Removing rust from tools

[sunbeam_alpine]

Last week, I helped my neighbour to move her mother - she's coming to live with her as she can't manage on her own any more.

When I'd finished helping with the move, she told me to go look in the (very big) shed at the end of the garden - it was her father's workshop, and she said that I could have anything I wanted out of there.

It was a goldmine! 2 welders, assorted drills, angle grinders, a compressor, the world's biggest collection of socket sets, spanners, hammers, etc.etc.

I think I may have found the place where all the really useful sized spanners go to when they go missing!

I've got 24 Curver boxes full of stuff on 6 pallets, now in one of my sheds.

Unfortunately, about half of the tools are very rusty, as the roof of her father's shed had begun to leak. I've soaked some in Coca Cola, as I thought that it was a good way to remove rust.

Despite being left for 24 hours in coke, there is very little rust gone! I've now washed the tools clean and used wire wool to remove the rust, but it's taken ages.

Has anyone got any suggestions?

Also, how should I store them once they are clean? My garage is dry, well ventilated, but not heated. My own tools don't go rusty in there, but I don't want them to get all rusty again when they are cleaned. Should I maybe give them all a squirt of WD40 to be on the safe side?

[Big Al.]

For me it would be wire brush either the good old hand wire brush ot the more aggressive angle grinder fitted with a rotary wire brush. When cleaned lightly oil and if storing wrap in an oil rag or oiled news paper.

[y282]

vinegar. submerge any spanners in it for at least 48 hours, it'll come out as new.

i didn't believe it either, but try it.

[maniac0796]

Wire wheel

[Bigfatnath]

Soak em in 5 litres of wd40 for a couple of days.

[W00DY]

http://www.ehow.com/how_2180910_washing-soda-elect...

Works brilliantly.

[BigS]

You could try soaking them in a bath of Bilt Hamber Deox C, not used it myself but going by what I;ve seen over on detailing world it seems to work quite well

A rusty vice after being soaked for a coule of hours:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

[sunbeam_alpine]

Thanks for all the replies!

I'll try the vinegar as we've got that in the house.

Will look for the Bilt Hamber product next week (shops here are closed on Sunday).

Was a bit nervous about the washing soda link - "This process of removing rust from steel objects is relatively safe" doesn't inspire confidence - while I'm not in any way related to Emsman, I do have an uncanny ability to mix things like electricity and water with interesting results!

[MX7]

W00DY said:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2180910_washing-soda-elect...

Works brilliantly.

Although it can leave the metal a bit brittle.

[V10Mike]

Citric acid may be your best bet -you can buy it in quantity on ebay.

See: http://www.wkfinetools.com/tRestore/techniques/rus...

[RSGulp]

+1 with recommending vinegar. Malt vinegar is fine - lots of it - you can buy it in 5l plastic bottles from Cash & carry. Fill a bowl, put the tools in. Leave for 48 hrs and the rust turns black and just falls away leaving shiny steel behind. Very cheap and very effective.

Edited to ad YouTube link. This guys used vinegar AND citric acid powder from a chemist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww830G-znHs

Edited by RSGulp on Saturday 22 January 18:02

[Six Fiend]

I store my tools with silica gel packs to keep them rust free having cleaned up some mucky ones. Seems to be working...

[Eggman]

Soak them in diesel.

I tried it on a load of wheelnuts that were so rusty that I would have binned them had they not been very difficult to obtain (left hand thread, unusual size). I was amazed what a week soaking in diesel did to them - they looked almost like new.

[alolympic]

BigS said:

You could try soaking them in a bath of Bilt Hamber Deox C, not used it myself but going by what I;ve seen over on detailing world it seems to work quite well

A rusty vice after being soaked for a coule of hours:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

Used it for loads of small metal parts, brackets, nuts and bolts etc. Works really well.
You won't find it any shops though, buy direct online from Bilt Hamber but I recommend Agriemach.

[sunbeam_alpine]

Tools have been marinading in vinegar for a couple of days now. Rust is starting to come off.

When I take them out of the vinegar, should I wash them in soapy water to get rid of the vinegar, of just let them dry off?

[.:ian:.]

Wash, dry and coat in wd40, otherwise the fresh metal will start to rust again.

Tescos toilet descaler contains hcl acid and is very quick at removing rust (and metal if you leave it too long )

[Compo_Simmonite]

Get 5ltrs of brick cleaner (£5.99 form B&Q). Guaranteed to clean off rust. I keep it in a washing up bowl. Don't leave in for more than a couple of days though as it will start to eat the decent metal when rust dissolved.
Also don't get items out with your hands unless wearling insustrial type rubber gloves and better it you fish them out with bent length of wire.

Paul h

[FreezerWeasel]

sunbeam_alpine said:

Tools have been marinading in vinegar for a couple of days now. Rust is starting to come off.

When I take them out of the vinegar, should I wash them in soapy water to get rid of the vinegar, of just let them dry off?

it should get virtually all of it off if you leave it long enough. wash well, dry and WD as said.

[Fatman2]

Once you've cleaned off the rust get yourself a can of ACF-50. It's more expensive than WD40 but it's an aerospace derived rust inhibitor. It works a bloody treat on most metals and a single coat lasts for ages.

A chap on here sprayed his engine with the stuff and it looked the dogs (sorry OP I forgot your name )

[Life Saab Itch]

BigS said:

You could try soaking them in a bath of Bilt Hamber Deox C, not used it myself but going by what I;ve seen over on detailing world it seems to work quite well

A rusty vice after being soaked for a coule of hours:
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...

That is impressive!