Recommended Rust Remover

[weekend_woodworker]

Hi, I have been lucky enough to be given an old record No 4 1/2 plane today, but it needs a bit of restoration to be useable as you can see from these pictures:

Assuming you don't think it is a lost cause to restore to working order, what is the best way to remove the rust? I have seen on some websites about using a rust remover to soak the parts in. Can anyone recommend a good product available in the UK? Is there anything else I should think about in restoring it?

I seem to recall that there had been a previous recommendation on a thread about the a suitable paint to replicate the dark blue that Record use when I get that far. If anyone can help my memory that would be great.

Many thanks,

Mark

 

[AESamuel]

After trying quite a few different methods of rust removal, electrolysis is my absolute favourite!

 

[sihollies]

I've never tried electrolysis, but after just watching a video of the process, will definately give it a go.
I'm sure there are specialist products on the market that others will suggest, but I have had alot of success with my car boot buys using citric acid powder mixed with warm water.
I initially clean the tool as best as possible with WD40 to remove the dirt etc, then mix about 40 g of the citric acid to a litre of water.
I disassemble the tool and place all the metal parts in the solution. (small bubbles should form. If they don't, add a bit more citric acid).
Periodically scrub the parts with a toothbrush or scourer.
This process may take an hour or so, but like I stated above is quite effective, cheap & safe.
As soon as the parts dry, I spray or wipe them with WD40.

Good luck & hope it goes well

 

[AndyT]

That looks restorable.
I'd use a scraper (wallpaper scraper, razor blade, old credit card) to get the loose rust off the flat surfaces first.
On a less extreme example I'd then use simple hand wire brushes and abrasives, but that plane might benefit from a dip. Electrolysis works, you'll need a little washing soda in the water, a power supply and a suitable electrode.
Alternatively, citric acid is cheap, safe and easy. A few spoonfuls in warm water - if it's working you should see fine bubbles coming off.
Or vinegar if you prefer.
There are dearer, commercial products that I've not used but others say are good - search on here for Evaporust.

I don't favour repainting old planes. It serves no purpose and looks like an old man with a toupee. Some boiled linseed oil will stabilise the old surface.

There's some more hints at the top of the Hand Tools section in the sticky.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

That's a bad case of rust - but there's good plane lurking under there!

Certainly electrolysis is one method, but there are several others.

Scrape the worst off, and attack with wire wool and white spirit is one, which works well on bigger bits. Bit fiddly for small screws and the like, though.

Another method is soaking in household vinegar for 24hours or so, followed by a good rinse and a soak in sodium bicarbonate solution to neutralise the acid, then a really good rinse, dry and wipe over with oil. That's a good one for small, fiddly bits.

Then there are proprietary de-rusters such as Evaporust, which are more sophisticated versions of vinegar, with additives to prevent some of the flash rusting and dark staining problems that can arise with vinegar.

I'm sure there are others, too!

For Record paint, we spotted this a while ago, and it was the product in the thread you mentioned, I think;

https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/BS381C- ... -Blue.html

By the way - don't forget to have a read of AndyT's tool restoration threads in the sticky at the top of the board. Lots of very good info in those.

(Edit to add - Ha! Beaten to it by Si and Andy. Well played, fellas!)

 

[Sideways]

Electrolysis is the best use I can think of for an old leftover laptop power supply and there are so many of those around....

 

[weekend_woodworker]

Thanks for all the great advice. I can’t believe I missed the restoration thread at the top of the section!

I hadn’t thought about electrolysis, but it looks like something I will have to give a go.

Many thanks,


Mark


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[weekend_woodworker]

After a whole lot of cleaning, I managed to get it back together and working. I haven’t got the blade quite right yet and I think the body needs some painting as it’s missing great chunks of paint. But overall I am pleased with the result from a weekends work. Thanks for all the advice which helped.

Mark


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[MusicMan]

Nice work, Mark!

 

[Bod]

Now you have it to this stage, two ways forward.
1. use, use, and more use, this will create and maintain the patina of use and love. (aided by the use of furniture polish to dissuade rust from taking hold again)
2. Complete refurbishment, creating a brand new 60 year old tool.

Bod.

 

[billw]

I've had a lot of easy success with just vinegar, the added benefit being a bottle costs 29p at Lidl. I did get some funny looks when I bulk bought it though.

 

[Lons]

Nicely done Mark, It's great to see a badly neglected but solid old tool back in action again. =D>

Personally I wouldn't paint it, it has history and I'd leave it there and use it as it is but nothing wrong with a full restoration either if that's what you want. I know if I did that I'd end up chipping the new paint and wouldn't be happy.
It would be a bit like the chore of constantly touching up the wheels on my wife's car because she can't see the damn kerbs. #-o

 

[billw]

On the subject of painting them, japanning seems like way too much of a chore so I will either leave them be, or perhaps use enamel paint? As long as they're not rusting it's fine.

 

[weekend_woodworker]

Thanks for the kind comments. I think the reality of the situation is that I am not likely to get round to painting it as there are many other things higher up the priority list. I had wondered about the handles as I have just put some danish oil on the bare beech. Again I think they might just do as they are. I do need to get a bit of a better edge on the blade. I think the problem is the pitting on the back of the blade causing a rough edge when I sharpen the bevel.


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[Phil Pascoe]

You need to flatten the blade, but not the whole blade, just the area where the cap iron sits. If this is beyond flattening you'd just as well throw the iron away.

 

[billw]

You need to flatten the blade, but not the whole blade, just the area where the cap iron sits. If this is beyond flattening you'd just as well throw the iron away.

I've generally just done the last inch to inch-and-a-half at the end of the blade so that the cap iron sits flush and there's a good square edge at the end to produce a clean cutting edge. This might be a bit much or not enough, but it generally seems to work.