Product Reviews -Cleaning Rusty Tools ?
- Thread starter 427HISS
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gunguy
Well-known member
I use plain white vinegar on a couple of adjustable wrenches I inherated from my father. They were so rusty, they were headed for the scrap bin.. I let them soak for a couple of days, rinsed them off and oiled them up. They work perfectly. They look and work much better than I expected.
Jim
Jim
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Yes, they have.
On this site there have been many discussions about people's favorite rust removal methods. Otherwise, just Google on "rust removal methods" and a number of websites and YouTube videos turn up.
Dan in Pasadena
Well-known member
I use the phosphoric acid sold by Home Depot. It’s not called EvapoRust but I THINK it’s the same thing. If I remember correctly its about $17.99/gallon and I reuse it over and over.
I soak tools over night and rarely ever need to go longer. Then I clean them up further by running them across my bench grinder with wire-wheel and finish them with Gibbs oil. They don’t look new but they look damn good.
I soak tools over night and rarely ever need to go longer. Then I clean them up further by running them across my bench grinder with wire-wheel and finish them with Gibbs oil. They don’t look new but they look damn good.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Evaporust is not an acid. https://www.theruststore.com/Evapo-Rust-FAQ-W21.aspx
How does Evapo-Rust work?
Unlike other rust removers that use some type of acid to remove rust, Evapo-Rust works without acid. It will not attack the base metal, and it is safe to use. Evapo-Rust works through selective chelation. This is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals. The active ingredient in Evapo-Rust bonds to exclusively to iron. It will remove iron from iron oxide but is too weak to remove iron from steel where the iron is held much more strongly. Once the chelating agent has removed the iron, a sulfur bearing organic molecule pulls the iron away from the chelator and forms a ferric sulfate complex which remains water soluble. This frees the chelating agent to remove more iron from rust.
How does Evapo-Rust work?
Unlike other rust removers that use some type of acid to remove rust, Evapo-Rust works without acid. It will not attack the base metal, and it is safe to use. Evapo-Rust works through selective chelation. This is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals. The active ingredient in Evapo-Rust bonds to exclusively to iron. It will remove iron from iron oxide but is too weak to remove iron from steel where the iron is held much more strongly. Once the chelating agent has removed the iron, a sulfur bearing organic molecule pulls the iron away from the chelator and forms a ferric sulfate complex which remains water soluble. This frees the chelating agent to remove more iron from rust.
CGT80
Well-known member
Krud Kutter Must For Rust is a product I used years ago on some rusted tools. It turned the tools black and then I scrubbed and wiped them clean and they had a gray coating. 8 years later, the tools still have that coating and have not rusted, but it isn't very wet in SoCal.
Evaporust worked but It didn't leave the coating and it can turn steel a gold color. Naval jelly works as well, if you want to deal with an acid. To remove rust and millscale from plasma cut parts, I use pool acid. Some of the water based cleaners are not supposed to harm paint or chrome, which is great for tools. I have some old tools, inherited from my grandfather, that I need to clean up. Unfortunately, the must for rust isn't available from amazon or home depot for me.
Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
Never seen evaporust harm the chrome, but if rust was underneath it, it can be separated from the tool. It is quite harmful to oxide coatings though.
bradpac
Well-known member
I bough ta small tool box of WWII Craftsman wrenches. The previous owner had poured vinegar in the box and had them soaking. Took off any rust for sure, but they looked etched, kind of white. I drained the vinegar, but never rinsed or oiled, No telling what they look like now. But vinegar does work if you're not concerned with them still looking like old tools.
engineer2
Well-known member
I'd be careful with vinegar. I tried it for a thin putty knife and the next day it had eaten away the half of the metal. Maybe because it was carbon steel.
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Shiftless
Well-known member
Evaporust for me.
It’s under $20 a gallon and reusable many times over.
It is the go to product for many in the professional restoration business. That and electrolysis.
It’s under $20 a gallon and reusable many times over.
