Cleaning REAL rusty wrenches

[amishman]

I picked up a box of wrenches at a garage sale a couple years back. $2 for the whole box. From it I got me a nice little 8mm snap-on (my only Snap On tool I own ) and a couple Hazet and Stahlwhile. Some Belzer and all sorts of wrenches that say from Germany. This suff looks real old. Anyway, most the wrenches are completely redish brown of rust.

Question is: is their a certain point of no return on rust like this? The physical wrench seems OK. Not some eaten up losing metal kind of rust. Just a very coarse redish brown rust on all the wrenches.

I was wondering if soaking them for a week or so in some CLR or something else would remove the rust and then see what it leaves me with.

I could take a few pictures of their present state if that would help decide if it is worth my time or not. I like the fact they are made in Germany since I have old VWs. Some Stahlwille, Belzer, and various other wrenches I don't happen to have in my collection of styles.

There is even a wrench from Poland too. hehehe

tj

Edit... A picture is worth 1000 words. Here is my $2 bucket. I am soaking one in Lime Away right now. Just the end of a small wrench. The Lime Away said it removes rust also so I figured I would try it.

 

[64merc]

Even without seeing them, I say go for it. Soak them in white vinegar or Evaporust. The worst thing that happens is you get the rust off but the chrome is no good. If you want them to use they should be good as new (so to speak).

Edit: Now that I see a picture I would still say go for it, but I don't think most of that chrome will survive. Usually though, the chrome isn't actively peeling, in that it can hurt you. Your results may vary

 

[1320stang]

I'd use electrolysis.

 

[evintho]

I just hit 'em with the wire wheel on my bench grinder. Takes about 15 seconds each and they come out good as new! You, however, have a bunch of wrenches and it might be better to soak them in EvapoRust.........................
EvapoRust thread

BTW, nice score for $2!!

 

[Chris Adams]

I wouldn't use the vinegar. Tried it on some wrenches and pliers. Frankly, soaking wrenches that are already corroded in acid, even mild acid, did not improve the looks of the wrenches, or pliers.
Used Evapo-rust on some this week. It will remove all the rust quickly and without adding to the wear.

For really shinny wrenches, after I Evapo-rust them I put them in my brass polisher. Does a wicked job on sockets, small wrenches, etc. anything that can fit.
Evapo-rust removes the rust, the polisher makes em shine.

 

[GDA]

Do there happen to be a couple metric Hazet open ended wrenches buried in there? Those seem to clean up real easy with a wire wheel if they are the chrome vanadium ones.

 

[billymade]

One word; Evapo-Rust.... if its good enough for the military, its good enough for you! I have had excellent results from lightly to heavily rusted "treasures" that I have picked up at my local pawn shop and flea market!
One of the main benefits is that it won't damage chrome; it will keep whatever happens to be left and remove what you don't want... the rust!

http://www.evapo-rust.com/

 

[amishman]

Evaporust it will be. They appear to sell it at Autozone and I have one of those near me in town so will give it a whirl.

Thanks

tj

 

[rsanter]

I would soak them and then take the wire wheel to them. the wire wheel will eliminate any rough edges or sharp peeling crome pieces.

next you need to protect them. for that you have a couple of options

1) you can take them down to the local electroplater and ask them to CAD plate them. if you prep the surface of these first you will get something that looks like a slightly dull crome (or you can do the gold color like the grade 8 bolts)

2) gun blue them. you can get a gun bluing kit for home for cheap and if you have them all nice and clean they will come out great

bob

 

[T56 Impala]

I'm glad you started this thread!

I have a bunch of old stuff (see my other threads....) and some of it has HEAVY scale on it. I have no intention of ever using 95% of this stuff. It is all "collector" stuff from my dad. All I want to do is clean it up enough to read the sizes, manufacturer, or any other info stamped into the wrench. I don't want to damage the though.

Most are NOT chrome though a few are. What do you suggest?

 

[amishman]

I'm glad you started this thread!

I have a bunch of old stuff (see my other threads....) and some of it has HEAVY scale on it. I have no intention of ever using 95% of this stuff. It is all "collector" stuff from my dad. All I want to do is clean it up enough to read the sizes, manufacturer, or any other info stamped into the wrench. I don't want to damage the though.

Most are NOT chrome though a few are. What do you suggest?

All my tools are in my tool chests but for these oldies, I guess they are oldies, will hang them on pegboard in my shop. Mostly for looks as my two Craftsman work benches have nice metal pegboard backing that I never use. So, I will hang them their and ya never know, maybe sometime one of these ratchets will be needed for something. A couple are thinner than most and maybe I will need that thinness sometime.

tj

 

[Bolster]

I just hit 'em with the wire wheel on my bench grinder. Takes about 15 seconds each and they come out good as new!

