Cleaning rusty tools?
Discussion
Leaving stuff in vinegar (either white or malt) works well, and cleans up BMW brake calipers a treat. You can buy it in bulk.
http://www.tradewindsorientalshop.co.uk/acatalog/W...
Electrolytic as mentioned above is like magic. I found an old horseshoe in my garden while digging, which must have been there before the house was built -1955. 3 days in the Electrolytic bath, and all the rust was gone. The square hole for the nails which were invisible before - now almost perfect. You don't need a battery charger per se, an old PC PSU works fine. You need lots of current and not many volts. There’s plenty of links on the web on how to do it.
Both of the above don't need/create nasty or expensive chemicals. Just remember to rinse the parts thoroughly as soon as you take them out and dry them off immediately.
http://www.tradewindsorientalshop.co.uk/acatalog/W...
Electrolytic as mentioned above is like magic. I found an old horseshoe in my garden while digging, which must have been there before the house was built -1955. 3 days in the Electrolytic bath, and all the rust was gone. The square hole for the nails which were invisible before - now almost perfect. You don't need a battery charger per se, an old PC PSU works fine. You need lots of current and not many volts. There’s plenty of links on the web on how to do it.
Both of the above don't need/create nasty or expensive chemicals. Just remember to rinse the parts thoroughly as soon as you take them out and dry them off immediately.
BugLebowski said:
Electrolytic rust removal in my experience works better than all other methods, and will remove really deep pitted rust.
Another vote for me, works a treat and very little work involved. You will probably have all the things you need to do it in the garage already, just get some soda crystals.Try it and be ready to be surprised.
Another vote for vinegar. Leave it immersed for 24 hours and it should be clear. Wash , dry immediately and wipe an oiled rag over the surface. The vinegar takes everything off including paint. Only use on steel or iron. Trying to remove paint etc from alloy using vinegar will result in no paint and no alloy.
Don't use on chips afterwards.
I also put a small amount in windscreen wash as well for that sparkling finish.
Don't use on chips afterwards.
I also put a small amount in windscreen wash as well for that sparkling finish.
OP RichB quote
"Since I got the Lagonda I've started to build a small collection of appropriate tools; chunky Whitworth spanners, adjustable spanners, box spanners, screwdrivers, files etc. I've got a lot of tools that could well be 60-70 years old but they are old and rusty."
If I was fortunate enough to own a Lagonda the last thing I would be doing is rounding off the flats of every nut & bolt with "chunky Whitworth"
and "box spanners", and God forbid, "adjustable's".
Ill fitting screwdrivers are "the work of the Devil", and a file that that has been allowed to go rusty has lost its edge forever.
Buy a quality set of modern sockets, rings, etc. and treat your car with love & care.
Naturally this is just MHO.
Paul G
"Since I got the Lagonda I've started to build a small collection of appropriate tools; chunky Whitworth spanners, adjustable spanners, box spanners, screwdrivers, files etc. I've got a lot of tools that could well be 60-70 years old but they are old and rusty."
If I was fortunate enough to own a Lagonda the last thing I would be doing is rounding off the flats of every nut & bolt with "chunky Whitworth"
and "box spanners", and God forbid, "adjustable's".
Ill fitting screwdrivers are "the work of the Devil", and a file that that has been allowed to go rusty has lost its edge forever.
Buy a quality set of modern sockets, rings, etc. and treat your car with love & care.
Naturally this is just MHO.
Paul G
Edited by finishing touch on Tuesday 19th April 08:20
Vinegar works, but I found on heavily rusted parts it requires you scrub with a wire brush to help it along. You can't just drop it in a bucket and pull out a perfect part a day later. These are my calipers after 2 days in a bucket and having been wire brushed to help expose 'clean' rust every few hours.
RichB said:
droopsnoot said:
... I've used citric and phosphoric (in the form of Milkstone Remover) to clean stuff, and I prefer Citric...
So with the citric acid soak what quantity would I need in for example in a gallon of water? 1kg / gallon or less? Mr_B said:
Vinegar works, but I found on heavily rusted parts it requires you scrub with a wire brush to help it along. You can't just drop it in a bucket and pull out a perfect part a day later. These are my calipers after 2 days in a bucket and having been wire brushed to help expose 'clean' rust every few hours.
Yup. Ethanoic acid is pretty weak. To serve manual labour and cut time you need a more powerful acid but then the risk is that you leave the items in for too long and damage the actual metal, that's why if you want to upgrade from ethanoic or citric acids (the pink Suzuki Vitaras of the acid world 
) to something more manly then phosphoric acid is the best as it deposits a layer of iron phosphate on the fresh metal which then protects it from further etching by the acid. That layer also inhibits the metal from rusting again. Which is nice. laser de-rust tool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLaBFkeHG0A
also for paint removal etc etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ_90920Zbg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLaBFkeHG0A
also for paint removal etc etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ_90920Zbg
I've had some "interesting" effects with putting non-steel items in citric acid, so watch what you do if anything is aluminium or similar. It didn't damage the piece, but there was a lot of white deposit on the other pieces in the jug at the time.
ETA - anyone who knows the chemistry involved (which I don't) is probably rolling their eyes and muttering "duh! obviously" to the above, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
ETA - anyone who knows the chemistry involved (which I don't) is probably rolling their eyes and muttering "duh! obviously" to the above, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Mr. Magoo said:
RichB said:
I've bought some citric acid so I'l report back on how it works.
Rich,I am nearing the de-gunking/degreasing/derusting phase of my 3L engine. Your experience here will be welcome. Do feel free to drop me a line on your progress to my email address.
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