It is the go to product for many in the professional restoration business. That and electrolysis.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
I use EVAPORUST in an ultrasonic cleaner. It works really well. The ultrasonic cleaner tank is a 30 liter unit. I have filled the tank with Evaporust for a special project. I find that small parts can be cleaned in an Evaporust filled ZIPLOC bag then placed into the tank when it is filled with water. Heat makes the cleaning work faster.
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The chrome peeled right off like ten foil. I sure wasn't expecting it to happen. These were old tools from the 1940s and 50s. Mostly wrenches.
javyLSU
Well-known member
I swear by evaporust. I’ve cleaned everything from chrome wrenches to pliers to an entire vise with it, and it was worked incredibly well each time. This is from my last project, restoring a vise I found for cheap on FB marketplace…
Grogg
Active member
Double confirming the last part especially. Case in point, I got a used set of Snap On 3/8" drive hex bits with the gold coating on them. 12 hours in Evaporust, the chrome bases were shiny clean but the gold bits are now regular steel.
Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
I found some foreign market documentation listing stripping coating from weapons as an evaporust application.
It is also supplied as a concentrate to save on shipping, just add water. don't think we can get it that way though.
It is also supplied as a concentrate to save on shipping, just add water. don't think we can get it that way though.
thr3squared
Well-known member
Evaporust has worked well for me! After you take the parts out, make sure to wash the chemical off with warm water. Then I've applied a very light coat of oil (3-in-1, for example) if the part isn't getting painted. Done this for multiple pliers and wrenches and the rust didn't return. I haven't tried it on anything with chrome plating through.
Another approach has been simple green in an ultrasonic cleaner. Worked like a charm
Another approach has been simple green in an ultrasonic cleaner. Worked like a charm
bradpac
Well-known member
What ultrasonic cleaner have you used with success? I've been thinking of getting one for a while now, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Shiftless
Well-known member
The difference between those 2 approaches is that over time the Simple Green will remove paint.
thr3squared
Well-known member
I have a Branson 1510. It’s a small one.
I used it last week on some hardware for a starter I was replacing. The hex must rusted to the stud and the entire stud came out when it shouldnt have. 45min in the cleaner and I could remove the hex nut by hand.
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thr3squared
Well-known member
When you say “over time” do you mean multiple rounds of being cleaned with simple green? Or that the simple green will slowly eat away at the paint?
Shiftless
Well-known member
For paint removal on old vises, I soak them in undiluted SG. If the pieces are relatively small, I use an old crock pot. Hot SG removes most paint quite well. At room temperature it takes a day or 2 or even more to get the same results.
thr3squared
Well-known member
Ok, I have an old crock pot that I've been saving for a project like that. Didn't know SG would work for that, good to know!
Shiftless
Well-known member
Yep!
Paint varies a lot. Old factory paint is usually the hardest to remove. Recent rattle can paint isn’t too hard. After a few hours soaking in hot SG, pull the part out and test the paint with a scraper. If it’s not yet falling off, give it more time. For cast iron parts there is no danger in leaving it too long. I have soaked parts at room temp. for a week. Obviously if your SG is in a hot crock pot you can’t let it get close to boiling dry.
Once it gets loose and flaky you can pull the part and brush the part off under running water or For bigger heavier parts like vise bodies, put it on concrete and hit it with your pressure washer.
Thats what I do.
The SG can be reused until it won’t work well any longer. The number of repeats depends on many factors.
Here is an old Wilton bullet that had multiple repaints. The results after a long soak in hot SG speak for themselves.
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Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
This box was 98% paint before I evaporusted it
engineer2
Well-known member
I'm cleaning up a bunch of old Q-Jet carbs and have been impressed by EvapoRust. It does remove the dichromate coating if you leave it in for a long time. It does a good job of cleaning carbon and soot deposits too.
DSS
Well-known member
That wd40 product has a high water content I know this because I had a jug freeze solid snd swell up last winter. After I saw that I didn't even try using it for anything
M3Pilot
Well-known member
I seem to remember that the project farm had a utube video comparing rust removers.
M3Pilot
Well-known member
Another thing, if your rust remover removes chrome plating you may be creating hexavalent chrome compounds which are very toxic and/or carcinogenic. I know that using electrolysis to remove rust from chrome tools does this. Not certain about other methods.