# Removing crusty spotty rust from thin paint Monark Rocket



## gkeep (Jan 11, 2018)

Hi All,

Any advice on rust removal when faced with really weak/thin metallic type paint from the mid 50s? This is a 1954 woman's Monark Rocket and the whole bike has scattered rust. I did a few hours of oxalic acid soak on the rims and fenders, the rims are really bad but still have plenty of steel on them. After about 8 hours of soaking the rims I tried just a terry cloth towel and some paint flaked off. I'm leaning toward sponge and cleaner wax because I think the old reliable 0000 steel wool and  WD-40 will strip it right down to bare metal. (I have thought what about all polished steel bike and fenders, very space age, could be nice.) I'd leave the chain guard with the cool rocket logo alone. Maybe this is a candidate for the gentler molasses treatment to not disturb the paint. If this was standard old enamel paint it would polish up well but this paint is just not up to snuff. It's like the Schwinn radiant blue but not a heavy coat.


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## rustystone2112 (Jan 11, 2018)

gkeep said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Any advice on rust removal when faced with really weak/thin metallic type paint from the mid 50s? This is a 1954 woman's Monark Rocket and the whole bike has scattered rust. I did a few hours of oxalic acid soak on the rims and fenders, the rims are really bad but still have plenty of steel on them. After about 8 hours of soaking the rims I tried just a terry cloth towel and some paint flaked off. I'm leaning toward sponge and cleaner wax because I think the old reliable 0000 steel wool and  WD-40 will strip it right down to bare metal. (I have thought what about all polished steel bike and fenders, very space age, could be nice.) I'd leave the chain guard with the cool rocket logo alone. Maybe this is a candidate for the gentler molasses treatment to not disturb the paint. If this was standard old enamel paint it would polish up well but this paint is just not up to snuff. It's like the Schwinn radiant blue but not a heavy coat.
> View attachment 736502



that looks like a candidate for the oxalic acid bath, molasses is fantastic for removing all of the rust but it takes a long time and the molasses isn't kind to the paint over long periods of time, In your case an OA bath is recommended because you won't have to leave it in a long time and still remove most of the rust and save the original paint . I fully recommend the molasses for cases of rust where the piece is going to be repainted / repaired


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