Metal Rescue

[Boris]

I've used Metal-Rescue, and it is expensive. If I remember correctly it's just for use on bare metal. It did work well and acts quickly. Once it's rinsed and dried off, it leaves the surface ready for a primer coat if desired. I think any of the previous suggestions would also work well and be less expensive though.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

I like molasses. Just remember you only need 10% molasses to 90% water in your solution. Here is an "after" picture of a stiff, rusty and frozen chain:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g...Safety/?action=view&current=molasseschain.jpg
I have a second round of parts soaking now.

 

[insendo]

Metal Rescue Worked Great!!

I found Metal Rescue on YouTube, they have a ton of videos on how it's used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WuU1F2VLoI&feature=share&list=PLD8E5D49294D4BAD6

I have used it on gas tanks, tools, chrome, basically everything that had rust on it, and it does what it says it does. Plus, you can reuse it! I know from watching other videos about other ways of removing rust that they are messy, smell bad, and take a long time. I picked some up at a Home Depot by my house. I think their website has a list of Home Depots that carry Metal Rescue.

http://www.metalrescue.com/home.aspx

Hope this helped! Happy de-rusting!

 

[model-a]

rust

I put a small piece of metal I think it is something of my car,put it in the vinegar for 24 hours rust almost gone with no rubbing.

 

[drabe]

All you ever wanted to know about oxalic acid...well almost.

I've used oxalic acid (crystals) for quite a while and have had impressive results, especially on chrome. It works pretty quickly too, although I tend to let parts soak overnight.
It does leave a yellowish residue that easily scrubs off with water and a scotch-brite pad.
As a side note; I have handled the parts with my bare hands (accidently at first) and still have all my fingers!
Once the parts are dry I usually polish with 0000 steel wool and chrome cleaner (for chrome parts obviously).
The process is the same for bare steel parts except afterwards I clean them up with the wire wheel on my bench grinder. To keep the bare parts from rusting again I shoot them with a little rattle can clear and then knock the shine off with a scotch-brite pad.
One warning though, I do not use it for taking rust off of fender brackets because it will take the coating off (strips it to bare steel). Having done that before, I treated them the same as bare steel parts and clear coated them as mentioned above.
I have not tried it on painted parts yet.
The main thing with oxalic acid is having a container to store it in that is also big enough to hold parts like handlebars, etc... I found a plastic container with a lid that is about 7" high by 24" wide by 3ft long (used for under bed storage). This has proven to be not quite tall enough for some parts so I let them soak then flip them over and soak again.
This kind of turned into a science project too, as the weeks turned into months I noticed its potency decreased so I simply added more crystals and water (since it’s stored in my garage it does evaporate over time, even with a lid) and it worked like it did originally. As the months turned into even more months I noticed a mold growing on the surface of the mix (I kind of left it alone after that!). I can say that I’m still here, so apparently the mold is not deadly!

 

[popawheelie]

Removing rust with Vinegar

I too have had tremendous results using Vinegar. It was slowish, took 3 days, but removing rust from a butt-ugly rusty chain wasn't hard. It came out kind of the vinegar with a black coating over the metal at first-after 3 days of soaking. I then went over it with a wire brush with a wooden handle.....and I didn't have to push because the black coating just came off like Now. I washed it off with water and as I did, I rubbed the wire brush on the chain, then dried it thoroughly with rags and a hair dryer. I then heavily sprayed it with WD 40, and put it in a ziplock plastic bag till I'm ready to use it to put life in a rescued bicycle.
Soaking it in 30wt oil is great, but it takes forever for the oil to quit dripping off the chain and is quite messy. If I did soak it in the heavier oil, I'd soak it for a few days, hang it up to drip dry for another day, then put it on a bike.
I'd like to find out if Vinegar hurts Chrome, because if it doesn't, then I wish to clean a few Stems this way.

 

[Gary Mc]

I'd like to find out if Vinegar hurts Chrome, because if it doesn't, then I wish to clean a few Stems this way.

I use vinegar on chrome with great results & no problems at all, you just need to remember to check your parts hourly to determine when to remove it.

 

[vintagebikeman]

I know this is a little off the subject but I saw something on youtube that automatic transmission fluid keeps the metal parts from rusting and maybe slows further rusting

 

[SirMike1983]

I know this is a little off the subject but I saw something on youtube that automatic transmission fluid keeps the metal parts from rusting and maybe slows further rusting

My experience is that it's better than nothing, but not as good as a good rust preventative oil. My favorite is Ballistol for heavy rust prevention uses, though it does have a smell to it. I use it mainly for keeping high risk items like gun barrels in antique rifles clean. I've used WD-40 on lighter applications like bare metal on old bikes. It works relatively well. I've also used mineral oil, which works ok (and happens to be one of the key ingredients in ballistol).

Here's a study of various ones:

http://www.home-machine-shop.com/Rust-Off.htm

 

[model-a]

I took some old bearings out of a bike I torn down they where bad rusty put them in some vinegar and forgot about them by accident,out there the other day clean as could be I might be able to use them now no joke.