Old hand planes

[Chisteve]

I use scotch brite buffing wheels together with various wire wheels for cleaning planes these days quicker and far less mess

I use to use and still do sometimes cillit bang - that works very well I use a large old stainless steel fish kettle and leave to soak overnight - can be a bit harsh and eats into the metal if you leave too long

 

[carpenteire2009]

I've restored a lot of old tools over the years and tried most of the methods above. I found electrolysis worked very well, especially on complicated/ detailed parts, but it's a chore to set up and there's a lot of cleaning up to be done after, so I haven't used it in years. I probably use white vinegar most often now, and I aslo use a HG brand rust remover which is also very effective. For a while I did use molasses, which seems to be more popular in the USA, but its easy to overdo it, resulting in pitting. I use a combination of a Stanley blade and rough abrasive paper to remove the bulk of any heavy rust before using chemicals. Fine steel wool, Autosol metal polish and elbow grease give the final finish .