Rust removal from chromed tools

[BigAl62]

Let me start by saying yes, I did a search, but I got no good answers. I suspect that is because people posted general or vague questions. So here goes: I got a belated birthday present from my in laws last weekend - the rest of my wife's grandfathers tools! What I found when I got home was 2 complete sets of 1/2" drive Snap On 12 point SAE sockets - shallow from 9/16" to 1 1/4" and deep from 1/2" to 1 1/8". All of the date codes are from 1950 to 1965! I also got some Snap On 1/2" drive extensions, some 3/8" Snap On flex sockets (not a complete set), some Mac Sabina O. adapters (3/8" to 1/4 " and such), some Proto and Dura Chrome universals and 2 Bonney sockets!

I cleaned them up today (many years of grease and grime) and I found rust on most of the stuff. I am looking for a way to remove said rust without removing any chrome (if I can't do it, I'll leave them with the rust, I don't want to destroy any of these!) and not use a lot of elbow grease (damned arthritis in my hands). I realize that this is a hot button topic, but I hope some of you can help. Thank you in advance.

Let the flaming begin!!!

 

[mossyboy6]

Square drive drill adapter + PB blaster + steel wool.

This is the best method I have found.

 

[Outlawmws]

Fine steel wool and oil (Motor oil is fine) or an SOS pad and water. Make sure you have lots of soap/lube to keep from scratching the chrome, and fine wool not coarse.

I]m pretty sure Brillo is too coarse, and DON"T use Scotch Brite it has abrasive embedded.

 

[flyingw]

Evapo-Rust sold at Autozone and other fine auto parts stores. Its bio-degradeable and reuseable. Pour some in a pan and put your tools in it. Let it sit for a while. This stuff works pretty good and is very mild.

 

[unknow82]

Some vegitation has oxalic acid in them like rhubarb and you make blend with water with one and dip your tools in for few hours. Try it out first with some other rusting metal.

(it just hapends that Rhubarb http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb is grouing in my backyard and I try it out one time for rust removal.)

 

[JSBriggs]

I use 00 (double ought) steel wool and ATF. For ratchets and extensions, I use a socket to compress the detent ball and drip ATF into the hole.

-Jeff

 

[Subyroo651]

Evapo-Rust sold at Autozone and other fine auto parts stores. Its bio-degradeable and reuseable. Pour some in a pan and put your tools in it. Let it sit for a while. This stuff works pretty good and is very mild.

This is my answer as well. It is very effective and I have seen no ill effects at all. I used it on a very rusted Snap-On Ratchet from 1958.

It removed the rust and seemingly nothing else

It is pretty much everything-safe and re-usable, until its dark with contaminants.

 

[xwarp]

sos pads would be all you would need.

if i may ask, why in the world would you even want to leave the rust on if you take off some chrome?

i ask because eventually, the rust will do that for you anyway.

 

[ChrisF250]

Ive had good luck with both evapo rust and the oil/steel wool method.

 

[Blackbomber]

Funny thing I've noticed with evaporust is that it eliminates the rust, but not rust stains on the chrome (like if a piece was sitting in rusty water). In these cases, I start with evaporust per directions, and finish with ordinary chrome cleaner.

 

[Swan]

Brass wool, instead of steel wool, is softer and will not scratch chrome. Use WD40 or PB Blast and spin in drill with adapter as mentioned above.

 

[fatfillup]

Drill adapter and WD 40 or PB or diesel fuel or oil etc and fine steel wool. Quick and efficient.

I did polish and old SO socket the other day. Its chrome was quite dull. Chucked it up on the drill, put a little rubbing compound on a rag and spun it, the followed up with some polishing compound , spin and a rag. Shined it up real nice.

 

[binkcat16]

i use a small wire cup brush in a die grinder works wonders

 

[Stuart in MN]

There have been a number of discussions about using vinegar dips, molasses dips, or electrolysis for removing rust - search on those terms and you should find plenty of information. For chrome tools I'd try to use non-abrasive methods first before breaking out the wire wheels.

 

[Sterff]

If it is a socket I generally stick it on my impact and slowly clean it with a rag, some pb blaster or polish.

 

[VDubJoe]

Search molasses. I just tried it. 7.00 a gallon at Tractor Supply. Mixed it 7 to 1 with water. Put some rusty flywheels in it for 3 days. All rust gone look like new steel. Am going to make a 50 gallon tank and try some other stuff.
Great videos on you tube of doing sheetmetal.

Joe H

 

[BigAl62]

sos pads would be all you would need.

if i may ask, why in the world would you even want to leave the rust on if you take off some chrome?

i ask because eventually, the rust will do that for you anyway.

I meant that if the rust removal method removed ALL of the chrome (as some chemical dips can). I used the PB Blaster and fine steel wool and drill (OK, I used my cordless impact) method today and got excellent results. Thank you all for your suggestions, as I stated when I did a search all I got were generic answers because people posted "rust removal from tools", not what type of tool they wanted to remove rust from. I hope that others find this information useful as well.

 

[BigAl62]

BTW, here's my stuff after cleaning (I forgot to add the Craftsman V series 1/2" ratchet and the extra set of Snap On 1/2" drive SAE 12 point shallow 3/8" to 13/16"):

 

[Wi Fire 10]

Search molasses. I just tried it. 7.00 a gallon at Tractor Supply. Mixed it 7 to 1 with water. Put some rusty flywheels in it for 3 days. All rust gone look like new steel. Am going to make a 50 gallon tank and try some other stuff.
Great videos on you tube of doing sheetmetal.

