Rust on sockets

[Robinson1]

What's the best way to remove rust from the inside of a socket?

I picked up a small set of used SK sockets the other day and most of them have rust on the inside. I'm not really interested in sitting down with a brush and some kind of penetrating fluid and scrubbing the inside. Maybe there is something that I can just soak them in?

EDIT:

I guess a picture would help. This seems to be the worst of the bunch. These sockets were going on my construction trailer and won't see a lot of use. Probably the only use they will see is commercial door and garage door installs and I only do a handful of those a year. I hate having to steal stuff from my home shop to use in my business even if it's a rarely used tool. I use 1/2 drive a lot on large structural fasteners just don't have a lot of call for the smaller tools. All my 1/2 drive is SK and I've never had a problem. So when I saw a set of SK 3/8 drive SAE sockets for $10 I jumped without really checking them out. Didn't notice the rust until I got home. Hoping I can make these work, if not I'll just throw them in the tractor box and buy a new set.

 

[Burl]

envirorust

 

[devoncoolman]

Evaporust maybe.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Two step process. Remove rust. Then prevent future rust.

 

[Murphy4570]

Gun brushes. Chuck em in a drill. Go to town. .30 caliber brushes would work well, and are very common at gunshops.

 

[thor]

Evaporust maybe.

This is what I'd use.

 

[jakemac]

A quick run with a plumber's pipe brush to knock out the scaly bits of rust. Then a dip in CLR (easier on chrome than EvapoRust) overnight. Rinse. Then back to the plumbers pipe brush to clean up. Oil or wax to prevent the rust returning.

No need to do it all at once. Make a Putter Project out of it. Do one or two at a time when you want to look busy, but not be busy.

 

[bfm336]

Just a note I've had bad luck if dipping chrome in CLR too long- it gets under the chrome. In those cases brushing was best.


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[pauls_workshop]

Just a note I've had bad luck if dipping chrome in CLR too long- it gets under the chrome. In those cases brushing was best.


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Yeah, I refuse to ever use CLR again even in the house. Destroys/damages anything plated easily. Will never use again. When done derusting, you may can to just spray the insides again with some Harbor Freight Steel Wheel paint. It matches chrome pretty good and would provide protective low maintainance coating again. I'm using that to cover the chrome bits on a toolbox restoration I'm doing (an old SK Wayne box actually). Not chrome, but a decent option short of replating things in Nickel or something. I'm not sure who makes the Steel Wheel spray paint for HF - probably Rustoleum or Krylon or similar. It is pretty good paint. Also used it on my old rusty Jeep Cherokee wheels and they look pretty good after. Now my favorite for chrome restoration and protection for tools or boxes. I think I'll show my sk wayne box restore in coming weeks when all done with it. - Paul

 

[Matthew3901]

Evaporust is great!

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[Robinson1]

Same socket after soaking for 2 days in WD-40 Specialist Rust Release. Had a can on hand and thought I'd try it first. Scraped out the worst of what was left with a cheap jewelers screwdriver and then hit them with a 9mm wire brush (the kind for gun cleaning). Again this was the worst socket of the bunch, the rest look almost brand new except for some discoloration.

 

[pendragon1998]

I found several sockets, impact and chrome, in our dirt road. A vinegar soak followed by a toothbrush worked fine.

 

[bob15]

Use them. It will amaze you how much **** will come off using them.....both on the inside and outside of the sockets.

 

[1950mercury]

That cleaned up OK I just oil it and use it as long as a clearances are not to far gone to strips nuts and bolts

 

[d.mcfarland]

Use them. It will amaze you how much **** will come off using them.....both on the inside and outside of the sockets.

I'm going to disagree. By the looks of them they are out of spec for sizing and the fastener is going to be the victim here. Those are heavily used sockets or at least beat up pretty good. OP use caution on anything of importance.