Tool Cleaning

[DelayedZ]

I recently came into some tools from my family members they look decent enough, but some of them have surface rust. I tried 0000 steel wool, and some basic cleaning solutions, is there something I can dip them in that will eat the little bit of surface rust safely?

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[zkling]

Can you be a little more specific? What kinds of tools? Post a few pics would help. Ex. One wouldn't use the same method to clean a micrometer as they would a hammer.

 

[Steven67fr]

A lot of people like evaporust on here. Depending on the chrome type/finish there are a number of different ways you could go about cleaning.

Look up electrolysis on here or google it. It's imo the best way to at least get started in non-damaging cleaning. If you don't want do use electrolysis just skip that step and use the same cleaning methods as below.
For polished chrome I just stick with steel wool or a find hand wire brush after electrolysis.

While hand wire brushing especially with any kind of cleaning agent like pumice soap I run under water while brushing to help remove the rust, dirt, and grime. Just be sure to dry completely when finished.
For satin chrome you can use a hand wire brush and gojo soap as an abrasive. Or electrolysis and "red wheel" scotchbrite it on a lower rpm grinder. (After electrolysis)
For nickel of cad finishes skip the electrolysis and just use a hand wire brush.

 

[CWP1616L]

If the surface rust is easily accessible, then a maroon Scotch-Brite hand pad is the way to go. Just a couple of swipes and the rust will be gone. You can get them in the Lowes paint department.

 

[jakemac]

If the tools are chrome or nickel plated, try soaking in CLR. Then rinse and polish. Finish with a light oil rub.

EvapoRust is great for full on rust, but it will remove the plating.

 

[scaron]

if very mild rust, no pitting, have you just tried a regular old polishing compound? turtle wax T241-A or equivalent? it's always made short work of a little bit of surface rust for me.

 

[DelayedZ]

I put up a big list of the tools earlier but I guess I didn't have good signal at work on my lunch. It's a lot of pipe fitting tools, wrenches, pipe cutters, saws, ratchets, adjustable metal measuring sticks, screw drivers, a nice looking rivet gun, a bunch of miniature tools and some tools I'm not sure what they are yet.

Sounds like a lot of great options for different levels of rust so I'm going to be using a couple of them, I went deeper into the box of stuff and some of the wrenches look pretty rough hopefully I can save them.


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