[Q] Cleaning rusty saws down to the teeth

[Fromey]

I have a couple of rusty saws I'd like to recondition. An old Spear & Jackson that is completely rusty and a couple of gents saws that have a little rust on. In all cases, the rust extends down to and including the teeth.

I suppose inside the teeth will get cleaned as I file them and then use the saw. However, if I try to clean/polish the saw plate, it gets rather difficult at the teeth (cloth/fingers catching).

Is their any 'trick' to getting a clean/polished saw plate right down to and including the teeth?

 

[Racers]

Hi, Fromey

WD40 and a stanley knife blade will scrape most of the rust off then wet and dry, you will have to sharpen then so don't worry to much about the teeth.


Pete

 

[bugbear]

I have a couple of rusty saws I'd like to recondition. An old Spear & Jackson that is completely rusty and a couple of gents saws that have a little rust on. In all cases, the rust extends down to and including the teeth.

I suppose inside the teeth will get cleaned as I file them and then use the saw. However, if I try to clean/polish the saw plate, it gets rather difficult at the teeth (cloth/fingers catching).

Is their any 'trick' to getting a clean/polished saw plate right down to and including the teeth?

Yes - from my old web site:

http://web.archive.org/web/200910271345 ... eeth_guard

That page also points out that if you're going to joint the teeth for sharpening, you may as well joint before you clean, reducing the snaggy nature of the teeth.

BugBear

 

[merlin]

It might be worth laying the saw down immersed in vinegar for a few days, this will remove most or all off the rust.
I quite oftern clean up old plane parts etc using this method and it seems to do a good job, when the item is removed wash it down and give it a polish with some wire wool and some Sovol Autosol metal polish.
The good thing is that it wont be scratched with any abrasive paper. It might be worth experimenting with some other piece of scrap metal to see how you get on.
Merlin.

 

[Dalboy]

I use citric acid and have found it great. Go to the chemist to get it also it can be poured down the drain with no problems

 

[Sean Hellman]

I have used electrolysis, it is cheap and easy, the only thing I had to buy was washing soda. Set up a plastic container with washing soda and water and attach the positive lead of your battery charger to your sacrificial anode, made from steel, not stainless. The negative goes to the item being cleaned. Make sure they do not touch. The rust is lifted off the item being cleaned. Remove and wipe down and oil or it will rust again.
If the saw is too long to be fully immersed then do one end and then turn over.
Here is a good description of how to do ithttp://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-aka-Magic/

 

[CroppyBoy1798]

+1 for the electrolysis!

However, I've found that electrolysis wont make the metal shiney and new looking. It'll remove the rust, gunk, grime and loose paint but will leave the patina, which is a good thing in a lot of cases.

Sort of addictive too, once you start you'll be searching for rusty things to bring back to life!

I tried cleaning an 18th century socket bayonet using this method, I thought it was clean, but it wasnt, the process removed the years and years of polished gunk and grease etc, cleaned out all the pitting and left me with a nicely patina bayonet with an inscribed number that I didnt even know was there before hand! 8)

 

[Peter Evans]

Spring steel should not be placed in acid (citric, vinegar, molasses, etc - it is the acid in all these substances that does the work. I know someone who sharpens files in Nitric Acid - quickly). I last studied chemistry 49 years ago, so you will need the science from elsewhere, I believe the process is hydrogen embrittlement http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement. This is especially so for spring steel under tension, say spring calipers, where the spring has a good chance of snapping. Electrolysis has the same effect as acid.

I think wiping the saw down with a rag soaked in citric acid to soften the rust is likely to have little effect on the steel.

I use citric for lots of things, see some notes I wrote a few years ago http://www.tttg.org.au/php/tttg_Page.php?n=15&a=28

I use scrapers, and W&D with WD40 on a sanding block, starting at 80grit for well rusted saws. The block keeps fingers away from teeth, and reduces the impact on any remaining etch.

 

[Fromey]

Thanks all. I used Bugbear's tip of using a piece of wood with a kerf to protect the teeth. I then polished the saw plates with steel-wool + Autosol and then cloth + Autosol. They are now smooth and shiny enough. Definitely made a difference with sawing. While I was at it I cleaned up my engineer's square with the added advantage of eliminating the embarrassing "Draper" stamp.

 

[bugbear]

Thanks all. I used Bugbear's tip of using a piece of wood with a kerf to protect the teeth.

Ahem. Not kerf. rebate

BugBear

 

[Fromey]

Well what I did was this. I put my sacrificial plywood sheet on my worktop, overhanding the front slightly. I laid the saw, saw plate flat, on the board with the handle and back hanging off. I got a strip of plywood, laid it flat onto the board and then rubbed it back and forth along the saw blade until the teeth had just disappeared (I'd call that a kerf, but I can see it could also be called a rebate. Oh for semantics!) Then with the plywood strip clamped down I pushed the saw teeth into the kerf/rebate and went to work on the exposed saw plate. It worked very effectively.

Thanks all. I used Bugbear's tip of using a piece of wood with a kerf to protect the teeth.

Ahem. Not kerf. rebate

BugBear