Old tool cleaning part 2 - rust removal with abrasives

[rob1693]

Electrolysis definitely least destructive method of rust removal I use an old non smart car battery charger

Ps always make sure you get your polarity correct otherwise you'll destroy the thing your trying to derust not that I've done that

 

[Scarlet Lancer]

Good evening Robert, I am intrigued with this. Can you tell me more please. It would help a great deal with refurbishing vintage bench planes. I have recently found a very simple method of nickel plating with lemonade and nickel anodes.

 

[Inspector]

Good evening Robert, I am intrigued with this. Can you tell me more please. It would help a great deal with refurbishing vintage bench planes. I have recently found a very simple method of nickel plating with lemonade and nickel anodes.

There is lots of information on electrolysis rust removal in both written and video formats. Highlight it and let google search it out for you.
Now what search terms did you use to find the nickel plating process?

Pete

 

[Fergie 307]

I use a wire brush fitted on the 6” bench grinder works really well. Using flat abrasives alone doesn’t remove rust from inside the small pits. depending on the severity of the rust, I use emery first to remove any heavy rust then the wire brush to get in all the nooks and crannies, excellent for cleaning threads etc

Yyou get an even better result with a wire wheel if you lubricate it. I keep a tin of diesel and an old paint brush to hand. Just wipe the part over with the diesel, not too much because you dont want it flicking out everywhere, then onto the wheel.

 

[Fergie 307]

Phosphoric acid is easier to use than electrolysis, and gives a similar result. The problem with any abrasive is it cannot get right into any pitting, however fine it may be, unless of course you take the surface back entirely. Chemical methods will accomplish that.

 

[John Hall]

Yyou get an even better result with a wire wheel if you lubricate it. I keep a tin of diesel and an old paint brush to hand. Just wipe the part over with the diesel, not too much because you dont want it flicking out everywhere, then onto the wheel.

Yes…I use a squirt of WD40

 

[Phill05]

One of the best chemical cleaners I have used is DEOX-C made by Bilt Hamber it is a safe alternative being non-toxic and biodegradable, mix with hot water and soak the metal between 20 minutes to overnight depending on corrosion, then clean under running water with a stiff or wire brush, if you can dry quickly and coat because it will start to discolour to a fine rust coat, you can see the colour start I flashed over it with the hot air gun and it stopped it.

 

[Fergie 307]

That is definitely an issue with a lot of processes, if you use acid Then you need to rinse it off with water, which will immediately start it rusting again. I just spray each freshly washed part with WD 40, that protects it from the water. You can then clean the WD40 off with thinners and you have a nice clean rust free part.

 

[Reffc]

Acf50 works well, applied with a mild scourer. It chemically reduces rust and I keep some of my tools lightly coated using a rag with a squirt of acf50 on it. Great stuff for preservation of ferrous metals in damp spaces. Renaissance wax I’ve used for years. I mainly use it for final finishing of polished surfaces to prevent finger prints (on things like acrylic or highly waxed surfaces). Originally developed for the British museum for everything from conserving armour suits from rust to keeping finger prints off display cases. A little goes a long way.

 

[Pabs]

I've used a weak solution acetic acid (vinegar) with NaCl (table salt) in (distilled) water. Gentle but works quite well.

editing as I pick up experience lol - I then use bicarbonate powder and a toothbrush with some WD40 to scrub it after the acetic acid bath. gets good results so far