Best way to get rust off chrome hand tools?

[SouthernIllinois]

Finally got around to going through Dad’s tool box.

Random mix of old USA Craftsman, S-K, a few Snap-On and some off brand stuff.

About half has some amount of surface rust.

What do ya’ll think the best way to clean them up would be?

TIA

 

[lolaetype]

I've used this stuff on tools and it works great.

Robot or human?

 

[B_Bimmer]

Use is the best.

 

[zendriver]

0000 steel wool

 

[fishwatcher]

If you only had a few items, I would recommend the use of balled up aluminum foil and water rubbed on the chrome. It works amazingly well. Google to learn more.

With such a big stash of stuff.. I’m sure others will have better recommendations.

 

[Beerhippie]

Simichrome and a good dose of elbow grease.



Cleaning with citric, phos or acetic acid, Evaporust or sodium citrate is a lot easier for a lot of tools, but if there's rust under the chrome it will lift the chrome off, often leaving sharp edges.

 

[4xdog]

The aluminum foil tip works amazingly well on hard chrome plating!

 

[Steve_P]

The rust isn't "on" the plating, it's on the base metal and coming thru voids that corroded away over the decades. I'd try a quick soak in evaporust and then keep them oiled.

And all "chrome plating" is hard. Chromium is just behind diamonds on the hardness scale; there is no "soft" chromium.