Joe H

7:1 molasses to water or 7:1 water to molasses? I hardly see the point of 1 part water to 7 parts molasses, that's why I'm trying to clarify this.

 

[Gregger Rod & Custom]

Funny thing I've noticed with evaporust is that it eliminates the rust, but not rust stains on the chrome

A simple trick to remove rust stains on chrome is to ask a smoker for some of that silver foil from a cigarette pack, spit on the foil and lightly go over the chrome. This is a chemistry thing, not a scrubbing thing so don't scrub, just lightly wipe. The stains come right off!


Gregger

 

[MFolks]

This work well on tools,without removing the metal:
Savogran wood bleach (Oxalic Acid), available at most hardware stores.

 

[Exceller8]

I use a 6" scotchbrite wheel on my grinder. You have to be careful with a new wheel. I actually have two on my grinder, one is for heavy rust and the other is a well used one for cleaning up light rust. Works great!

 

[glenmore]

This is my answer as well. It is very effective and I have seen no ill effects at all. I used it on a very rusted Snap-On Ratchet from 1958.

It removed the rust and seemingly nothing else

It is pretty much everything-safe and re-usable, until its dark with contaminants.

This stuff will save you a ton of time with the sockets. Just first degrease them as best you can to avoid gunking up the evaporust.

 

[NHBandit]

Search molasses. I just tried it. 7.00 a gallon at Tractor Supply. Mixed it 7 to 1 with water. Put some rusty flywheels in it for 3 days. All rust gone look like new steel. Am going to make a 50 gallon tank and try some other stuff.
Great videos on you tube of doing sheetmetal.

Joe H

Molasses is awsome. Here are before & after pictures of old railroad lanterns that were soaked in a 5 gallon bucket with 2 jars of molasses mixed with 4 gallons of water and let sit for a couple days.

 

[Joe B.]

I to vote for Evapo-rust.

One thing you will find with old sockets like this is that if there is a little rust and grease on the outside, there is a ton more on the inside. The insides of sockets are often only painted so the rust can be a lot worse there. If you want to really clean them up and not have to worry about damage to the chrome, I would highly recommended Evapo-rust. I have cleaned up a few hundred sockets with the stuff and the only time it damages the chrome is when the chrome was flaking off anyway. The only downside is that in places that the chrome is fully gone, it tends to make the metal a dark black color.

One $20 gallon jug would solve all of your problems.

 

[Uncle Ben]

7:1 molasses to water or 7:1 water to molasses? I hardly see the point of 1 part water to 7 parts molasses, that's why I'm trying to clarify this.

I was wondering the same thing. If it is 7 parts water to 1 part molasses and it really works, then that would be a lot cheaper than evaporust.

As far as evaporust, I also didn't know what one person mentioned above, which is that once it turns dark/black from contaminants that it means it is no longer usable. Unfortunately I just used some for the first time and it turned black after only 1 use, and there was not any oil on the sockets (which is what I was trying to remove rust from) before I put them in the evaporust. The stuff worked okay, but even after soaking for more than 12 hours for some of the really rusty sockets, there is still quite a bit of rust on them, so maybe that means for the really severe stuff it will require a follow up with steel wool and WD40, etc. For the ones that had only lighter rust it took it right off.

 

[ZRX61]

Local horse supply place has 5gallons of molasses for $15. Mix it anywhere from 10:1 to 7:1 & walk away for a week/month etc.

 

[sberry]

Ok, I am going to try the foil thing, I knew there was a good reason I quit smoking too soon.

 

[Bryan Burns]

Local horse supply place has 5gallons of molasses for $15. Mix it anywhere from 10:1 to 7:1 & walk away for a week/month etc.

What is the advantages of molasses over vinegar? Cost? Vinegar works very well for me.

 

[Jsf721]

Oxalic acid is very dangerous. If you use it do so in fresh air and with PPE (Personal protective equipment)

Some vegitation has oxalic acid in them like rhubarb and you make blend with water with one and dip your tools in for few hours. Try it out first with some other rusting metal.

(it just hapends that Rhubarb http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb is grouing in my backyard and I try it out one time for rust removal.)

 

[ZRX61]

What is the advantages of molasses over vinegar? Cost? Vinegar works very well for me.

Less chance of accidently damaging the tool, but it takes WAY longer...

I usually just resort to beadblasting & wirewheel...

Before, rusted solid:

After glass beads:

& then buzzed it with the wirewheel..

Some people pitch a fit about blasting & wirewheeling.. but this wrench was useless when I found it. Now it works like the day it left the factory & it looks just ****

 

[Plombob]

Big Al - Do NOT use Oxalic Acid to clean tools if you care about the finish. Since rust is usually not evenly distributed over the metal, Oxalic acid will pit the areas which clean up first, while the more heavily rusted areas are still being cleaned. You also must wear gloves and a respirator when you handle Oxalic Acid. It will kill you dead if you ingest it.

I would only use Oxalic Acid on tools that were destined for the scrap yard.

I only use Evapo-Rust now. It doesn't eat the chrome, and it isn't dangerous.

 

[ZRX61]

There is also a side effect to using molasses: Rum

 

[Outlawmws]

The molasses works VERY well it's just slow as hell. and you don't want a tight fitting cover it it will start to stink I'm told, but I have not experienced that. When I have done it, U used a cheap tipper ware type container and set it on the hood of a stored vehicle in the sun, and the warming the sun and hood did seemed to make it work better. It cleaned completely a rust ball of a hatchet head, but it took about a week. It was however about as rusty as it gets.

 

[cbracer]

Flitz metal polish and a rag does work wonders!

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

evaporust overnight then chrome polish. Easiest method....