Ugh! Surely you jest! You can spot a wire wheel'd tool from across the room. Don't ruin tools with (coarse) wire brushes...use a buffer instead.

And to echo what 'most everyone else has said:

E - vap - o - rust. It's really good stuff.

 

[T56 Impala]

How does Evaporust effect the grey coatings coating? Chrome?

Just for you Bolster, I will be posting up some vintage Plomb stuff once the Evaporust does it's job. 4 of which will be swivel sockets.

 

[Frank Elson]

get the rust off in your favourite way. Then just wipe down with a rag soaked in oil.
If there's no chrome they come out a neat black colour.
I have a lot of spanners and tools done like this and I actually prefer them to the shiny "silver".

 

[VDubJoe]

My local HFsells Evap-o-Rust. Its a little cheaper and sometimes on sale.

Joe

 

[Bull]

Another option would be to use a mild blasting media on them.

 

[Bolster]

How does Evaporust effect the grey coatings coating? Chrome? Just for you Bolster, I will be posting up some vintage Plomb stuff once the Evaporust does it's job. 4 of which will be swivel sockets.

I appreciate it, my good man!

The EOR has not affected the chrome at all, in my experience. If you leave a raw steel item in a long time it gets darker, so my rule is to leave it in the minimum amount of time necessary. I left some scrapers in overnight that I did not care about and they came out dark grey. I take it out every hour or so and scrub it by hand with a brass brush (or steel brush if necessary, but never powered).

I don't follow you on "grey coatings" unless you mean cadmium coating? In which case I don't know. The question has been asked on this forum before but I have not seen an answer.

 

[amishman]

Which my next question is, how long have most of you left your tools soaking in this evaporust stuff? Just overnight? Couple hours?

Curious.

tj

 

[nordstar]

T56 Impala, I want to see the plomb goodies too, man

I mostly have soaked tools in WD-40 and then scrubbed them with a scotch-brite pad "green kitchen one". I do this on my plomb wf cadmium plated tools and they look just fine. On some of the tools I have notched that they do turn a bit gray. It isn't that bad, getting the rust off is priority number one, then just oil it and give it a good rub with a shop rag. I have also tried white vinegar and it works well put can do harm if left in too long.

 

[dxdexter]

I used a wire wheel and a sander on this 15" adjustable. The chrome (if there ever was any) was trashed anyway, which is generally the case with a rusty wrench. Once cleaned up they are a maintenance item that must be regularly oiled to keep from reverting to their previous state.

I find any remaining chrome from a rusty tool is just a safety hazard.

 

[billymade]

As an experiment; it would have been interesting to see what evaporust would have done for a wrench like that!

 

[SocketDeviler]

This reminds me I never got the $2.00 Evapo-rust rebate check I sent in for many moons ago.

 

[T56 Impala]

Well, I bought 2 gallons of the stuff at HF today. (I picked up some small brass brushes while I was there.) My tools have been soaking for about 3 hours. Some stuff is looking better, some it seems is hardly touched. I am going to leave all of these in over night. I let you know how they turn out. I'm sure I'll be posting some pictures!

As for the Plomb stuff.... check my newest thread.

 

[Chris Adams]

Well, I bought 2 gallons of the stuff at HF today. (I picked up some small brass brushes while I was there.) My tools have been soaking for about 3 hours. Some stuff is looking better, some it seems is hardly touched. I am going to leave all of these in over night. I let you know how they turn out. I'm sure I'll be posting some pictures!

As for the Plomb stuff.... check my newest thread.

As has been posted, it's best if you cover it. Seems to stay 'fresh' longer and does a little better job.
So far it has removed all the rust I threw at it from tools and even an old pistol.

 

[mkdive]

interested on how well the rust came off.

 

[Chris Adams]

One thing I notice, if the tool is really rusty you need to take it out, wipe it down with a rag, then put it back. Really thick rust seems to build up a layer of gunk on the tool, 'protecting' the rust below it.

 

[Bolster]

Ditto that.

I take the tool out several times during treatment. Maybe around once an hour, brass-wire brush it, and replace it.

I leave it in until I'm happy with the result, often that's from 2 to 4 hours, or longer if badly rusted.

 

[back2class]

Are you all kidding? Some people need to do more using and less polishing of their toolsThese are old wrenches lying in box not some musem item. A bench grinder wire wheel will have them good a new in 15 seconds. Finish will actually come nicer than any other method as rust will have left timy pits and the wire wheel will give an even slightly satin/gloss finish that is very nice and ready to WORK. This is the silliest thread on this site I dare say.
I cound see all these expensive or time consuming metods if you have some piecie for a "collection" you wish to "restore". I dont think that is the original posters thinking.

