Best and least messy way to remove surface rust from tools

[Deadeye]

Lots of interesting views on the subject here:-
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/archive/index.php/o-t--t-587219--start-0--index.html

My own hunch (as a virologist rather than a bacteriologist) is that evapo-rust is Desferrioxamine-B or something very similar

 

[likeakite]

Evaporust neat is the way to go. You don't pour it away after use either, just pour it back in the container. You can use it time and time again even though it gets discoloured.

 

[mickbc]

If it's a finned one I would have it straight in the bead blaster, much easier and faster. But evaporust should do it. Try and get it degreased well first. No chemical treatment particularly likes grease or oil.

Take it to your local engineering shop if it's the barrel liners that are rusty they will need

 

[mickbc]

We're currently trying to get rust off a motorcycle engine barrel (complex structure) in a small ultrasonic cleaner and not really getting great results, even with rust-removal solution. Does anyone find that method works?

If it's the barrel that is rusty take it to your local engineering shop. At the very least the barrel will need honing out if it's bad it will need a rebore, ca

 

[sploo]

Another +1 for Evaporust, despite the cost. It lasts a long time too. Sometimes you can pick up Jenolite Rust Remover for a little less; which I suspect is a similar "recipe".

 

[John Hall]

I have a wire brush mounted on a bench grinder that has a 1/2” chuck fitted on the rhs..it can fit various wire brushes with 1/4” shanks..works a treat..

 

[kinverkid]

In this instance, I would go for the citric acid. It's cheap as dirt and is always handy to have about the workshop/house. I'm with Limey Lurker in that it doesn't look like there's much there that deserves spending money on although I do understand they have been handed down to you so there may be some pieces you have a connection with. A hand-held brass wired brush will take off most of the rust I can see in the picture there and will clean up whatever the citric acid has loosened. If you were to get into regular serious rust-removing situations then Evaporust is the easiest and from what I can see it's very efficient at what it does.

 

[Jake]

My own hunch (as a virologist rather than a bacteriologist) is that evapo-rust is Desferrioxamine-B or something very similar

Ah, the multidisciplinary powers of a forum...

I see that is a siderophore (new term to me). Interesting stuff. Yojevol's thread seemed to hint at biological process.

 

[Terrytpot]

My father used to have a business selling furniture he would pick up at auctions and “refresh” before trying to make a profit by selling it in his shop. Quite often there were metal parts (hinges,handles etc) that had seen better times and his favoured method of rejuvenation was for the offending parts to take an overnight soak in a bowl of Coca Cola,not the real thing either just the cheapest nastiest stuff on the shelf in the happy shopper shop

 

[niall Y]

I'm quite a fan of Armohib added to dilute hydrochloric acid. I obtained a small bottle of it from the laboratory I used to work at, many years ago They used to have it in large drums. I've some left, even now, as a little goes a very long way.
It seems to work by allowing the acid to eat away the rust and then deposits a fine grey film on the bare metal which inhibits the acid further working away on the cleaned areas. It does smell a bit of iron sulphide, though it is very effective
The largest item I've cleaned with it was a post vice which was immersed in a large plastic trough. The used acid can be kept in plastic or glass containers and used again , though it does become less effective after repeated use

 

[Jake]

My father used to have a business selling furniture he would pick up at auctions and “refresh” before trying to make a profit by selling it in his shop. Quite often there were metal parts (hinges,handles etc) that had seen better times and his favoured method of rejuvenation was for the offending parts to take an overnight soak in a bowl of Coca Cola,not the real thing either just the cheapest nastiest stuff on the shelf in the happy shopper shop

The acidity is phosphoric acid, extraordinary as that may seem.

 

[Jacob]

I'd brush off the easy loose stuff and then splash on thinned boiled linseed oil. Then leave them until I want to use them. I'm a bit lazy that way. Then you then use them they get polished up anyway.

 

[wurglesnash357]

People speak well of electrolytic rust removal, where you immerse the item in a bath of washing soda (sodium carbonate) and pass an electric current through it. I haven't tried it myself - is there anybody here who has?

Les

 

[Limey Lurker]

People speak well of electrolytic rust removal, where you immerse the item in a bath of washing soda (sodium carbonate) and pass an electric current through it. I haven't tried it myself - is there anybody here who has?

Les

I've tried it; it works very well! I de-rusted a No. 24 Record vice using this method, and then some boot-fair tool finds. It's the ideal method for complex shapes and heavily pitted simple shapes. I use an old 12v wall-wart power supply: I can never remember anode or cathode, so I change them until the item bubbles and not the dummy.

 

[Bingy man]

Can’t believe nobody has mentioned Brillo pads,, a pair of gloves and a few Brillo pads is all you need . Used dry they will easily remove surface rust with a little old fashioned elbow grease..

 

[Wildman]

I am about to experiment with electrolysis, using a solar panel for power, I have a few experiments in mind, including reversing the polarity when clean and changing the sacrificial plate for a zinc anode and see if it electroplates theoretically it should work

 

[John Brown]

I am about to experiment with electrolysis, using a solar panel for power, I have a few experiments in mind, including reversing the polarity when clean and changing the sacrificial plate for a zinc anode and see if it electroplates theoretically it should work

I guess the polarity will reverse at night.

 

[sammy.se]

I don't mean to be offensive, but I really don't think that there is anything there, apart perhaps from the hammer, that is worth the effort of derusting. One spanner is a British 'Gordon': the rest look like Chinesium (you can see that one is already bent). The screwdrivers, twist bits, chisel, etc., are junk.

No offence taken! I'm inclined to agree with you. Just considering options...

 

[Sideways]

People speak well of electrolytic rust removal, where you immerse the item in a bath of washing soda (sodium carbonate) and pass an electric current through it. I haven't tried it myself - is there anybody here who has?

Les

It would be my goto method. Very simple. An old laptop power supply for me. 18-20volts. That's a bit aggressive but it gets on with the job. The soda crystals are very cheap so as a method it's probably the cheapest out there.

 

[kinverkid]

I am about to experiment with electrolysis, using a solar panel for power, I have a few experiments in mind, including reversing the polarity when clean and changing the sacrificial plate for a zinc anode and see if it electroplates theoretically it should work

It is a great method that I've used on a couple of No4 planes and a vice using a car battery charger. But, check what coating you have on the items first. It's my understanding that chrome and galvanised coated metals will give off nasty fumes so use one of the other suggestions from above. I do mine outside either way. If you do go with this as with many of the above suggestions you will need to dry then oil, wax or paint the three item quickly to stop the rust coating it again.