for years, but never used foil. I'll give it a go.


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## Cheshirechappie (30 Sep 2013)

Out of interest, Andy, have you used any other methods of cleaning a rusty sawblade, and if so, how do you feel this method compares?

It's not a trick question - I just ask because I've de-rusted a couple of saws, using fine wire wool. It works well, but if you try it dry everything for yards around (probably including the insides of your lungs) will be coated with a fine brown dust (don't ask me how I know this). It works just as well using a bit of white spirit as a lubricant - you end up with a minor sludge removal problem (kitchen towel) but no dust. Lots of old newspaper on the working surface help in both cases. (I've tried with fine wet-and-dry paper, too - the paper clogs quite quickly. The wire wool is definitely preferable.)


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## AndyT (30 Sep 2013)

Hi CC 

Yes I have done other saws - such as the Spearior - using wet and dry paper on a cork block, lubricated with white spirit. It worked, but it was messier and took quite a lot longer.


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## Cheshirechappie (30 Sep 2013)

Thanks Andy - so the Autosol/baking foil method is fairly quick and clean compared to others. That's a useful one for the memory bank!


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## nev (30 Sep 2013)

#-o OH! _Auto_sol! That explains why I wasnt getting a shine but my fingers are wrinkle free!


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## Cheshirechappie (30 Sep 2013)

Did you find the baking foil a bit scratchy? :shock:


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## Phil Pascoe (30 Sep 2013)

Wonder if Izal would work??


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## rdesign (1 Oct 2013)

just used vinegar to clean my cabinet scrapers that got really rusty! opps worked well just had to scrub off the black layer left when the rust was removed.
Regards Richard


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## TobyC (1 Oct 2013)

Excellent rescue of some nice saws!

I think you need to reset the spine on that back saw, check this out.... http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/retension-a-backsaw.html


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## TobyC (2 Oct 2013)

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...er=6366663&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1


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## AndyT (2 Oct 2013)

TobyC":3cz086j1 said:


> http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbth...er=6366663&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1



Yes, as I said, that's where I read about it. I see there is quite a lot more discussion now! 

I just thought it was worth drawing more people's attention to, as it's such an excellent technique. And thanks for reminding me about resetting the back - now done.


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## Cheshirechappie (2 Oct 2013)

Blimey! Sixteen pages on polishing a saw blade! :shock:

And I thought we could bang on at incredible length on some matters....


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## Benchwayze (14 Apr 2014)

It's an old trick that was used on cars, in the days of steel-chromed bumpers, to hide the rust. I think the belief then was that some of the aluminium from the foil was transferred to the chrome, to react with the rust to hide it. 

On the other hand I could be talking with a failed memory stick in my noggin! But it was something like that, I'm sure. :mrgreen:

The preferred foil was the stuff that you could peel from the inner lining of a cigarette packet, as this foil was much thinner than baking foil. Yep... It's all coming back to me.. Slowly! I don't smoke any more.... So I'll use sweetie wrappers instead! :lol: ,


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## beech1948 (30 Jun 2017)

I'm being blocked from seeing pics by photobucket.


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## AndyT (30 Jun 2017)

beech1948":1cdeamyj said:


> I'm being blocked from seeing pics by photobucket.




It's nothing personal!

Lots more here. Expect the forum to be a shadow of its former glory for a while.

post1157468.html#p1157468


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