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Post by woodeye on Oct 27, 2022 21:33:20 GMT -6
This is not a new method of removing rust from tools such as pliers, wire crimpers, etc. I didn't invent it, but I have used this method a lot and it works great.
I have an upcoming project that may require the use of a 2 inch Forstner wood boring bit. The bit is about 30 years old, it has been inside a toolbox out at the barn, but managed during that time to become heavily encrusted with rust. It would probably cut as it was, but since there is not much work to getting the rust off with this method, I decided to go ahead and clean it now.
Yesterday afternoon I rounded up the Solution ingredients: White Vinegar & Salt. The salt speeds up the action of the white vinegar.
The recipe is 1 cup salt per 1 gallon of white vinegar, but I didn't need that much, so I mixed 1/4 cup salt with 1 quart white vinegar. Then plopped the rusty wood bit into the solution, making sure it was covered.
30 hours later, I removed the bit, the rust had fell off of it. You can see the rust in the container of white vinegar/salt. Went all over the bit with a small wire brush, then dried it off with a paper towel. I'll oil the bit lightly tomorrow with 3-in-1 oil. Trust me, if you've never done this, you will be very happy that you can clean up rusty tools easily and not have to buy new ones. I've even used it to loosen bearings on router bits that were seized. Also pliers that were so rusted that they would not open at all. It may take several days for extremely rusted tools to finish, but it is worth the wait. You can make them shiny if you use steel wool after drying. I haven't done that because everything I have cleaned with vinegar and salt, and then oiled has worked fine for me as is...
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Post by hmoosek on Oct 27, 2022 23:18:04 GMT -6
That’s a great tip! I have used vinegar to etch knives before by warming up the vinegar then putting the blade in for a few minutes at a time. You get a nice patina that doesn’t rust as easily as bare steel. Bleach will do it, but since it’s much more caustic you have to be very vigilant or it will pit your blade. I’ve also used muriatic acid to remove rust, but it’s very dangerous to your lungs, skin, eyes, etc. Usually a quick dip, but then you must neutralize with a baking soda solution. I don’t recommend using as it is can be quite harmful. An old knife making friend turned me on to that method. It gives steel a very dark finish that’s almost black. It will also sharpen a file and that’s what I’ve mostly used it for. Back when I blacksmithed, I’d buy up all the old files I could find. These days some files are case hardened and not worth the package they come in. I like your method better woodeye as it is much safer!
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Post by woodeye on Oct 28, 2022 8:38:27 GMT -6
hmoosek, you mentioned the patina that won't rust as bad as bare steel, and I agree with that. The pair of Klein's that I carry around all the time now are some that I found half buried in mud. They had been out in the pasture for years, they must of fell out off my four wheeler sometime. I know for certain that they were out there for at least 10 years in the pasture. They were a seized glob of rust, but I soaked those things in white vinegar and salt for several days and brought them back to life. Every couple of days I would pull them out of the vinegar and try to open them, they would open just a little more each day that I did that. Eventually they opened up all the way, so I left them soaking for a few more days, and then used a little wire brush all over them. They are darker than they were when new, but work just as good as new. Although I haven't tested their ability to resist rusting, they have looked the same ever since I did the treatment on them and that was over 2 years ago...
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