Removing rust from craftsman made in usa wrenches.

[Molon Labe]

So I'm sure there is a thread about rust removal, but the search function seems to include every word about rust.
Regardless, I wanted to show you guys this anyway.

I've was cleaning out the backyard the other day and came across something I totally forgot I had.

I purchased in 2005 a 300+ piece craftsman tool set. Still USA made Most of the stuff is still in the old bag. I'm pulling them out to see what I am missing. So far I only notice an 11mm and 15mm wrench missing. Still working on going through the sockets.

Looks to be this set..
http://m.sears.com/craftsman-300-pc-professional-tool-set/p-00948826000P

Anyhow, what would be the best way to remove any rust without damaging the tool?

Steel wool and vinegar?

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[Superbec]

i know i know i know

 

[Corndoggeh]

You could wire wheel them on a bench grinder. Are the chromed pieces pitting or only the nonchromed pieces?

 

[Molon Labe]

You could wire wheel them on a bench grinder. Are the chromed pieces pitting or only the nonchromed pieces?

Mainly non chromed. The flare nut wrenches seem to have the most, and it's still not that terrible.

Use the advanced search feature.
Tell it to search only titles. Input your word or string.

It's a pretty good search engine.

I guess it only ***** through tapatalk, I'll try via desktop website next time.



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[gdocktor3]

Just use Safari or whatever internet explorer you have on your phone. I only use Tapatalk for posting pictures. The rest of the time I use garagejournal.com in safari on my iPhone.

 

[sberry]

Spray with some boar pee and then work them, it will go away.

 

[jakemac]

Lightly wire wheel.
Soak in CLR for an hour or two.
Rinse and Dry.
Lightly wire wheel again to remove the black converted coating.
Use a buffer if you want them to look pretty.
Wipe with a light coat of oil.

 

[pelletman]

Dump in 10 parts water 1 part molasses from TS for a week, or buy some Metal Rescue or Evapo Rust. I like MR better

 

[Molon Labe]

Looks like I was only missing 2 sockets and a combination wrench.

Bonus included 5 piece tappet wrench.

Got the replacement parts on order now to clean up this rust.

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[dadsEH]

I use vinegar..soak for 24 hrs and use a brass wird wheel.

 

[David0858]

I've got some in vinegar right. I'll see ho w they did in about 15 minutes.

 

[jakemac]

Just curious -
How do you forget a full tool set in the backyard, and why was the whole thing in a baggie ?

 

[Molon Labe]

Just curious -
How do you forget a full tool set in the backyard, and why was the whole thing in a baggie ?

I bought the set when I was in college and working on my chevelle. I was working out of a storage space tearing down the engine with borrowed tools.

I bought the set and was using the tools I needed, opening the bags. Shortly after buying the set, I moved back home because I was starting a fire academy.

I had to sell the chevelle after I finished the academy, and since I my dad had tools, these were just left in a rubbermaid box to sit and waste away, sadly.

Life happened, and yeah they were forgotten about. Fast forward 12 years later, I took over his place and was cleaning out the yard. Happy surprise

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[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Evaporust.

Beats all the other measures:

 

[jakemac]

EvapoRust is great for bare metal, but CLR does the same job and is gentler on the finish than ER. CLR will still eat chrome, but not as fast as EvapoRust.

 

[Pontiac787]

I've found that mothers mag polish and 0000 steel wool works wonders on chrome.

 

[bob15]

a little Kroil and a scotchbrite pad will take the rust off real fast. Or a wire wheel

 

[pelletman]

Evaporust.

Beats all the other measures:

If you like that you'll love Metal Rescue. I've tried both on many rusty parts

 

[Al Borland]

Barkeeper's friend and scotchbrite pads

 

[cajunfirehawk]

Evaporust comes in a 32 oz btl if you want to try it, not too much, $ 8 walmart, I buy by the gallon.

 

[derekrobbins]

Try the Krylon spray paints, most of the construction companies are using these paints on their tools. Single coating of spray will help your tools to keep away from rust.

 

[David0858]

Vinegar took off the rust on my Craftsman and other wrenches. Different brands as well as different generations of the same brand reacted differently with some working faster than others and more or less chrome loss. Where there was deep rust the chrome was gone too of course. It left a rough texture where the chrome was gone like coarse grit sandpaper and if they weren't rinsed in water immediately, less than a minute or two, the chrome left on the wrenches turned yellow.

For just a haze of rust and/or light rust spots on the chrome I think 15 to 30 minutes would have been plenty. The stuff I tried in phosphoric acid came out with a much smother finish where the rust was but it turned the chrome left as well as the rest on a couple fairly large Craftsman sockets black which actually looks better than the things done in vinegar with chrome and blackish gray splotches. If I had it to do over again I'd probably try electrolysis for the things with deeper rust..

The things that had been bare metal and had turned rust and brown with no pitting, such as a bunch of driver bits came out looking great with an overnight bath in the phosphoric acid and then rinsed, wiped off and WD40ed. They came out with no rust and almost a gloss black finish. This is what the rest of my stuff that had been bare metal like tap wrenches, drill bits and such will get.

 

[WWheeler]

EvapoRust is great for bare metal, but CLR does the same job and is gentler on the finish than ER. CLR will still eat chrome, but not as fast as EvapoRust.

I've used Evaporust many times to get the rust off any used tools I acquire that need a little cleaning up and it works really well and I've never seen it "eat chrome" at all. If there was any damage to the finish or pitting it was the rust that did it long before the Evaporust got there. I bought a gallon a couple years ago that I keep in a bucket with a lid to reuse. I dump tools in the bucket and pull them out a day or more later with all of the rust gone. Wipe them off / clean them up a little and then put them to use.

To keep any rust away going forward I keep a rag hanging beside every tool box that I wipe every tool with - every socket, wrench, ratchet, etc - before it gets put away. Every now and again the rag gets a spritz of Boeshield T-9. If the tool was covered in grease or whatnot i clean all of that off before it gets to my T-9 rag.

 

[geartow]

coca cola

 

[Molon Labe]

Great suggestions. I was able to get most of the exterior rust off the ones that were affected.

The only real problem left is inside some of the socket wells.

I'll need to soak then in something to remove that innter coating. I'll try the molasses trick and evaporust.

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[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

If you like that you'll love Metal Rescue. I've tried both on many rusty parts

Will definitely try... where do you get it?

What I like about evaporust is that there's basically no effort involved, no scrubbing needed. I'm a lazy man.