 

[Bull]

I'm not sure you are going to like this site very much...

Are you all kidding? Some people need to do more using and less polishing of their toolsThese are old wrenches lying in box not some musem item. A bench grinder wire wheel will have them good a new in 15 seconds. Finish will actually come nicer than any other method as rust will have left timy pits and the wire wheel will give an even slightly satin/gloss finish that is very nice and ready to WORK. This is the silliest thread on this site I dare say.
I cound see all these expensive or time consuming metods if you have some piecie for a "collection" you wish to "restore". I dont think that is the original posters thinking.

 

[dxdexter]

.Are you all kidding? Some people need to do more using and less polishing of their tools. These are old wrenches lying in box not some museum item. ..................................
.................................................................
..................................This is the silliest thread on this site I dare say.

I dare say, you obviously haven't read to many threads.

I would guess many of our resident "tool experts", tools have never been used in any mechanical repairs or seen so much as a spot of dirt if in fact they have ever been removed from their 60" hand waxed Snap-on boxes for any other purpose than to polish .

 

[T56 Impala]

Are you all kidding? Some people need to do more using and less polishing of their tools These are old wrenches lying in box not some musem item. A bench grinder wire wheel will have them good a new in 15 seconds. Finish will actually come nicer than any other method as rust will have left timy pits and the wire wheel will give an even slightly satin/gloss finish that is very nice and ready to WORK. This is the silliest thread on this site I dare say.
I cound see all these expensive or time consuming metods if you have some piecie for a "collection" you wish to "restore". I dont think that is the original posters thinking.

I'm not going to start a flame war with you here. I have MY reasons for restoring these old tools using whatever method I feel will get the job done in the way I feel it needs to be done.

My reason for restoring them as many. I'll start with their connection to the past. History, you know, things that happened long ago. In my case, WWII, Korea and the cold war. These tools helped the world fight a war or two.

Connection to my father. I consider these tools part of my life. Part of my father's life.

Since I can afford new tools, why would I want to risk damage and loss to something I value as part of history. World and personal.

You care for your tools as you see fit, and I will do as I see fit. Learn to enjoy what others are doing or you won't like this site at all. FWIW, a spell check goes a LONG way around here.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I'm not sure you are going to like this site very much...

FUNNY MAN!

 

[Uncle Buck]

I dare say, you obviously haven't read to many threads.

I would guess many of our resident "tool experts", tools have never been used in any mechanical repairs or seen so much as a spot of dirt if in fact they have ever been removed from their 60" hand waxed Snap-on boxes for any other purpose than to polish .

I just want to go on record for the new folk, ^^^^THAT IS NOT ME!!!!!!!

 

[Frank Elson]

I think there's room for all of our different views on tool care here.
Me, it just has to be functional, so white vinegar sometimes, wire brush others - I actually like the look of a wire brushed old tool.
But that doesn't mean I don't like to look at the drawers full of bling we see around here.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think there's room for all of our different views on tool care here.
Me, it just has to be functional, so white vinegar sometimes, wire brush others - I actually like the look of a wire brushed old tool.
But that doesn't mean I don't like to look at the drawers full of bling we see around here.

Man, that was very well said. Leave it to a British guy to state that so well!

 

[evintho]

Ugh! Surely you jest! You can spot a wire wheel'd tool from across the room. Don't ruin tools with (coarse) wire brushes...use a buffer instead.

I fail to see how a spinning wire wheel is going to RUIN a forged piece of metal. The guy's got a $2 box of old rusty wrenches that have been abused far beyond what a wire wheel could ever do.

I think there's room for all of our different views on tool care here.
Me, it just has to be functional, so white vinegar sometimes, wire brush others - I actually like the look of a wire brushed old tool.
But that doesn't mean I don't like to look at the drawers full of bling we see around here.

I completely agree!!

 

[chammyman]

a good example of vinegar doing the job

http://www.cookhaus.co.uk/vinegar/index.htm

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Lightly glass bead blast them.

Charles

 

[stricht8]

Harbor Freight also sells it.

Evaporust it will be. They appear to sell it at Autozone and I have one of those near me in town so will give it a whirl.

Thanks

tj

 

[moogoob]

I came across evapo rust at my local foodtown. Bought it on this threads recomendation...

They are still soaking and will update my thread with the results, but the first round went really well.

I have old rusty tools from a garage sale $3 for a an old stainless steel box of tools.